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catlady422 · Jan 7, 2010, 01:08 PM

My 14 year old cat looks and eats great but has had bloody urine for a month. Clavamox for 2 weeks didn't help. Now he is on xenoquin, no difference. THe vet bills are too much for a low income senior citizen (me), any ideas on what to do, I hate to put him to sleep this is breaking my heart.

tickle · Jan 7, 2010, 01:36 PM

Its called hematuria (blood in urine) and can be caused by a few things but my guess is, seeing as its an older cat, is probably urinary tract infection, or kidney infection. UTI is treatable and that is probably what the vet is doing but the kidney infection is more serious. I am not saying it is either one, I just know with older cats this is a common ailment especially when a cat doesn't drink enough water. When you can actually see the blood in the urine, that is not good.

I don't think I can offer you any quick solution, it is best to leave it up to the vet, but if he is not being up front with you and just wants you to spend money, I can see him suggesting more treatments. If solutions aren't helping, I don't think there is any other solution if your old love starts ailing, and quality of life disappears. I can tell you I have been there a few times over the years and I don't hesitate to do everything I can, and if that doesn't work, then they let you know.

I wish you all the best and hope you still have a few more years with him.

ms. tickle

Sariss · Jan 7, 2010, 04:55 PM

What did they find in his urine?

I know money is tight, but my two suggestions are this:
Get the urine cultured. There's no point throwing antibiotics at it if the bacterium is resistant to it.

You could also get the cat xrayed - it's usually our next step with a cat with hematuria that won't go away when it's caused by a UTI - stones may be in the bladder, and the only real way to find them is with an x-ray or ultrasound.

tickle · Jan 7, 2010, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by Sariss

What did they find in his urine?

I know money is tight, but my two suggestions are this:
Get the urine cultured. There's no point throwing antibiotics at it if the bacterium is resistant to it.

You could also get the cat xrayed - it's usually our next step with a cat with hematuria that won't go away when it's caused by a UTI - stones may be in the bladder, and the only real way to find them is with an xray or ultrasound.

Says I need to spread rep around so couldn't give you a greenie. More excellent advice from you Sariss

Tick

morgaine300 · Jan 8, 2010, 03:52 AM

Er, rep...

Anyway, I think the x-ray is a good idea. If it were me, I'd have blood work done, especially a CBC, but the x-ray should be done also and might be cheaper, depending. But the culture is a great idea cause you've got 2 antibiotics doing nothing.

It could be a stone though. This has been going on for a while and it's visible. I'm also a bit concerned over how much blood maybe has been lost. (That's why the CBC.)

For future reference, it would help if you fed all wet food and no dry. And a really good quality food would help, but even just canned Fancy Feast would be better if you're now feeding dry, or even Friskies canned. (Or Whiskas or 9Lives if you want to save more money. The point is the canned has way more moisture.)

This very well could be easily treatable if you can figure out what it is. I'm certainly not ready to write him off. Work with your vet to see what the cheapest route may be to go, or work out payment plans or something. The treatment itself may not be expensive.