Feline Urinary Crystals

Not all pets diagnosed with crystals have bladder stones.

Feline urinary crystals. In some cases urine crystals can lead to a life threatening blockage of the urinary tract. An individual feline s unique physiology and disease history will most likely predict the development of crystals in their urine above anything else. The detection of urinary crystals is not synonymous with kidney stones or the clinical signs associated with them nor is detection of urine crystals irrefutable evidence of a stone forming tendency but there is some association with an increased risk for kidney stones in animals that are. What are urinary crystals.

If the stones cannot be diagnosed through palpation the diagnosis of bladder stones in cats is made or confirmed with abdominal x rays or ultrasound. Cats who present with crystalluria need to be seen by a veterinarian in order to properly identify the crystals and diagnose any underlying conditions that may be causing them to form. The calcium oxalate crystals result from the opposite factor too much acidity. What is crystals in the urine.

The cornell feline health center notes that crystals in cat urine are sometimes associated with a range of urinary diseases collectively called feline lower urinary track disease flutd. In cats the small size of the urethra means that crystals can clump and block the flow of urine. Urinary crystals are routinely diagnosed on examination of a urine sediment. If the crystals form in to stones diets are not effective at dissolving them and they require more drastic intervention.

The signs of flutd may include. Urinary crystals are microscopic structures that can be found in the urine of many animals including cats. The development of crystals in the urine or crystalluria occurs when normal minerals that float in the urine bind to each other. Many believe that this is due to cats eating commercial foods that acidify the urine.

Struvite crystals are microscopic crystals that are found in the urine of some cats. Causes of feline urine crystals feline urine crystals may develop due to a number of factors. Crystals in the urine irritate the cat s bladder and can lead to bladder stones or to a condition known as feline lower urinary tract disease or flutd. Interestingly these crystals used to be extremely rare but now account for roughly half of feline urinary crystals.

Crystals may indicate bladder stones or uroliths rock like mineral formations that develop in the bladder. Feline urine crystals consist of either struvite or calcium oxalate crystals. Struvite crystals contain magnesium phosphate and ammonium and result from too much alkalinity. Some stones can be found on routine physical exam during palpation of the urinary bladder.

The crystals themselves can be perfectly normal but become problematic when they combine to form grit or stones of varying shapes and sizes.