Ashley Scheduled for a X-ray, Should I get a Second Vet to Look at Her???

[Lizzie]

I wouldn't give pills to Ashley if you have already decided to take her to a vet since medication will probably mask symptoms. I only give them when it's a minor recurring problem and I know I'm not going to take a cat to the vet - such as Diego's intermittent fevers and the vet has already given me meds to pulse treat, or Darcy's interstitial cystitis (no infection or crystals ever).

Yes, the vet always does a urine test when I take in any of mine for possible UTI or cystitis. Taranis' first UTI happened before she was returned to the shelter for the second time and she had a recurrence within the first year of being adopted by me. The vet found lots of white cells, which confirmed it was an infection, blood and a small amount of crystals. This was in the days before the very wonderful Metacam was used for inflammation so she got antibiotics and something to relax her bladder contractions. If the antibiotics hadn't worked, we were going to send out a urine sample to the lab for more specific analysis. She's also been on Prozac for years because she sort of hates other cats. Mind you, she acts like she hates people too and has slashed me quite a few times, nearly bitten me too. I say sort of and acts because she loathes being alone and will actually jump up to be by the other cats, just lunges if they come close to her, and she likes to lean into me - just slashes and bites if I touch her. Yes, a difficult cat!

With Taranis' later problems no white cells were seen but there was blood. I just called my vet to check and the stones (tiny as they are and more like sand actually than gravel) were easily visible on x-ray. There was large amount of stones and it took the vet a long time to rinse and pick them all out of the bladder. Taranis didn't need an ultra-sound.

[Anikaca77]

Lizzie-

I don't have any pills anyway and the vet hasn't prescribed anything because she never saw any white blood cells or blood in her urine indicating a bladder infection, the only thing she saw was crystals in her urine.

The newer vet called me and she said that she thinks the x-ray is a good step and that if nothing shows up then we could try to get a Cystocentensis, which from what the vet said they will get her to pee and somehow get her urine. The vet said that would cost about $80 and they send that test away to a lab to culture it and see if anything happens.

I haven't seen any blood in Ashley's pee at all and neither did the vet so I'm thinking maybe we are not looking at an UTI that maybe it is just stones but maybe not. The vet of course mentioned it could be behavorable too but I'm really hoping that is not the case but I don't want Ashley to have stones either, I guess I would just like an answer as to why she is doing this.

I suppose I'll just have to wait until Monday. My husband told me she peed again today, so something is up and I really think that's why she is doing it to try to tell us something.

Melissa

I wouldn't give pills to Ashley if you have already decided to take her to a vet since medication will probably mask symptoms. I only give them when it's a minor recurring problem and I know I'm not going to take a cat to the vet - such as Diego's intermittent fevers and the vet has already given me meds to pulse treat, or Darcy's interstitial cystitis (no infection or crystals ever).

Yes, the vet always does a urine test when I take in any of mine for possible UTI or cystitis. Taranis' first UTI happened before she was returned to the shelter for the second time and she had a recurrence within the first year of being adopted by me. The vet found lots of white cells, which confirmed it was an infection, blood and a small amount of crystals. This was in the days before the very wonderful Metacam was used for inflammation so she got antibiotics and something to relax her bladder contractions. If the antibiotics hadn't worked, we were going to send out a urine sample to the lab for more specific analysis. She's also been on Prozac for years because she sort of hates other cats. Mind you, she acts like she hates people too and has slashed me quite a few times, nearly bitten me too. I say sort of and acts because she loathes being alone and will actually jump up to be by the other cats, just lunges if they come close to her, and she likes to lean into me - just slashes and bites if I touch her. Yes, a difficult cat!

With Taranis' later problems no white cells were seen but there was blood. I just called my vet to check and the stones (tiny as they are and more like sand actually than gravel) were easily visible on x-ray. There was large amount of stones and it took the vet a long time to rinse and pick them all out of the bladder. Taranis didn't need an ultra-sound.