Urethral Blockage in Dogs & Cats / Urinary Blockage in Dogs & Cats

Herbal remedies to help address conditional needs of urinary urethral blockage in  dogs and cats.

Urethral blockage in male dogs and cats is an emergency and your pet must be taken to a veterinarian immediately as it is a life threatening condition. Urinary blockage can lead to death within 3 days.

There are five common stages to urinary blockage in dogs and cats:

1. Change in urination habits

2. Severe, noticeable pain

3. Lethargy and nausea

4. Collapse

5. Death

When your pet experiences kidney and bladder problems, nutritional and phytochemical support must be given to help nourish and work to help rehabilitate the kidneys as well as the liver, endocrine, cardiovascular system and autonomic nervous systems. 

If you observe your dog or cat straining to urinate but producing little or not urine, your animal may be suffering from a urinary tract obstruction. Obstruction can be related to inflammation creating urinary blockage or compression on the urethra, referred to a urethral blockage. 

Urinary tract blockages primarily affect male cats and dogs and less commonly female cats and dogs, however, all can experience urinary blockage. 

Because of the narrowing function and placement of the male urethra, male cats and dogs can easily develop an urethral obstruction, which is the tube that drains urine from the bladder out of the penis.

Obstructions are usually related to plugs caused by inflammation and inflammatory matter including mucus, protein, crystals and small stones (calculi) which form in the kidneys and  are passed down into the bladder. 

As the kidneys continue to produce urine, the bladder fills and begins to overstretch, which can cause severe pain. Your cat or dog may respond to pain by hiding, acting increasingly distressed and may vocalize pain. Your pet may cry out or react aggressively if you try to pick him/her up or touch the lower abdomen. 

As the urine in the bladder puts pressure on the kidneys, they stop producing urine. Waste products build up in the blood, causing uremia (poisoning by urea, which is normally excreted in the urine). Early onset kidney failure leads to nausea and lack of desire to eat. If a cat or dog has not received medical attention at this point, death could be imminent without 24 hours. 

Your pet will likely be severely dehydrated and can move into kidney failure as toxins in the blood lead to electrolyte imbalance. Electrolyte imbalance can also then affect the heart, leading to heart arrhythmia (abnormal heart beat) and organ failure in other body systems. If your animal's bladder ruptures, the urine in the abdominal cavity will push toxicity throughout all body systems and lead to immediate death. 

Blockage most commonly affects cats and dogs from 1-10 years of age and the symptoms and signs can range dramatically from mild to severe. Like urinary tract inflammation and infections, blockage usually reoccurs within 6-12 months if the first bout is not life threatening. Again, any blockage should be considered an emergency and life threatening and veterinary care should be sought immediately. 

Common signs of obstruction:

Straining to urinate

Pain when urinating (crying, yelping)

Hunching over while in litter pan

Frequent attempts to urinate but unable to void urine

Cloudy urine

Interrupted urination

Blood in urine or red tinged urine

Urinating outside of the litter box

Frequent licking of genitals

Appetite loss

Lethargy and depression

Vomiting or retching

If a complete obstruction occurs that means your pet cannot get urine out of its body and they will attempt to urinate but will be unable to produce urine. Complete obstruction can cause death within 3–6 days.  A cat or dog with a urethral obstruction will have a large, painful bladder that is easily felt in the back half of the belly unless the bladder has ruptured.

Possible causes for blockage: 

Diet, including low quality protein and/or low quality dry food diet

Urinary tract stones

Mineral accumulation which forms crystals in the urine

Urinary diseases

Prostate diseases

Tumors, trauma, injury, lesions or scar tissue in the urinary tract

Defective bladder tissues

Chronic low-grade infection in the urinary tract

Chronic badder inflammation can cause mucous plugs, also referred to as Feline Urologic Syndrome

Congenital problems in the bladder, also referred to as vesicourachal diverticuli

Persistent nervousness, anxiety or stress

Multi-cat households where all cats do not get along

Aggression shown from other cats or dogs in house

Aggression shown by other human in house 

Helpful suggestions:

Avoid dry kibble diets

Feed raw, home cooked or high quality holistic canned wet, dehydrated or hybrid diets

Give your pet fresh, filtered water daily

Make sure your pet gets enough exercise to encourage proper lymphatic and metabolic function

