Massage of the hind legs in cats when this procedure is indicated. Bladder atony in a cat: symptoms and treatment

Some diseases in cats can lead to poor control of the back of the animal's body. The excretory system is especially affected. Therefore, for the normal functioning of the body, the cat needs special help. In this article, I will talk a little about bladder massage in cats, the procedure itself, and the cases when it is necessary.

Massage is performed if the pet suffers from infectious diseases of the genitourinary apparatus, as well as from lesions of the nerves of the hind limbs (paresis, paralysis, etc.).

Of course, it is always better to contact qualified specialists, but situations can be very different. But the life (!) of a cat can sometimes depend on this. Therefore, it is recommended to know about this procedure for all those owners whose pets suffer from the diseases listed above.

Difficulty urinating and disruption of the bladder become noticeable immediately. The cat becomes restless or, conversely, too lethargic. The animal walks less and less, depression, vomiting may also occur. Changes occur in the behavior of the pet - the cat spends a lot of time in the toilet, trying to urinate in different places.

Consider the basic steps for bladder massage for a cat:

1) Carefully take your pet in your arms, in no case do not press on the stomach on purpose. Put the animal on the table with all four paws and evaluate the general state of health.

2) Calm the cat - stroke his head, say something affectionate. Touch your belly and feel for your bladder. The degree of its swelling and density will indicate how dangerous the current situation is.

3) Lay the animal on its side or on its back, ask someone to hold the pet in this position.

4) Examine the penis - if it is covered with tiny stones that interfere with the passage of urine, get rid of them. To do this, lubricate the fingers of one hand with a special gel or soap, gently squeeze the genitals and move your hand away from the base.

5) Place your palm in a boat and begin to massage the bladder so that the urine is directed towards the external genitalia. In no case do not press, any careless movement can lead to rupture of the bladder! It's not the power that matters, it's the correctness. If you can do everything right, you will see urine coming out in a small amount. A moderate amount of blood in the urine is acceptable.

6) The cat will most likely start to break free and fight. Ask someone to hold the pet by the paws and stroke the neck for comfort.

7) If the procedure is successful, the cat will be able to urinate into the tray. It is desirable that the bladder of the animal is emptied by 50%. But if the pet has nothing against massage, you can try to complete the procedure.

For cats that require bladder massage, it is best not to feed dry food, instead use wet food. Provide the animal with access to clean drinking water, this will help prevent the formation of kidney stones, etc.

In cats, as in humans, atony refers to dysfunction of the striated or smooth muscles of organs, including the bladder. Simply put, the animal is unable to control urination, which causes a lot of inconvenience to the owner and pain to the pet itself. Fortunately, atony of the bladder in a cat is successfully treated, without recurrence with proper care and prevention. Below we will tell you how to recognize signs of atony in a cat, what factors cause this ailment, as well as treatment and preventive measures.

Bladder atony in a cat: symptoms and treatment

There are many factors that are the result of dysfunction of the muscles of the bladder, and many of them are associated with improper maintenance of cats. First of all, atony provokes excessive or poor-quality feeding. If the animal regularly receives food poor in useful substances, fiber and coarse carbohydrates are not included in the diet, intestinal motility weakens and is disturbed, and then the decrease in the motility of the muscles of the adjacent bladder “pulls” with it.

Despite the fact that some cat owners disdain commercial dry food, pets fed these holistic or super premium foods almost never suffer from diet-related bladder atony.

Also, atony can occur due to the advanced age of the cat, when the muscles begin to work worse, worn out. This factor is directly related to how the animal ate throughout its life and how attentive the owner was to his mustachioed friend. The best prevention of age-related atony of the bladder in a cat is decent care from a very early age.

Physiological causes that cause atony of the bladder are distinguished. It can be stones and sand in the cavity of the bladder, in cats - inflammation of the prostate gland, untreated cystitis and urethritis. Inflammation of the bladder due to hypothermia or infectious diseases is also a direct path to atony if the owner did not notice the problem in time and did not take measures to treat it.

