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› articles by michael goldberg, dvm
Urinary Tract Disease 2 (cats) Dear Dr. Goldberg, Our cat has been diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. I hear that Columbrina is a good homeopathic remedy for this condition, should I use it? J.D., Abbotsford Dear J.D., I would like to begin this answer by giving what I hope is a piece of useful advice to my readers: urinary tract disease in cats and dogs can be quite serious. If there is any concern, please see a veterinarian who can help to determine the seriousness of this problem. There can be many different problems that can contribute to the label of urinary tract disease. These include: bacterial involvement, crystals in the urine, stones in the bladder, idiopathic cystitis (in which there is no apparent cause but there is periodic bleeding into the bladder which causes discomfort), as well as other less common reasons such as cancers, anatomical abnormalities, kidney disease, uterine abnormalities and behavioral problems. Columbrina, otherwise known as Nux vomica is a very useful remedy for urinary tract problems in both dogs and cats. The typical cat that needs Nux vomica is one, which may be irritable (hisses and spits when you attempt to comfort it) and thirsty for large volumes of water. As for the urinary symptoms, these will usually be those cats that are going to the litter box and straining with an increase frequency of urination and there may be straining as well. Cantharis is another very useful remedy for urinary tract disease in animals. The patient needing this remedy is one who has sudden frequent urges to urinate which is seen by the pet frequently running to the litter box. After much straining, the urine only passes in small amounts such as drops. There is a frantic, almost violent restlessness accompanying the symptoms. This may be such that the cat runs around frantically to and from the box, perhaps mewing loudly at the discomfort when he/she urinates (i.e. when they are in the act of urination) There may be blood in the drops of urine as well. Sarsaparilla is a remedy, which has the characteristic symptom of pain after urination. This may be seen as the cat rushing out of the litter box at the end of itsą urination or mewing loudly after the cat has urinated. The cat may actually raise its back end slightly higher in order to facilitate urination such as a standing position. There also may be some blood in the urine as well as crystals in the urine, which may appear as grit after the urine is passed. Pulsatilla is another remedy, which has been useful for me in these cases. There is a classic disposition that should make this remedy evident. The nature of the cat needing this remedy is one, which is clingy and timid and whiny when they are sick. They tend to be thirstless and generally like to be in the open air though they are slightly chilly (shivery). Urine may pass in dribbles in this case and there is intense pain during urination. There may be yellowish-green discharge as well. With all the homeopathic remedies, they can be used in acute situations every three hours for three to four doses until there is improvement at which the remedy is discontinued. Useful supplements depending on the case may be vitamin C, and methionine (amino acid) in cats and dogs that have an alkaline PH of their urine. These may acidify the urine somewhat and lessen the ability of crystals to precipitate into the urine This is not recommended if there is acidic urine and could worsen the condition. A raw food diet can contribute to more acidic urine and will provide more moisture to the diet. If you choose to use a commercial food then moist food is currently thought to be better as it provides more moisture to the system secondarily more urination and passage of any potentially harmful crystals. With bacterial problems, cranberry extract has been shown to decrease the ability for bacteria to adhere to the bladder lining. This disease can be a nuisance, periodically flaring up and irritating your pet but at other times there may be a potential for the cat or dog to become obstructed (blocked) and this may be a life threatening situation. If you are unsure, please seek an opinion from a veterinarian who you trust. Urinary tract disease is a chronic disease in which constitutional homeopathic treatment may be the best route to go for a long-term cure. This should be done with an experienced practitioner. Read more Articles by Michael Goldberg, DVM... |
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vancouver animal wellness hospital Michael Goldberg, DVM; Erik Irre, DVM 105 e. broadway, vancouver, bc v5t 1w1 / phone: 604.738.4664 / fax: 604.738.4694 Hours of Operation: Monday, Thursday & Friday: 9am - 6pm, Tuesday & Wednesday: 9am - 7pm, Saturday: 9am - 5pm © Copyright 2004-2006. vancouver animal wellness hospital. All rights reserved. › Contact Us › Privacy Policy › Sitemap › Home |
