Cat with sore penis.

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, poor Sparky. Urinary tract issues with cats can be so frustrating. I have had cases like this that did not do well.

It really concerns me that he is still straining to urinate. This is very uncomfortable to a cat and definitely needs to be addressed.

Yes, it is possible that there was some scar tissue created from his previous incident. It's also possible that there is a new blockage present such as more crystals or even just some "sludge" made up of debris. An infection is possible as well. Or, it's possible he has a condition called interstitial cystitis where the bladder often feels like it is irritated.

There are some cats that can develop neurological problems with their urinary tract as well which can make it very uncomfortable for them.

Unfortunately he will need to have some more tests done to determine what is going on. If this was my case I would start off by repeating a urinalysis. It's possible that he has a chronic UTI and if this is the case then a course of antibiotics could do wonders.

If he has some damage to the urinary tract then he may need to have a surgery called a perineal urethrostomy. This is a surgery that opens up the urethra inside of the penis and makes the opening to look more like a female opening. It would likely work very well for Sparky. But, it can be a fairly pricey surgery.

I wanted to comment as well on the cranberry extract. I don't usually recommend that. The reason why people use cranberry extract when they have a bladder infection is that it stops E Coli bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall and can help clear an infection quicker. However, with cats, a straight E Coli bladder infection is not very common at all and as such the extract is not likely to work. (I'm guessing that in Sparky's case, it was time that healed him and not the cranberry.) You can potentially do more harm than good with cranberry as it can lower the urinary pH and predispose a cat to getting something called calcium oxalate crystals.

I wish I had advice for you that didn't require more veterinary expense, but I really do think that he is going to have to have some more tests done. Please don't wait too long. I had a similar case where the owner put off seeing me and the cat licked his penis so much that he did severe damage to it.

I really hope Sparky is ok!

Dr. Marie.


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