Feline Struvite Crystals

Struvite stones are one of the most common bladder stones in dogs and cats.

Feline struvite crystals.

Due to the lack of moisture in the diet the urine becomes too concentrated and highly alkaline. Female cats appear to have increased risk for struvite urolithiasis. Struvite specifically is a material that is composed of magnesium ammonium and phosphate. Around half of all urinary stones in cats are struvite crystals.

Struvite crystals are one type of urinary blockage that pet cats can develop. Struvite crystals are microscopic crystals that are found in the urine of some cats. Struvite crystals or just cat crystals for us less technical folk are dreaded by both pets and pet owners. A balanced raw meat diet should help to resolve the problem and help eliminate the occurence of struvite crystals in the urine click he.

They cannot form in acidic urine. Struvite stones are crystal like formations that are small in size and primarily made up of magnesium ammonium and phosphate. Blocked cats are an emergency. Some male cats can develop blockages in their urethras the tube through which urine travels out of the bladder from the tiny crystals or full blown stones can develop in a cat s urinary tract.

You may be alerted to this problem when you see your cat straining to urinate urinating outside the litter box urinating frequently has an increased thirst and or has cloudy or. Peak incidence of struvite uroliths in cats appears to be between 2 and 7 years of age. When cat crystals form it becomes almost impossible for your cat to urinate despite the persistent urge to do so and frequently we might add. They typically form because of urinary changes that happen when bladder infections occur.

Bloody nose epistaxis in dogs and cats. The cause of struvite crystals in cats is most often the result of eating dry cat food. Breast cancer happens in companion animals. Blastomycosis is a systemic fungal infection affecting dogs and cats.

7 8 however one study found. When cats have struvite plugs in their urethra the tube that extends from the bladder to the outside of the body to discharge urine they are typically comprised of larger stones and are often mixed with crystals. Risk factors struvite uroliths. The crystals themselves can be perfectly normal but become problematic when they combine to form grit or stones of varying shapes and sizes.

Bladder stones struvite in cats. Breeds reported to have decreased risk for struvite uroliths include burmese persian himalayan rex abyssinian russian blue birman and siamese. Struvite crystals are the most common form of mineral crystals that form in a cats urinary tract.