Best ways to avoid kidney infections?

[Potentialmadcatlady]

Poor boy has another kidney infection..third one..third long lasting antibiotic injection..third lot of metacam..in six weeks..very unsettled and vocal,won't settle so clearly in some pain..
He's one year old,neutered and with a grade 6 heart murmur...
So far I'm doing this to help...
Not letting him out in his run in wet/cold- he loves going out in the run in the rain but I have stopped that..
Mixing warm water in with his wet food three times a day ( he licks up the gravy water)
Leave bathroom tap dripping so he's drinking from there too
Large bowl (so whiskers don't touch sides) of water not near food or litter tray
Three litter trays in quiet places - no accidents,he always uses his tray
Dry food also available in separate bowl
Has various high up places to hide/sleep- all with fleeces/blankets to snuggle on
Three scratching posts available and loads of toys etc

Any other suggestions?? It's going to be an ungoing problem I think because of his other health issues and with his heart condition medications are going to be an issue.. He has already outlived his 'likely' life span and has been a very happy chilled boy up until the infections started...plan always was to give him a short happy life not a long medication/surgery filled one... Don't want to have to make any decisions yet but at the same time I don't want him to suffer when we always knew he wouldn't be with us for long...

Have you had a urine culture and microscopy to check for crystals and to check that you are using the best antibiotic?

He had all that done yesterday again..spent all day at vets waiting for him to pee.. Nearly had to stay overnight..

He had full bloods done as well..

Maybe best to wait until all the results are in then?

Will he take a pill?

100% wet food will help flush the bladder through, offering multiple glasses of water in every room will increase water intake. Other than that wait for the results.

The vet just said he results showed he had an infection and they thought it was interstitial cystitis ( think that's spelt right) .this is the third time in six weeks, first time I didn't pick it up until his pee was pink ( blood- I felt so guilty I didn't pick it up sooner,I thought he was just grumpy from the heat we had).. This time I picked it up straight away...
Yes he would take a pill if needed.. He's very laid back..he comes running when he sees me with the metacam bottle.
He's always been a great drinker anyway but I'm leaving taps dripping and mixing warm water in his wet food and he's finishing it so his fluid levels are much higher because of that..
Just don't want the boy to suffer,he's had a tough life- rescued as a tiny kitten with cat flu,major heart condition and ulcers on eyes ( treated successsfully but eyes scarred so eyesight not 100%) ..this is one more thing he doesn't deserve so anything I can do to help him I will

Glasses of water wouldn't stand a chance- two cats and a dog- cats would just push them over! I could put water bowls in hall and bathroom..

Lots of bowls it is then - and have a word with the vet tomorrow. I know that my own boy isn't on the ideal AB for his troubles but he's a pill-resister (big time) so he has to have an injectable AB. If he'll take a pill, the vet knows what he's got and can give him a targeted AB, and he has loads of liquid, there's a good chance you can ease him greatly I think.

Thanks... He got given a 'long term' injectable antibio injection yesterday again, supposed to last two weeks? I was wondering if he would be better on a low dose prophylactic dose long term to protect him but not sure with his heart if that's suitable... His heart is very bad and heart rate very high all the time but stable if that makes sense ..

Have a word with the vet. I suspect that they'll want to see if the injectable does any good first before considering any new plan of campaign. (It doesn't always take real effect for two or three days in my experience.)

Will do..he's to go back in two weeks with a fresh pee sample and if I can't get one then he's stay at vets again until they do ( not easy when the two cats share one tray even though I have three for them) this is the third time he's had the injection and he does get better but then it's come back again but I hadn't been doing the wet food with warm water mixed in so fingers crossed it might do the trick..thanks for your help

All the best to him.

Poor boy is still so unsettled and very vocal...keeps annoying the other cat who isn't doing anything wrong- she's starting to get upset with him...went to pet shop yesterday to get some more non slip water bowls- came home with more wet food,extra litter and a couple of new toys but forgot the extra water bowls.....wet food mixed with warm water is being wolfed down by both the cats and they are totally ignoring the dry stuff that they normally graze on..but that's good I guess since it's getting fluids in- wonder how long it will last....

It's still quite early I think. Good news that they like their wet food with added water though.

Boy is much better today.. Wolfing wet food with warm water into him and much less unsettled.. Still on metacam but down to half dose.. Fingers crossed but I know it's a chronic condition so I guess all I can do is try and prevent reoccurrences as much as I can... Not having him living in pain when his life is already limited anyway..

Good news.