Tuesday, October 6, 2015

#PurinaPartner: How to Detect Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, or FLUTD: Enter to win

This is a sponsored post, written by me on behalf of Purina.   I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the  Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets UR Urinary St/Ox Feline Formulas,  but Cat Chat With Caren and Cody only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers.




When I was first contacted by my friends at Purina asking if I would be interested in the opportunity to share important information about FLUTD with my readers, my first thought went to my Angel Bobo.  Bobo DID suffer from having SIX kidney stones (ALL AT ONE TIME! He takes after his Mama), when he was about sixteen years old. I found out he had them after he had been throwing up white foam numerous times during the day.  I asked my friends at Purina if the kidney stones that Bobo had were related to FLUTD.



I was provided with some interesting information from Purina Veterinarian Dr. Grace
Long, and learned that Urinary stones is a broader term and would encompass both kidney stones (stones actually in the kidneys) and bladder stones (stones in the urinary bladder).  
Per Dr.Grace Long, Purina Veterinarian, Stones are just one form of FLUTD. 

What is FLUTD?


 Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, or FLUTD, is a group of diseases that affect both the bladder and the urethra in cats. The disease is sometimes caused by urinary stones or crystals, and it’s more common than you might think. Thanks to Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, you will learn : how to identify if your cat has the risk factors, as well as how to recognize the symptoms which are sometimes dismissed by owners as common litter box problems.


FLUTD Risk Factors
Age, gender and physical activity can help indicate whether or not your cat is at a higher risk for developing FLUTD.

·         Gender: Both male and female cats can experience urinary tract disorders, but since male cats have longer and narrower urethras, their urinary tracts are more likely to be obstructed by crystals and mucous.

·         Breed: Urinary problems are more common in certain breeds, such as Persians, where there is a lower incidence in Siamese.

·         Age: Young adult cats between the ages of 2 and 6 years are more likely to have lower urinary tract disorders, but cats of any age are susceptible.

·         Activity Level: indoor cats seem to be more susceptible to lower urinary tract disorders. This may be because confinement reduces physical activities, which in turn may reduce the amount of water consumed and frequency of urination, allowing crystals to form in the urine.
·         Diet: high levels of ash and magnesium in the diet were once through to cause crystals.

 However, more recent work indicates that urine pH and concentration are more important factors in the development of FLUTD. Increasing water intake is highly recommended to help reduce the risk of FLUTD.



How to Recognize the Symptoms
You will likely notice a change in your cat’s appearance or behavior if he or she is experiencing FLUTD. Look for common signs, such as:

·         Makes frequent trips to the litter box
·         Cries when urinating
·         Urinates outside the litter box
·         Licks genital area excessively
·         Strains to urinate, with little success
·         Displays signs of anxiety, such as pacing or hiding

   Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets UR Urinary St/Ox Feline Formulas  are scientifically formulated to meet the special dietary needs of cats that are predisposed to lower urinary tract conditions. 

Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets UR Urinary St/Ox Feline Formulas promote increased water intake and encourages a urinary environment unfavorable to the development of struvite and calcium oxalate crystals. The wet and dry formulas are commonly prescribed by veterinarians for the nutritional management of cats with, or are predisposed to, FLUTD.



Purina is offering readers of Cat Chat With Caren and Cody a rebate!  Click here for a $15 off mail-in rebate for the new UR Urinary St/Ox Feline Canned Formulas.


You can also enter to win one of two coupons for a free bag  Entering is easy! Just enter on  the Rafflecopter below. Our apologies but the give-away is open to  U.S. residents only. Two winners will each receive one coupon which must be redeemed at a veterinary clinic. The winners will be announced on or around October 21st. Good luck!!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway







23 comments:

  1. My beloved Buckley has been a FLUTD sufferer since the day we adopted him at a year old. The first time I saw him go to the catbox and scream bloody murder it about broke my heart. We had a lot of midnight visits to the vet ER. It took us a long time to get a proper diagnosis, (after going from vet to vet) but since then, we've managed to keep it fairly well controlled. His is very much stress-related, and we've learned there are many, many nuances to this condition. He's even on an anti-anxiety med that helps, too. Poor baby, he's been through an awful lot with this. So glad to see the veterinary community addressing this more and more! Still, the "wonderfulness" of this guy far outweighs any difficulty we've had in dealing with his condition! And sometimes I think we love the "special needs" kitties even more, after watching all that they go through!

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    1. Sending many, MANY purrs and prayers to Buckley and thank you for sharing! xoxo

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  2. So far this is not an issue with us...so we will let some others who may need those noms have a chance.

    We hope we do not have to see kitties suffer from this syndrome.

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  3. Thank you for the information, I didn't know anything about FLUTD. Thankfully none of our kitties have dealt with this but I'm glad I now know some important warning signs to recognize.

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  4. This is a great post with excellent info! Thanks for sharing!

    Luckily, none of my furbabies have shown any signs of FLUTD. I used to work at a cat clinic, though, and so many cats would come in with any number of the symptoms you mentioned in this post. And, this excellent Purina diet is a primary one the veterinarian I worked for would prescribe for these cats!

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    1. you are most welcome and thank you! I am so glad to hear that your Vet prescribed this. Wonderful!

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  5. Wonderful information, thanks for sharing. The signs to watch for are extremely helpful.

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  6. And we must do whatever we need to make sure they have a healthy and pain free life. We're doing that with our Little Bit.'

    Have a purrfect day Cody. My best to your wonderful mom. ♥♥♥

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  7. I can say first paw that FLUTD is not fun, but it is manageable with good food like this and the proper Vet care. Great post Cody!

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    1. Thanks so much Brian!!!! I think YOURS was beyond pawesome cause you sadly have to deal with this condition regularly! Love, Cody

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  8. This was really very good information. WE will share perhaps there are others who need to know this too.

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    1. thanks so much and I agree the info that Purina provided is excellent. Thank you! xoxo

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  9. Sounds like a great food, I pray my cats never need it though.

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  10. Thanks for sharing this important information! Thank Cod we've never had any issues like that but it's good to know there are foods available to help with it too!

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  11. Gweat posty. This is such a purrtant issue. Fanks fur sharin'.

    Luv ya'

    Dezi and Lexi

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  12. Sounds like a great food ! But I hope I never will need it :)
    I drink lots of water each day , you know it´s hard work chasing the woffie efurryday *mol*

    XOXO

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  13. We're fortunate that none of us have urinary tract issues, but the head peep is really vigilant, especially since Newton already does his business in the sink, which would make it harder to detect if he did get issues. If we win, we'd like to donate this to a rescue organization here who has several cats with dietary needs and could use it.

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    1. that is fabulous and generous!! Please remember it has to be redeemed at a Veterinary clinic (I am sure you remember that!)

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