Written by
Aili V. Heintz, DVM
Flower Flower is a 10-year-old female cat that we examined and treated for a bladder infection three months ago. At that time, the cat had been having frequent pee accidents around the house. After treatment with antibiotics, Flower seemed to be back to her normal self. However, in the last two weeks, Flower started peeing all over the house again. The family believed it was another infection, and they called us wanting a refill on antibiotics. Rather than simply prescribing medication, we recommended an exam and a rechecking of a urine sample to see if this is an infection or something else. When we checked the urine sample, we saw no signs of infection. Instead, Flower’s urine showed high levels of sugar. We then did some further testing to confirm that Flower had diabetes. Diabetes and bladder infections can look very similar, but they are treated very differently. With diabetes, the sooner we can begin treatment and disease management, the better the chances of limiting secondary long-term health issues. If we had just given an antibiotic without checking a urine sample, we would have missed this important new diagnosis. Flower has since started on treatment for diabetes, and the family has not noticed any further pee accidents. Additionally, Flower seems to be more comfortable again! Fred Fred is a 2-year-old male lab mix. Eight months ago, Fred came to us because he was shaking his head and having discharge from his ears. During Fred’s exam, we found ear infections in both ears. We cleaned his ears and treated them with medicated ear drops. At Fred’s progress exam three weeks later, we found the infections were gone, and Fred was back to normal. Recently, Fred’s family has noticed him shaking his head again and tilting his head slightly. They are not sure about any discharge, but the family called to ask for more medication for an ear infection. It had been a while since the double ear infection. Based on some of the behaviors Fred was exhibiting at home, we recommended an exam before prescribing more medication. When I examined Fred’s ears, I discovered that he had a ruptured eardrum in the right ear! Ear drops could have been very painful for Fred, and they could have caused even more problems for him. If we had refilled the ear drops that Fred had “last time,” we could have caused serious damage to his inner ear, leading to permanent hearing loss, head tilt, and pain. Jordy Jordy is a 7-year-old male long-haired cat. When Jordy was a kitten, his family noticed two instances where he wasn’t consistently using his litter box to pee. He was peeing primarily in the closet and on blankets left on the floor. The family had brought him to our office for an exam and to check for a bladder infection. We examined Jordy and checked his urine, and we discovered he had a bladder infection. Antibiotics helped to clear up the issue, and Jordy did well for years. Recently, the family noticed that there weren’t as many urine spots in the litterbox, and Jordy was hiding more. Since these were similar symptoms of the bladder infection Jordy had when he was younger, his family wanted to get a refill of the antibiotics they had previously used. Because the weekend was approaching, the family wanted to get the medication right away. We did not refill the medication, but instead recommended an exam and a urine test. Jordy was very uncomfortable having his belly touched, and his bladder was very large. It turned out that Jordy actually had a urinary blockage, meaning that he was unable to pee. This was extremely serious! Jordy was rushed into emergency surgery. We removed the blockage, gave Jordy a urinary catheter, and gave him IV fluids and medications for comfort. If we hadn’t done an exam, Jordy would have continued to worsen. He would have suffered significant pain and had substantial kidney damage with a high risk of bladder rupture. Our shared goal is to do the best we can do, each and every time, to help your pets feel their best. If you are concerned that your pet isn’t feeling well or you have a question, contact your veterinary clinic right away. Sometimes we can offer suggestions to help over the phone. However, please remember that if we recommend an exam, it isn’t because we don’t want to help; it’s because we want to make sure that we are doing our best for you and your pet. Dr. Heintz is a small and exotic animal veterinarian at Countrycare Animal Complex in Green Bay, WI. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign. Her passion is helping all animals, whether furry, scaly, or feathered, lead long and healthy lives.
