What is best treatment for older cat with incontinence

Posted By Cate (United Kingdom) on 02/21/2015

What is the best treatment for a 16 year old cat with incontinence? The vet has treated for cystitis and ruled out tumours. I don't want to put the old girl through months of blood tests, when she just can't keep a hold of her wee! She's eating and drinking fine and not crying in pain. just leaks when asleep and usually first thing in a morning urinates whilst waiting for her meat, and looks surprised when she steps in it!
REPLY         

Replied by TheresaDonate (Mpls., Mn) on 02/22/2015

Theresa

The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.

About Theresa

Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.

Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.

Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and  fueled  her quest for the knowledge held in lore,  and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.

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Hey Cate!

Did your vet mention the possibility of spay incontinence? This can be treated naturally, or with vet prescribed hormones. This would be my first thought for a spayed animal that is leaking during sleep.

REPLY         

Replied by Cate (United Kingdom) on 02/23/2015

Hi,

No my vet wants to go down the root of blood testing for a thyroid problem, but i'd tried to research and it seems that she seems to be showing no other signs of thyroid. She was spay when she was young (as soon as she was able) and now she is 16. I don't want to put her through un-necessary testing.

REPLY         

Replied by TheresaDonate (Mpls., Mn) on 02/24/2015

Theresa

The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.

About Theresa

Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.

Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.

Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and  fueled  her quest for the knowledge held in lore,  and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.

-----------------------------

How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation

If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.  

http://www.piperslegacy.org/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Get-Bobo-home/1409993732632080?sk=timeline&ref=page_internal

http://ted.earthclinic.com

Hey Cate!

It seems peculiar to me that your vet's first 'go to' for a leaky senior lady would be thyroid. That said, unless your vet is very green and still wet behind the ears, *something* has prompted this approach.

Ideally you *would* get a full blood panel, and check thyroid accordingly along with other values: this is just 'good housekeeping' when dealing with a senior. The blood test will reveal if there is an issue with the thyroid - or diabetes. You typically would see overt physical signs for hypothyroid - less common in cats- but your cat would tend to be on the chubby side, act depressed and lethargic, along with the leaking.

Vets are only human, and as such we have to have clear communication in order to be able to trust them and have faith in their diagnosis. If you are not seeing the above signs, I would go back to your vet/ring them up and have them explain their preference for exploring for a rare thyroid issue vs the far more common spay incontinence.

Please report back!

REPLY         

Replied by Cate (United Kingdom) on 02/24/2015

Thank you. There are none of the above symptoms, she actually presents as a young cat, quite sprightly during the day. I'll contact them again and ask for a second opinion and suggest Spay incontinence, I will message back soon.
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