Urinary Issues

Urinary problems in pets can range from a mild urinary tract infection to a life-threatening urinary blockage. When your dog starts having accidents in the house, your cat is crying in the litter box, or you notice blood in your pet’s urine, prompt veterinary evaluation is essential.

At Ruby Veterinary Urgent Care in Johns Creek, our ER-trained veterinarians have the in-house diagnostics to quickly identify the cause of your pet’s urinary issues and start treatment the same day.

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by bacteria entering the urinary tract and are more common in female dogs due to their shorter urethra. Cats develop true bacterial UTIs less frequently, but when they do, it often indicates an underlying condition.
• Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) is a group of conditions affecting the bladder and urethra of cats. It can involve inflammation, crystals, stones, or behavioral factors, and it is one of the most common reasons cats visit urgent care.
• Urinary crystals and bladder stones form when minerals in the urine crystallize. They cause irritation, pain, and can lead to blockages, especially in male cats.
• Urinary blockage is a true veterinary emergency. It occurs most commonly in male cats when crystals, stones, or inflammatory material blocks the urethra, making it impossible to urinate. Without treatment, a blocked cat can develop life-threatening complications within 24 to 48 hours.
• Kidney infections develop when bacteria travel from the lower urinary tract to the kidneys, causing fever, lethargy, and back pain in addition to urinary symptoms.

Watch for these symptoms in your dog or cat:

• Frequent trips to the litter box or frequent requests to go outside with little or no urine produced
• Straining or crying while trying to urinate
• Blood in the urine, which may appear pink, red, or brown
• Urinating in unusual places such as on furniture, floors, or outside the litter box
• Excessive licking of the genital area
• Strong or foul-smelling urine
• Lethargy, decreased appetite, or vomiting, which may indicate a more serious condition
• Inability to produce any urine at all, which is a medical emergency

Getting the right diagnosis is critical with urinary conditions because treatment depends entirely on what's causing the problem.

A urinalysis is the single most important test we run for urinary issues. It examines a sample of your pet's urine for bacteria, crystals, blood, protein, and other abnormalities. Depending on what our veterinarian sees, we may recommend a urine culture to identify the specific bacteria involved so we can prescribe the most effective antibiotic. We may also run bloodwork to assess kidney function and check for electrolyte imbalances. Abdominal X-rays and ultrasound let us visualize the bladder and kidneys directly, looking for stones, masses, or structural abnormalities.

From there, treatment depends on what we find. For urinary tract infections, we may prescribe targeted antibiotics based on culture results along with pain management. Feline lower urinary tract disease may call for a combination of pain medication, anti-inflammatory therapy, dietary changes, environmental enrichment, and stress reduction strategies.

For urinary crystals, we use prescription diets that dissolve existing crystals and prevent new ones from forming, paired with increased water intake.

Urinary blockages require immediate intervention, and our veterinarians can perform catheterization right here to relieve the obstruction and start IV fluid therapy to correct dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Depending on the severity and duration of the blockage, we may recommend a transfer to a 24-hour facility for overnight monitoring.

Urinary issue visits typically take 45 to 90 minutes depending on the complexity and diagnostics required. Our in-house laboratory provides urinalysis results within minutes, allowing your veterinarian to begin targeted treatment during the same visit. If your pet requires X-rays, these are also performed on-site. You’ll receive a thorough explanation of findings, a treatment plan, and at-home care instructions. A complete visit summary is sent to your primary care veterinarian.

Most simple urinary tract infections clear up within 7 to 14 days of antibiotic therapy. Feline lower urinary tract disease episodes usually improve within 5 to 7 days, though ongoing stress management and dietary changes play a big role in keeping it from coming back. Recovery from a urinary blockage depends on severity and may require several days of hospitalization followed by long-term dietary and environmental management.

There's a lot you can do at home to help prevent urinary issues. Encourage your pet to drink more water by providing multiple fresh water sources and consider switching to a wet food diet, especially for cats. If you have a multi-cat household, keep litter boxes clean and follow the general rule of one box per cat plus one extra to reduce stress-related urinary problems.

For pets with a history of crystals or stones, prescription urinary diets can help prevent recurrence. Reducing stress through environmental enrichment and consistent routines is especially important for cats prone to FLUTD.

Ruby Veterinary Urgent Care is located at 10710 State Bridge Road Ste 120 in Johns Creek, Georgia, just minutes from Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, Suwanee, Duluth, Peachtree Corners, Sandy Springs, and Cumming. We serve pet families across North Fulton County, Gwinnett County, Forsyth County, and greater metro Atlanta. Open Monday through Friday 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM and Saturday through Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Walk-ins welcome or reserve your spot online.