Also, atony can be caused by injuries of the spine or groin area, as a result of which the innervation of nerve endings in the walls of the bladder is interrupted. If an animal falls out of a window, becomes a victim of an aggressive dog, or gets run over by a car, the consequences may be not only external damage.

Bladder atony in cats: symptoms

The weakening of the functions of the muscles of the bladder in cats is manifested clearly, and develops transiently. First of all, the owner may notice that the cat's appetite has decreased, the animal has become lethargic, and it has become less likely to go to the toilet. A cat can approach the tray many times a day, but at the same time urinate every other time, sometimes there is no urination at all.

Urine accumulates in the organ, which causes severe intoxication, and ultimately the animal may die due to rupture of the bladder. In acute cases, it can take as little as 20-25 hours from the exacerbation of the disease to death of the cat. But, as a rule, such a rapid development of the disease is unusual for domestic cats, and the owner has enough time to help the pet.

Finding out that something is wrong with a cat is quite simple. At the beginning of atony, the animal will appear restless, often going to the litter box, trying to go to the toilet. It can be seen that the pet is pushing, looking for a comfortable position, but urination does not occur. As a rule, with atony, a few drops are poured out, while urine often has an admixture of blood or acquires a pink tint.

After several attempts to visit the toilet, the cat will most likely lie next to you, as constant movement brings her discomfort. At this moment, the pet will not be happy with the caress from the owner, the cat may scream if a person tries to pick it up, when trying to disturb the cat, the owner must understand: at this moment, urination may occur involuntarily.

Diagnosis and therapy of bladder atony

At the first symptoms indicating problems with the bladder, the animal must be taken to a veterinary clinic. The veterinarian will examine the cat, palpate the bladder, prescribe urine and blood tests, ultrasound of the abdominal organs. These studies are often enough to make a diagnosis.

The main danger of bladder atony is the possibility of rupture of the organ, followed by the inevitable death of the animal. Therefore, with signs of an overflowing bladder (easily determined by manually examining the animal), the veterinarian will put a catheter through which the accumulated urine will come out. This procedure can be painful for the animal, so it is often done under sedation or general anesthesia.

The catheter may be left in for a while while the disease is being treated, as the bladder will overflow and constantly threaten the life of the pet. Usually, for the duration of the catheter, owners are advised to put a special diaper on the cat. This is because the catheter does not allow the animal to regulate urination - it simply diverts urine as soon as it accumulates.

Cats quickly get used to wearing a diaper, and this measure allows not only to maintain hygiene in an apartment or other room where the animal lives, but also helps the pet not get dirty. After all, you only need to wear a diaper for a few days.

Treatment will be individual in each case, however, there are effective and proven drugs that are usually included in the therapeutic method for the treatment of atony of the bladder. Note that in no case should you self-medicate, since not only the choice of the drug is important, but also its dosage, regimen and duration of administration.

Table. Drugs that treat atony of the bladder in cats

A drug	Indications
	Herbal medicinal product in the form of a solution for drinking. It is indicated for the prevention and treatment of urological diseases in cats, removes salts, dissolves stone formations, has anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects.
	A drug in the form of a solution for injection. Stimulates and improves the tone and motility of the walls of the bladder, relieves the effects of intoxication
	A tablet preparation with a good antimicrobial effect. Relieves pain symptoms, stops inflammation in the organs

Important point! Atony of the bladder in cats is a serious disease, delaying the treatment of which is life-threatening for the pet. At the same time, only a veterinarian in a clinic has the right to make all decisions regarding therapy and other medical manipulations.

Video - Manual emptying of the bladder in a cat

Prevention of bladder atony in cats

Each owner of a domestic cat can make a contribution to the prevention of such an unpleasant disease as atony of the bladder. You don't need to do anything special to prevent illness. It is enough to provide the animal with the right diet, excluding cheap factory-made food, “naked” meat and fish (it is necessary to add fiber, carbohydrates), treat the cat in a timely manner if it is ill with something (especially an inflammatory or infectious disease).

