What Is Best Treatment For Older Cat With Incontinence
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!
Mpls., Mn
02/22/2015
United Kingdom
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.
Mpls., Mn
02/24/2015
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!
United Kingdom
02/24/2015
