Feline bacterial urinary tract infections: An update on an evolving clinical problem.
Although feline urine is increasingly submitted for bacterial culture and susceptibility testing as part of a more general diagnostic work-up for a range of presentations in veterinary practice, bacterial urinary tract infections (UTIs) are relatively uncommon due to a variety of physical and immunological barriers to infection. Culture positive urine is most often obtained from older female cats and the clinical history may include hematuria, dysuria and pollakiuria, or the infection may be occult. Urinalysis usually reveals hematuria and pyuria, and Escherichia coli and Gram-positive cocci are cultured most frequently. Most feline UTIs can be successfully treated using oral amoxicillin or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid administered for at least 14days, but the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance amongst infecting bacterial species is a growing concern. There is currently no conclusive information on the safety and efficacy of alternative therapeutic agents for the treatment of feline UTIs.
Litster
Annette
A
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 625 Harrison St., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. catvet@purdue.edu
Thompson
Mary
M
Moss
Susan
S
Trott
Darren
D
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents