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Original poster

Please help. Male blockage, I'm scared

64 replies

Roarina · 15/07/2017 15:58

Our gorgeous boy was taken to the vets yesterday because he was dripping urine when walking. Vet felt his bladder and said it was nearly at bursting point. He was kept in over night and given medication to try to help him go. That didn't work so they put a needle in to his bladder to empty it. This morning it had filled right back up again. He managed to do a little wee so vet emptied the bladder again and we have brought him home with a load of medication and hopes and prayers that he will wee properly before tomorrow.

Vet says his urine was tested and there were no crystals and no infection. She doesn't seem to know what is causing the blockage. She said it could be inflammation but that the anti inflammatory didn't work or something more serious like a tumour.

We are bringing him back in tomorrow morning, if he hasn't wee'd then a catheter under anaesthetic will be placed.

I asked what would happen if the catheter doesn't work. She said that unfortunately sometimes if all attempts to unblock fail then it gets to a point where the toxins will build up in his body and his organs will fail. I'm so scared.

Another worry is Insurance will not pay for this as he's had a uti before we got him and they class FLUTD as a pre existing condition. I don't want this to be about money but I don't have thousands, which is what it could go up to if multiple surgeries are necessary. We're at £250 at the moment and even that will be a stretch. Luckily the vets are partnered with a credit company which I will hopefully qualify for but what happens if I don't?

My head feels like it's going to explode. I've never wanted a cat to pee so badly.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I'm looking for the good and bad just so I have an idea of what to expect.

Please don't flame me for the money worries. I feel bad enough as it is and I wish money wasn't even a consideration.

OP posts:
Original poster
Roarina · 15/07/2017 16:50

Anyone? Sad

OP posts:
PosiePootlePerkins · 15/07/2017 17:00

So sorry for you and your poor pussFlowers No advice but bumping for you.

thecatneuterer · 15/07/2017 17:07

I can't help either. Just hoping for the best for you. I've never known blockages to be caused by anything other than crystals (I'm not a vet, just work in a vet clinic) so I've no experience or advice to offer. Have a hand hold instead ...

Want2beme · 15/07/2017 17:14

So sorry this is happening. It's an awful waiting game. Both of my boy cats had urinary tract problems throughout their lives caused by crystals, and had many a catheter inserted. They both lived very long lives and were as happy as Larry. I know your vet has said there are no crystals, but maybe there's a big crystal blocking him, that can't be detected. I'll say a little cat prayer for you and hope it all goes well.

Original poster
Roarina · 15/07/2017 17:16

Thank you both for replying. A hand hold is just as useful right now.

The vet has never seen a case like this either, she seems fairly stumped which is worrying me even more. When I took him in yesterday the main concern was to relieve his bladder. But she was quite sure it was either crystals or infection causing it. All the info I can find online talks about those two situations as well so I'm still clueless.

Still no pee, he seems happy to be home though which is good.

OP posts:
CatsInKilts · 15/07/2017 17:18

I can't give any practical advice but I've been through the blockage worries with my own cat. (We were told that it was common with neutered males of between 4yrs and 6yrs of age). The first couple of times it was caused by crystals, but the third was a complete mystery.

He was given a scan which seemed to show that there was something there, but when they opened him up there was nothing there. One theory was that he'd injured himself somehow, but we'll probably never know for sure.

It's been three years since the last illness/blockage and no sign of whatever it was coming back. The cost for the final episode was about £600 but that included him being referred to a hospital at a vet school and having various scans before being operated on there.

When he eventually came home, we temporarily had a "Stay quiet near the litter box" rule so that he wouldn't be disturbed when peeing. Blush

I hope it all goes well for you and your boy. Flowers

Original poster
Roarina · 15/07/2017 17:49

Yes we have adopted the quiet rule as well. DC are being very good. The vet said to keep him in a room on his own to chill out but he was getting stressed and scratching at the door so we've let him come in the living room for some cuddles. Hope that wasn't the wrong thing to do.

He's been home 5 hours now and still no pee. Sad

OP posts:
Fatjilly · 15/07/2017 19:54

My cat had a blocked bladder and an overnight stay plus treatment and tablets ended up at £800. My vet said that if the treatment didn't work then he would do surgery to expand the pee hole. Thankfully it didn't come to that but it might be a possibility for your cat. Maybe your vet will let you pay in installments. Hope your boy gets well soon.

Want2beme · 15/07/2017 20:18

Fatjilly £800?! My vet charges me the equivalent of £70, (I live in a euro country), and that includes an overnight stay with a catheter, and additional medication. That price is outrageous.

Original poster
Roarina · 15/07/2017 20:32

I can well believe that price. As I said, so far we're at £250 and that is overnight stay, medication and 2 x emptying bladder via needle. Vet said anaesthetic and catheter will bring it up to between £700-£1000 depending on how long he has to stay in. If that doesn't work then more surgery but I don't even want to think about that, I just won't be able to pay it. Not without getting us in to massive debt and I need to be realistic about whether that is something we can financially manage.

Still no pee. Feel so sick.

