Urinary Tract Trauma in Cats: Stabilisation, Diagnosis and Management.

J Feline Med Surg. March 2023;25(3):1098612X231159073.

Paula Robakiewicz¹, Zoë Halfacree²

¹ Davies Veterinary Specialists, Part of Linnaeus Group, Manor Farm Business Park, Higham Gobion, UK.; ² Davies Veterinary Specialists, Part of Linnaeus Group, Manor Farm Business Park, Higham Gobion, UK.

Abstract

PRACTICAL RELEVANCE:Traumatic injury of the urinary tract may be caused by external accidental trauma or due to iatrogenic injury (typically as a result of catheterisation procedures). Thorough patient assessment and careful attention to patient stabilisation are essential, with diagnosis and surgical repair delayed until the patient is stable, if necessary. Treatment depends on the location and severity of the trauma. If diagnosed and treated promptly, the chance of survival of a patient without other concurrent injuries is good.

CLINICAL CHALLENGES:Following accidental trauma, at the initial presentation urinary tract injury can be overshadowed by other injuries, but if left undiagnosed or untreated it can lead to serious morbidity and potentially mortality. Many of the surgical techniques described for management of urinary tract trauma can be associated with complications, and so comprehensive communication with the owners is necessary.

PATIENT GROUP:The main population affected by urinary tract trauma is young, adult male cats, owing to their roaming behaviour, as well as their anatomy and the resulting increased risk of urethral obstruction and its associated management.

AIMS:This article aims to serve as a guide to all veterinarians who treat cats for the diagnosis and management of urinary tract trauma in cats.

EVIDENCE BASE:This review summarises the current knowledge available from a number of original articles and textbook chapters in the literature that cover all aspects of feline urinary tract trauma, and is supported by the authors' own clinical experience.

Keywords

Urinary tract trauma; bladder rupture; renal trauma; tube cystostomy; ureteric rupture; ureteroneocystostomy; ureteronephrectomy; urinary diversion;

Article Tools:

Medline

Email to me

Archives Highlights:

Endoparasites of rabbits and hares.
Accurate gross and microscopic identification of endoparasites in rabbits and hares is an important element of the diagnostic work of veterinary anatomic pathologists. Given the zoonotic nature of rabbit and hare endoparasites, such as C. hepatica, E. cuniculi, and others, veterinary pathologists are ideally poised to make valuable contributions to the understanding of the disease ecology of these pathogens in the context of a One Health research program.

Aseptic protocol breaches are common among veterinary students scrubbing, gowning, and gloving into surgery.
At least 1 aseptic protocol breach (APB) was noted in 46.3% of the 96 procedures observed. The most common mistakes noted were contact of the sterile towel onto nonsterile surfaces (17.7%), contact of the gown with nonsterile surfaces (17.7%), touching sterile objects with bare hands (12.5%), and improper scrubbing technique (17.4%).

Oral Flea Preventive to Control Rickettsia typhi-Infected Fleas on Reservoir Opossums, Galveston, Texas, USA, 2023-2024.
Spinosad killed 98% of fleas infesting opossums.

Effective treatment with afoxolaner (NexGard) of Trixacarus caviae in a pet guinea pig.
The animal was treated with a single oral dose of 2.50 mg/kg afoxolaner, and the lesions, presence/absence of mites, and intensity of pruritus were evaluated periodically until 2 months post-treatment. A week after the medication, the lesions were milder, but pruritus was still present and was attributed to the healing process. Further examinations showed significant improvement with the complete remission of clinical signs and no mites at the microscopic examination after 4 weeks.

A public health campaign to increase awareness of the risk of dog bites in South Australia.
Over one third (36-37%) of dog owners and 25-29% of non-dog owners had been previously bitten by a dog, although most did not require medical attention. Approximately 70% of dog owners believed it was safe for strangers to approach their dog, 34-37% allowed children or other people to pat their dog without permission, and less than half separated their dog from visitors or delivery people. In contrast, few of the non-dog owners allowed their children to pat a dog without the owner's permission and only 2% allowed them to play with dogs without supervision.