Welfare of cats 5–29 months after perineal urethrostomy: 74 cases (2015–2017)

Abstract

Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term quality of life in cats following perineal urethrostomy. Methods This study comprised a retrospective case series of 74 cats with urinary obstructions that received perineal urethrostomies at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Animal Hospital between September 2015 and July 2017. Medical records were reviewed for information on the number of obstructions prior to surgery, urinary tract problems at the time of surgery and other potential factors influencing long-term welfare. Owners were surveyed by telephone and text 5–29 months after their cat’s surgery. Responses were compiled and analyzed to determine owner perception of welfare postsurgery, and to identify patterns in medical history and welfare outcomes. Results In total, 105 cat owners were eligible for the survey; 74 responded. Altogether, 100% of responding individuals reported at least the same quality of life postsurgery compared with the cat’s quality of life before demonstrating urinary problems (48% reported better). On a quality-of-life scale of 1–10 (10 = excellent), 100% of responding cat owners reported at least 7; 75% reported 10. Conclusions and relevance Quality-of-life outcomes for cats 5–29 months after receiving perineal urethrostomy surgery were reported to be very good. Given this finding, and that perineal urethrostomy surgery should mitigate future blockages, we suggest considering perineal urethrostomy surgery as a standard tool to manage urinary obstructions in cats. The needs of the specific client and patient, including risks, costs and welfare of the cats, should drive the options for management of urinary obstructions in male cats.

Comparison of surgical indications and short- and long-term complications in 56 cats undergoing perineal, transpelvic or prepubic urethrostomy

“…These figures are comparable to previous reports of owner-rated quality of life following PU surgery, where 75–88% of cats were judged as having a moderate-to-good quality of life. 2,10 However, they are contradicted by another study, which reports a satisfaction rate of 33.3% among owners of cats undergoing PPU, which was significantly lower than the 81.8% satisfaction among owners of cats undergoing PU. 5 This difference in PPU satisfaction may be due to indication for urethrostomy, rather than surgical technique.…”

Approach to urethral obstruction in cats. Part 1: presentation and stabilisation

“…Other causes include urolithiasis (10 to 35 per cent of cases), of which calcium oxalate and struvite are both common types of stones. Slater and others (2020) also found strictures and urethral trauma to be present in 15 per cent of cases. Blood clots occur occasionally, as can neoplasia of the urethra, prostate or bladder.…”

Assessing the Impact of a Virtual Shelter Medicine Rotation on Veterinary Students' Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes Regarding Access to Veterinary Care

“…All analyses were conducted using R version 3.6.3 ( 21 ). Linear mixed models assessed whether there were main effects of study condition and test timing (i.e., pretest or post-test) on study measures.…”

“…As another example of incremental care, researchers at Colorado State University have demonstrated that an outpatient treatment protocol for select puppies diagnosed with parvovirus may be a reasonable and less costly alternative to inpatient hospitalization ( 20 ). A spectrum of care treatment option might be to manage a feline obstruction case by performing a perineal urethrostomy earlier in the disease course rather than conservatively managing the problem with multiple costly emergency visits ( 21 ). Another spectrum of care treatment option is the timely referral of pyometra cases to spay-neuter clinics rather than performing emergency surgery in full-service clinics ( 22 ).…”