My cat has blood in urine and crystals. Should I get a bladder ultrasound?

Question

14 yo male cat. Two subsequent urinalyses showed blood in urine. Blood 3 , ph 6.0, sp.gr. 1.021, trace of protein, WBC -2, RBC - 75-100, epic cell - rare (0-1). Has some history of crystals in urine. General blood work panel is “good for his age” per vet’s words. Manual exam showed everything normal. Normal and regular use of litter box. Very scaredy cat. Should I do a bladder ultrasound?

Dr. B. DVM, DACVIM (Oncology) · Accepted Answer

An ultrasound of the whole urinary tract can be helpful for patients with unexplained blood in the urine. This would be of the kidneys and bladder as blood can come from anywhere along the urinary system. X-rays of the abdomen, after a pet has been fasted for at least 12 hours, can also be helpful. This can be important in some cases as not all problems can be identified with an ultrasound, such as stones in the tubes that lead from the kidney to the urinary bladder (ureter). Additionally a urine culture may be helpful to make sure that there is no underlying infection that is causing the blood. And, it is important to know how the sample was obtained. If it was freely collected from the patient or in the litter box then it is more concerning. If the sample is obtained as a sterile sample directly from the urinary bladder with a needle, then sometimes the blood in the urine is from the sampling (best sample for culture though). I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

My cat has blood in urine and crystals. Should I get a bladder ultrasound?

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