Feline Urinary Crystals

The calcium oxalate crystals result from the opposite factor too much acidity.

Feline urinary crystals.

Many believe that this is due to cats eating commercial foods that acidify the urine. Struvite specifically is a material that is composed of magnesium ammonium and phosphate. 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.

What are urinary crystals. Urinary crystals are microscopic structures that can be found in the urine of many animals including cats. Some stones can be found on routine physical exam during palpation of the urinary bladder. Urinary crystals are routinely diagnosed on examination of a urine sediment.

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. 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. An individual feline s unique physiology and disease history will most likely predict the development of crystals in their urine above anything else. Struvite crystals contain magnesium phosphate and ammonium and result from too much alkalinity.

Crystals may indicate bladder stones or uroliths rock like mineral formations that develop in the bladder. Interestingly these crystals used to be extremely rare but now account for roughly half of feline urinary crystals. 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. In cats the small size of the urethra means that crystals can clump and block the flow of urine.

Causes of feline urine crystals feline urine crystals may develop due to a number of factors. Feline urine crystals consist of either struvite or calcium oxalate crystals. What is crystals in the urine. Crystalluria is a medical condition where crystals are expelled into the urine.

The development of crystals in the urine or crystalluria occurs when normal minerals that float in the urine bind to each other. 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. In some cases urine crystals can lead to a life threatening blockage of the urinary tract. Not all pets diagnosed with crystals have bladder stones.

Some normal animals can have crystals in their urine although sometimes they are indicative of an underlying issue especially if present in large numbers or accompanied by urinary symptoms.