From:
"Lucie Darkes"
Date: 2003-12-30 16:49:28 UTC
Subject: Problems with urinating
To: "FHL" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <000c01c3cef4$e3ea96d0$c7480843@Darkes>
Merlin is 8.5 years old. He has been treated for insulinoma and adrenal di=
sease for almost three years. He is currently on prednisone 1.25 mg per da=
y for the insulinoma with good results. He receives relatively high dose l=
upron injections (just increased to 400 mcg) about every six to eight weeks=
. He also receives 0.25 mg of Propecia daily. About a year ago, Merlin de=
veloped a severe urinary infection. He was catheterized, and with antibiot=
ics recovered from the infection. Since that time however, he has not urin=
ated without assistance. Initially, I was able to encourage his urination =
with warm water/baths, however about six months ago this no longer worked. =
My vet showed me how to express his bladder and we have been doing this tw=
ice daily. We have urinalysis done regularly (monthly) and these consisten=
tly show elevated inflammatory cells -- presumably due to the ongoing prese=
nce of urine in the bladder -- but no bacteria, as we have kept him on Bayt=
ril since his initial infection. My vet has checked him over and found no p=
hysiological reason why Merlin should be unable to urinate. =
Over the past week, it has become increasingly more difficult to expres=
s Merlin's bladder. He just had a lupron injection and urinalysis on Satur=
day (12/20). The urinalysis was the same as always. He went from having a=
good flow to barely dripping when expressing his bladder. We went to the =
vet's office yesterday and he was able to express Merlin's bladder under an=
esthesia with minimal effort, leading him to believe that Merlin is resisti=
ng and making the expressing more difficult. He gave us some valium for Me=
rlin in order to try to relax his muscles so the expressing might go more e=
asily. He also believes that if Merlin is able to hold in the urine, he wi=
ll be able to go on his own. Today, however I have been unable to express =
his bladder at all. It feels quite large, but nothing comes out. I don't =
know how long I should let this go -- I don't know if we are missing someth=
ing or if I am overreacting. Please, if anyone can give me some suggestion=
s on what may be wrong or what else we can try I would be forever grateful.=
I know Merlin doesn't have that much time left here, but I want to make wh=
at he does have left as comfortable as possible. =
Many thanks, Lucie