OP posts:
Fatjilly · 15/07/2017 20:56

Want2beme UK vet prices are outrageous. It's £25 just to walk into the treatment room. My dog went in with a chest problem. Loads of blood tests came up with nothing, he got better with no idea of what caused it and it cost me £200! That was 3 weeks after the cats £800 bill. I'm lucky that my insurance paid out directly to the vet.

Fiona1984 · 16/07/2017 08:23

My cat has been hospitalised due to a urinary blockage a couple of weeks ago. Noticed him trying to pee repeatedly in random inappropriate places, so I knew he was trying to tell me something was wrong.
Called the vets and they managed to get him in, I was told it was an emergency and I had to drive him to their 24hour centre. If his bladder wasn't emptied he would die. I was so worried, especially having recently lost my other cat.
I was warned it could cost £1000, but luckily I have insurance that pays the vet directly, otherwise I don't know what I would have done. I don't even want to know how much the final bill was, it was nearly £600 after 2 days!
He was catheterised and kept in for four days on a drip. I was told they did find crystals in his urine. I collected him, and he was fine, peeing little and often to start with due to the irritation of the Catheter, but back to normal now. He's just come over and curled up on my chest, bless him.
He has to have a special diet to prevent recurrences.
My vets were brilliant, very reassuring, they called me 3 or 4 times a day when he was in with updates.
I did some research into FLUTD and urinary problems in cats. Male cats can get scarring and constriction in their urethra which makes it difficult to pee. Could it be this with your cat, OP?

thecatneuterer · 16/07/2017 09:28

I'm hoping to hear some good pee news from you soon.

I don't really think the vet should have discharged him before being sure he was peeing ok.

Original poster
Roarina · 16/07/2017 11:55

What a morning. He managed to wee a tiny bit over night and started dripping urine again. About an hour before he was due at the vets he started howling. Never heard anything like it before. Then was vomiting.

Got him to the vets and she said his bladder was full again but it felt softer and not as tense. She thinks the medicine is starting to work and wants to give him until tomorrow before attempting a catheter. His bladder has been drained again and he is home.

We've been told he's basically on a knife edge at the moment and no one knows which way it's going to fall. I wish they were doing more, I don't understand why they haven't just done the catheter already but the vet insists this is the best way to go because the medication takes a while to build up and it's still possible it might resolve without anaesthesia.

She said any wee is better than no wee so as long as he's dripping it's not life threatening. I feel really uneasy but I don't know what else I can do other than to listen to the experts.

OP posts:
Fatjilly · 16/07/2017 12:09

Can't believe they haven't put a catheter in yet. Have they done xrays? Maybe ring another vet for a second opinion. Really hope you get him sorted quickly. Poor fella :(

Original poster
Roarina · 16/07/2017 12:20

No xray. They've given him an injection of painkiller and sedative each day since Friday. Emptied his bladder via a needle 3 times and tested his urine. He is taking metacam, hypovase, dantrium and zyklene.

OP posts:
YetAnotherSpartacus · 16/07/2017 12:46

All the best Roarina Flowers

CatsInKilts · 16/07/2017 12:57

Poor boy.

I hope the medication starts working soon. Flowers

Original poster
Roarina · 16/07/2017 16:29

We have wee!!! Lots and lots of wee. All over the place. Will probably have to replace my carpet after this but I really don't care right now.

Fingers crossed this is a good sign and he's on the mend. He's doesn't seem to be "meaning" to go, but it must mean the blockage is clearing if so much is coming out in one go I should imagine? Before this it was tiny drops here and there.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 16/07/2017 17:26

Thank god for that. When does he go back?.

Original poster
Roarina · 16/07/2017 17:38

Due back tomorrow afternoon but as quick as the relief came, it's gone again. He's vomiting again and just laying in his bed (and the vomit). Vet said she thought the vomiting was due to him straining but I haven't seen him strain at all.

I don't know if it's all the medication he's on that's making him throw up? He's been pretty drugged up and he's only a tiny thing. 4kg.

OP posts:
Fiona1984 · 16/07/2017 22:01

So sorry to hear he's no better, hopefully they will have an answer (and treatment) for him soon. Have they done any blood tests on him? My cat had a blood test to check his kidneys (it came back fine) . He was on Metacam, two kinds of tablets (anti inflammatory and anti spasmodic I think) and antibiotics, but he was never sick, and he is only 3.4kg, like yours he is tiny.
My cat got catheterised straightaway, and they left it in for 3 days, and he was in another day until he peed on his own.

Fluffycloudland77 · 17/07/2017 06:49

How was he overnight?

Original poster
Roarina · 17/07/2017 07:36

I don't think they've done blood tests. I will ask later but they definitely haven't mentioned it.

He vomited once again over night, done a few little wees and attempted to escape out of the open window! Grin This morning he's refusing to eat or drink but seems a bit more alert than last night.

OP posts:
Want2beme · 17/07/2017 09:54

He's probably been feeling very poorly and vomitting was a reaction to this. Hopefully, he's on the mend now.

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