The cat needs to be provided with constant access to clean water (in regions where water containing a lot of salts or metals flows from the tap, filtered or bottled water should be used). It is important to protect your pet from possible injuries: do not let it out unattended, do not leave the windows open.

Summarizing

As soon as the owner realizes that the cat is not able to go to the toilet on his own, he should immediately make an appointment with the doctor. Recall that atony of the bladder can progress to the most severe form in a day and cause the death of the animal. To prevent this from happening, you need to show the pet to a specialist who will establish the cause of the pathological process, provide the cat with first aid and prescribe an effective treatment regimen.

• Therapeutic and prophylactic;
• soothing with a relaxing effect.

The latter kind of massage cats will receive regularly, especially from loving owners. Stroking on soft fur is of great benefit to both the pet and its owner - this is a soothing massage for cats. But we’ll talk about the benefits for the owner in another article, but now let’s find out what are the benefits of massage for a cat.

Massage therapy for cats is often prescribed by a veterinarian, especially for constipation and many other conditions. In order not to feed your pet with medicines, you should always start with simpler and more effective ways.

The massage technique depends on each specific case.

What diseases require massage?

Often massage will be prescribed as a rehabilitation tool after suffering or during one of the following diseases:

• closed injuries. Including bruises, dislocations of the joints: hip and knee;
• neuritis (occurs with inflammatory diseases of the peripheral nerves), they are often accompanied by pain and cause a lot of suffering to pets;
• swelling of the limbs;
• arthritis and arthrosis, common diseases in cats. Pets are especially susceptible to them, which are fed by loving owners, and the pets themselves move little. In this case, inflammation of the synovial membrane occurs in the joints. With arthrosis, the joints are slowly destroyed;
• after surgery, for a quick recovery.

Contraindications for carrying out

With the undeniable benefits of massage, in some cases it still cannot be done. Let's take a look at which cases.

• If the cat has only been injured or seriously injured. In this case, with dislocations and fractures, the help of a veterinarian is needed. If a bruise occurs, then the cat should be given time to lie down. Perhaps apply ice to the affected area.
• You can not do massage with viral diseases that occur in an acute form.
• In the presence of . In cats, it is higher than in humans, but the mark of 39.5 ◦С can already be considered critical. In this case, you will need the help of a doctor.
• In the presence of oncological diseases. In this case, it is possible to provoke the spread of neoplasms.
• If there is a violation of the skin:, wounds, ulcers, tumors.
• With enlarged venous walls, it is also better to abandon the massage procedure.
• If the pet's skin is affected by a fungal disease.
• With arthritis in the acute phase, massage cannot be performed, thus an increase in the inflammatory process can be provoked.

Preparing for a session

The cat should feel the care of the owner during the massage session and be in a calm state. To do this, it is recommended to first calm her down with light strokes on fluffy fur. You can conduct a massage session 1-2 times a day, for 10-15 minutes. It is also important to choose the right time for a cat massage session. It is better when she is not busy at this time and is at rest. You can not massage immediately after feeding, after it at least 2 hours must pass, during which time the food will have time to digest.

The cat should be comfortable in the presence of a person, it is important that she does not experience fear and anxiety. It is better to wait until she herself comes to lie on her knees, starts to purr and doze next to you.

You need to talk with your pet in a quiet and soothing voice, without raised tones. Raised tones in the voice can cause stress and massage the cat will not work.

Relaxing massage technique

You need to start the massage with circular movements along the spine.
With light pleasant movements, you need to move in a spiral, massaging only with your fingertips. First, the movements are clockwise, then counterclockwise. Gradually, you need to increase the intensity of pressing, depending on the behavior of the pet. The procedure is repeated up to 4 times.

