Cystitis generally shows itself as frequent sometimes painful urination.
It is more common in cats than in dogs.
In dogs it is more common in bitches than male dogs. Frequency of urination and blood in urine is often seen. It is usually an infection, treatment is readily available so get to the veterinarian quickly and if you can, take a sample of your dogʼs urine with you when you go.
In cats the situation is somewhat more complex than in canines. Feline cystitis resembles human idiopathic cystitis in many ways. Infection is very often not involved. It is a complex multifactorial disease. You will know, as with dogs, there is trouble because there will be frequent attempts at urination sometimes with the passage of blood.
Go to the veterinarian straight away with your cat.
- Treat as an emergency any male cat you have who keeps trying to pass urine but voids only tiny amounts or none at all. This cat may have a blocked urethra and this is a genuine emergency and must be dealt with straight away.
The veterinarian will always treat seriously any cases of cystitis and go through treatment and advise on any dietary strategy that may be necessary with you as the consultation progresses.
