Struvite Crystals In Cats Surgery

Some male cats may require a different type of surgery to resize their urethra if struvite crystals continue to be a problem.

Struvite crystals in cats surgery. Struvite crystals in cat urine especially in fresh samples suggests that the cat may be at higher risk for stone development even if there is no infection present. There are three common crystals and stones in cats. If the stones are struvite this procedure can mean that a surgery to remove the blockage is unnecessary and we have now bought some time for the diet to work. Surgery to remove stones from the bladder is far safer than one which involves making an incision in the small urethra.

Struvite and calcium oxalate are the most common type of stones in cats. Struvite crystals are made up of magnesium ammonium and phosphate. The crystals themselves can be perfectly normal but become problematic when they combine to form grit or stones of varying shapes and sizes. In urgent situations surgery may be required to remove a stone if it s blocking urine from leaving the cat s bladder.

Once the stone is formed it increases in size over weeks or months. Around half of all urinary stones in cats are struvite crystals. Symptoms of urinary crystals in cats. Less common stones include ammonium biurate cystine and uric acid.

Struvite oxalate and urate. Like with struvite crystals increasing your cat s water intake is essential to treat and prevent crystals and stones from forming. Struvite crystals develop in concentrated urine once the urine becomes supersaturated crystals aggregate to form stones. Struvite crystals are microscopic crystals that are found in the urine of some cats.

Struvite crystals are the most common form of mineral crystals that form in a cats urinary tract. A cat with urinary crystals may show a multitude of signs and cats are affected to varying degrees. These crystals are easy to distinguish from each other when viewed under the microscope and have different causes and treatment methods. Struvite specifically is a material that is composed of magnesium ammonium and phosphate.

The development of crystals and stones is mostly dependent upon the ph of the urine and the concentration of minerals in the urine. This surgery is required if your cat has developed large struvite stones. Urate crystals are more common in dogs but have been found in cats as well.