Cats, like humans, also have acupuncture points that are connected to many organs. Impact on them activates the work of these organs and the mechanism of action of protective forces is turned on. From the back of the head to the sacrum, you need to perform the impact with your thumbs.

Next, you can do a head massage, starting from the base of the skull. Massage is carried out with light circular movements of the fingertips. Gradually the pressure increases. Stroking and pressure should be pleasant, from them the cat will relax and go limp. Now you can move on to massage the front of the neck, but the area of ​​​​the pharynx and trachea cannot be affected. In those places where the lymph nodes are located, you also need to massage with caution, avoiding strong pressure.

How to massage the hind legs of a cat

Performing a massage of the hind legs in cats, you need to combine massage techniques with alternate flexion and extension of the joints.

The session begins with a massage on the back, gradually moving to the paws. We take the cat's paw and gently massage, starting with the pad. It is necessary to knead the tendons and muscles well. Several times it is necessary to perform flexion and extension of the joint.

It is important to alternate such techniques as stroking and kneading, and on the hind legs you also need to stretch the thigh well, alternating massage techniques.

The massage should end with a pleasant stroking. Paws need to be massaged alternately. During the session, you can talk to your pet in a gentle voice, encouraging him. Thus, the massage will not only benefit the cat, but also an incredible pleasure. This will be evidenced by the purring of the pet and its closed eyes.

Massage for a cat during constipation

Massage for cats is important and necessary along with a modified diet.

It is necessary to monitor how the cat goes to the toilet. Bowel movements should be carried out at least once a day. For older individuals, emptying every 2-3 days is acceptable, but this condition can also be called a conditional norm, since metabolic processes slow down in older animals.

With irregular bowel movements, poisoning of the body with decay products is possible. Also, the effect on the heart increases, the load on such organs as the kidneys and liver increases, and the result is problematic hair. In addition to medicines, a special diet will be useful for constipation massage for cats.

This procedure is considered very effective for constipation and effective, after just one session, usually the animal runs to the tray after a few minutes.

Massage movements promote the movement of feces through the intestines. It is important that the pet is relaxed before starting the procedure. It is better to put him on your lap, gently stroking and talking quietly. Seeing that the animal has relaxed, you can proceed to the massage. The abdomen is massaged clockwise with the fingertips for about 5 minutes. Starting from the chest and moving towards the anus.

If the animal begins to get nervous, the procedure should be postponed and continued when it is calm.

How to give a cat a bladder massage

In some diseases, the cat cannot empty the bladder on its own. In such cases, a bladder massage is prescribed. How to make it for a cat, let's find out right now.

The need for the procedure is usually determined by the doctor and he also prescribes a massage. Because without timely emptying of the bladder, a pet can die.

Problems with urination can occur for various reasons, most often due to paresis and paralysis, when the nerves of the hind limbs are affected. Also due to inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system. In the risk zone and cats, when overexcited, an increase in the gonads occurs and hence the blockage of the urethra.

Before the procedure, you need to determine the degree of filling of the bladder. This can be done by probing the lower abdomen. If you feel the fullness of the bladder, you need to start the massage procedure. In this case, the cat can be laid on its back. Without pressing hard on the stomach, you need to make massaging movements, spend them in a circle, preferably clockwise. This will be the promotion of urine to the external genitalia. You can also try to lightly press on both sides of the bladder area.

As you can see, massage is a fairly common procedure for many diseases. Especially common massage of the hind legs in cats, massage for constipation and many other diseases.

