Struvite Crystals In Cats Symptoms

When cats have struvite plugs in their urethra the tube that extends from the bladder to the outside of the body to discharge urine they are typically comprised of larger stones and are often mixed with crystals.

Struvite crystals in cats symptoms. If your cat has been displaying symptoms of urinary tract disease and has been diagnosed with crystals you are likely very keen to know what treatment options are available. However it is important to know which crystals a cat has so that we can tailor our treatment as the crystals form for different reasons and respond to different therapies. Around half of all urinary stones in cats are struvite crystals. Once the stone is formed it increases in size over weeks or months.

You may be alerted to this problem when you see your cat straining to urinate urinating outside the litter box urinating frequently has an increased thirst and or has cloudy or bloody urine. Blood in the urine. Struvite stones are crystal like formations that are small in size and primarily made up of magnesium ammonium and phosphate. Struvite and calcium oxalate are the most common type of stones in cats.

If the stones are located on the bladder the cat may present a few symptoms such as. Less common stones include ammonium biurate cystine and uric acid. A cat affected with struvite crystals calcium oxalate crystals or any other type of crystal will suffer from the same array of symptoms and are affected in the same way. Common signs that may indicate bladder stones are.

The latter can only be seen if they urinate on a solid surface or a pale coloured fabric. However the symptoms of struvite stones in cats may vary according to the location of the stones. These crystals form when there is more magnesium calcium phosphorus or protein in the urine that it can be dissolved. Well the treatment will depend on which type of crystal is involved as the options are really quite different for each crystal type.

The three standard crystals in cats are struvite oxalate and urate. Blood in the urine. Signs of a urinary blockage include producing no or very little urine pain lethargy and poor appetite. Symptoms of struvite stones in cats urinary blockages are most common in neutered male cats and life threatening when not treated quickly.

Struvite crystals develop in concentrated urine once the urine becomes supersaturated crystals aggregate to form stones. Blood in the urine hematuria. Because crystals in the urine that are passed in the litter box may be missed by pet owners other symptoms may help pet owners discover something is wrong with their cat.