Reduce stress in your home environment for all people and pets

Avoid using scented candles, scented laundry soap and dryer sheets, rug and room deodorizers and any other scented product to help reduce toxin exposure and toxic load in your pets

Give your dog and cat an antioxidant, immune boosting supplement daily

Herbal Nutrition - (listed in order of relevance and recommendation by holistic vets - human grade meets/exceeds highest safety criteria for pets)

Tinkle Tonic – (learn more) may help address male specific issues of the urinary tract for dogs and cats, including may help address prostate disorders, may help address conditional needs related to urethral blockage, may help break down stones (bladder and kidney), crystals and calculi, may help acidify urine and help reduce cortisol in the blood, may help support electrolyte balance, may help nutritionally support urinary tract and prostate health and help reduce prostrate symptoms including Prostatitis and Benign Hyperplasia Prostate disease (BHP), may help promote prostate gland health, a healthy bladder, urinary tract and bowel movements, may help soothe and reduce swollen and enlarged prostrate glands, may help promote strong and healthy urine flow, relieve pain, discomfort and difficulty when urinating; for incomplete urination, increased frequency of urination or reduction in the volume of urine, help relieve painful and strained defecation, help increase circulation and strengthen the immune system; help nutritionally address urinary incontinence and weakened bladders.

UTI WARRIOR* – (learn more) is a master adaptogen formulation which contain a variety of natural, healthy plant chemicals that have potential urinary protecting and potential urinary inflammation and infection fighting plant actions due to its antioxidant and alternative values against chronic, systemic urinary tract inflammation and infection, stone formation and may help inhibit the presence of multiple pathogens (bacteria, virus, microbes, fungi, allergens, etc) in the urinary bladder and urinary pathway for elimination. UTI WARRIOR* may help affect change at a cellular level, and may help to rebuild deficient glycosominoglycan content in the bladder tissue matrix, and may have the potential to help relieve painful urinary tract infection cycles as well as may offer important preventative actions against urolithiasis (stone formation), by helping to block calcium oxalate as well as struvite stones from forming, as well as related urinary inflammation and infection when stones accumulate.

Break It Up – (learn more) helps to eliminate liver, kidney, bladder and gall stones, crystals, grains and gravel (calcium oxalate, struvite, uric acid, cystine, calcium phosphate and silica stones ) with less pain and safely removes them from the body; helps to treat bladder and kidney infections (urinary infections) and diseases, balances and normalizes liver enzyme levels, reduces uric acid and increases urination, for cystitis and prostatitis, infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis, Fatty Liver Disease, (hepatic lipidosis), Feline cholangiohepatitis, Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD), Feline Urological Syndrome (FUS), Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Infection (FIV), Leaky Gut Syndrome, Intestinal Dysbiosis and Intestinal Hypermerability. This product has been proven to be 90% effective at addressing urinary tract infections, stones, gravel, calculi and crystals in dogs and cats. 

Break It Up Meal Topper – (learn more) has been proven to break up to 94% of bladder stones, crystals, calculi and gravel within 2 weeks of use; may help address all types of stones, including liver, kidney, bladder and gall stones, gravel, crystals, grains and calculi, including calcium oxalate, struvite, uric acid, cystine, calcium phosphate and silica stones; adaptogen content may help work preventatively against future stone formation and urinary tract infection by helping to identify and nutritionally address cellular imbalances related to stone and infection cycles; adaptogen content may help address urinary tract infections, including chronic UTI’s by nutritionally helping identify and correct cellular imbalances and infection cycles; may help reduce the amount of cortisol and calcium produced in the urine and helps normalize pH levels in the animal body, which may be beneficial for dogs and cats suffering from chronic and episodic upper urinary tract and bladder infections and kidney infections; may help normalize liver enzyme levels, helps reduce uric acid, helps acidify urine and helps increase urination and may provide relief from prostatitis.

Conventional Veterinarian Remedies:

Your veterinarian will examine your cat or dog's abdomen. Acute renal failure results from the increased pressure in the renal system and the inability to eliminate urea and other toxic waste build up. The toxin build up results in increased waste products and potassium in the bloodstream. Your veterinarian will likely draw blood to determine appropriate fluids and other treatments that may become necessary.

Additional blood analysis and imaging, including X-rays or ultrasound may be ordered to determine the cause of the obstruction or other underlying or contributing diseases or illnesses.

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