I have a cat - "Persian", age 6.5 years (not neutered). He developed urolithiasis. It all started about two months ago. My pet at times began to run to the toilet often, stay there for a long time and sulk. The amount of urine was very small and mixed with blood. I did not betray this value and thought that he was just "asking for a cat." This condition lasted no more than a day and passed. He also continued to play and enjoy life. This happened about 3 times in a couple of months. But on January 9, 2001, suddenly his condition became very bad. He literally constantly urinated, everywhere and in any position, and within a day he stopped urinating at all. Stopped eating and drinking. Realizing that he simply could not go to the toilet, I called the veterinarian. (11.01.2001). The doctor tried to empty the urine from the bladder with a catheter. This could not be done without anesthesia. But somehow, after 2 hours of work, I still managed. The kidneys are greatly enlarged. Bladder stones and sand. He also made intramuscular injections of ascorbic acid and some kind of antibiotic. He left the catheter to the mark. day. But at night, my pet got caught on something by the catheter, and he jumped out. The doctor made an appointment: KotErvin in the morning and in the evening, 4 ml. orally. Cyston in the morning in the evening, 1/4 ton orally. 5-6 drops of lemon per teaspoon of water 2 times a day. Drink water 3 times a day, 20 ml. On the following days, you can feed a little. On January 12, I already gave all this. The doctor also prescribed injections. Gave ready. Said it was an antibiotic, relaxing. 13.01 drove to the hospital. They did catheterization. They pressed on the stomach, and all the urine poured out. Poured 2 ml. Erwin cat. Have made relaxing, an antibiotic. Have made magnetotherapy MAGom-30-3. After that, the cat was reborn. But then the situation worsened. The bladder filled up again. But my cat was already recovering on his own, at least a little and with blood. Today, 01/14/2001, the condition is better, the cat goes to the toilet by himself, without blood, but in the first half of the day with an admixture of sand, as I understand it. But his bladder also continues to hurt (maybe the kidneys). He is sometimes fussy and sometimes cheerful. Please advise what and how to give him. Maybe this treatment is not enough. What treatment would you recommend. I don't trust doctors because now everything is done for money. What is the best way to crush stones and remove sand? Is it possible to press on the stomach to squeeze out urine? How can you help the kidneys? That YOU as the doctor will advise in the given situation. Maybe you should buy him a MAG magnet? How to restore the work of the bladder and kidneys?

Answer:

1. What you need to know about your cat's illness. Urolithiasis (UCD) is a metabolic disease. The ratio of salts in the body is disturbed, the acid-base balance of urine and the salts of a particular substance begin to precipitate in the kidneys or bladder.
In order to treat this disease, it is necessary, in my opinion: to pass a urine test for salt, since the treatment varies depending on the composition of the precipitated salt; make an ultrasound of the bladder and kidneys - to assess the condition and the presence of stones / sand.
To date, there has been no good treatment for KSD. Very often, even with the relief of one attack after an indefinite period of time, another may occur, with more severe or fatal consequences.
2. The treatment that you have been prescribed is quite universal, but in the light of what I wrote to you above, it is necessary to select a more specific treatment for your animal based on additional research.
3. Stones are crushed either with the help of medicines (the same cystone contributes to this) or with the help of a special ultrasonic device (I have not yet heard that at least someone in Moscow did this).
4. It is possible to press the bladder to divert urine, but this must be done very gently and carefully, otherwise the bladder will rupture. To carry out this procedure, you put the animal on its side, bring one hand under the belly from below, put the other on top of the belly. Locate the bladder with your fingers.
Filled, it is palpable like a ball in the abdominal cavity. Grasp him gently and press from the sides and in the direction from head to tail. The pressure should be soft and rhythmic. If after four or five pressings the urine does not start to come out, then this method is not suitable and a catheter must be inserted.
5. The work of the kidneys is helped by medications that your veterinarian prescribes plus a special diet. In general, the diet in the treatment of your cat from KSD plays a significant role, since the diet of the animal plays a major role in the treatment of metabolic diseases. The diet is selected by a veterinarian based on the condition of your cat and the results of additional studies. Hill's and Wiskas produce special therapeutic feeds for the treatment of KSD in cats. These feeds are canned. Please note that the dry foods currently sold in abundance with similar labeling are only PREVENTIVE. They are not suitable for TREATMENT of an already developed disease.
6. Magnet MAG You can completely buy and use according to the instructions, after consulting with your doctor first.
It is better to find a good veterinary specialist whom you will trust, and he will see in you and your animal, first of all, not only a means of enrichment. I wish you success.

Advises Veterinarian Vladimir Kamyshko (archive for 2002-2004)

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Bladder massage is a procedure necessary to help a cat that cannot empty itself without help. It is also called a bladder squeeze. The necessity and expediency of its implementation should be determined by the doctor, since any initiative of the owner of the animal in this matter can lead to sad consequences, even death.

Indications for carrying out

Massage can be prescribed in case of problems with urination due to the following reasons:

• lesions of the nerves of the hind limbs (paralysis, paresis, etc.), often resulting from injuries;
• infectious or inflammatory diseases of the urinary system (urolithiasis, cystitis);
• congenital abnormalities in the development of the urinary tract;
• overexcitation in uncastrated cats, when significantly enlarged gonads clog the urethra.

With neurological damage to the limbs, the veterinarian usually prescribes a permanent emptying of the bladder manually, for other cases when the pet is not able to urinate on its own (for example, in the case of urolithiasis), the cause of this phenomenon should first be identified and eliminated.

Problems with urination become immediately noticeable. They manifest as the following symptoms:

• the animal spends a lot of time in the tray, but at the same time, urine is not excreted at all, or only a small amount is excreted, and the cat at this time behaves restlessly, sometimes meows;
• the cat may try to urinate in different places in the house;
• appetite is noticeably reduced or disappears;
• the pet becomes lethargic or, conversely, restless, and seeks to limit any movement.

To determine the degree of filling of the bladder, you need:

1. Place the cat on a hard surface on four paws, gently holding it under the stomach so that the hind limbs are closer to the owner.
2. Place your hands on your back so that your thumbs are on the pet's croup, and the rest are probing the abdomen in the area of ​​​​the urinary canal.
3. If during the procedure the pet tries to escape and becomes nervous, this indicates that he has discomfort.
4. The detection on palpation of a soft seal the size of a walnut, in which fluid freely rolls under the fingers, indicates a daily urinary retention, while a more elastic seal the size of a tennis ball is a sign of a lack of urination for more than two days. If the lump is larger and hard to the touch, this is a signal for an urgent visit to the veterinarian, since in this case a catheter will most likely have to be used for emptying.

Procedure for massage

Before starting the procedure, you need to calm the pet with affectionate words or strokes on the head. At the same time, the abdomen should be gently palpated to assess the degree of bladder density.

• Lay the cat on its back or side, but the procedure can be carried out in a standing position.
• Check that there are no tiny stones on the penis that can interfere with the passage of urine. If the latter are found, they must be removed: run fingers lubricated with a special gel or soap from the edge to the base of the penis, gently squeezing it.
• Close the palm of the hand with a boat and gently massage the bladder, making circular movements in a clockwise direction to direct the movement of urine towards the external genitalia. You can also try light pressure on both sides of the bladder with two palms.

Important! In no case should strong pressure movements be made, since any negligence can lead to a rupture of the bladder. The main thing in the process of massage is not strength, but the correctness of movements.

• After a while, a small amount of urine will begin to stand out, while a small amount of blood in it is acceptable. With urolithiasis, accumulations of sand and salts will come out of the body in the form of a white paste.

• If the pet breaks out and scratches, you can ask the assistant to hold the cat by the paws and calm it down by stroking its neck.
• If all the manipulations are done correctly, then the animal will be able to urinate into the tray. It is important that the bladder is emptied at least 50%. If the cat does not resist too much during the massage, you can bring the procedure to complete emptying.

For the first time, the pet will probably disapprove of the massage procedure and pressure on the stomach. But it is important to understand that the health and life expectancy of a cat depends on how fully and correctly the procedure is performed, since prolonged retention of urine in the body causes poisoning of the animal.

You can also ask a question to our website staff veterinarian, who will answer them as soon as possible in the comments box below.