Outcomes of nine cats with urinary retention after sacrocaudal luxation managed with long-term urinary diversion

To document the outcomes of cats with urinary retention (UR) after sacrocaudal luxation (SCL) and managed with a long-term cystostomy (LTC).

Short case series.

Nine client-owned cats with SCL and subsequent UR.

Nine cats suffering from non-relievable UR secondary to SCL, between March 2013 and December 2020, had a LTC placed 4.5 days post-SCL (mean, range 3.5-6.0), until clinical evidence of normal urination recovery. The bladder was emptied at least twice daily. No antimicrobial was given during LTC. Indication for tube removal was voluntary micturition with complete emptying for a minimum of three consecutive days. Recheck examinations were scheduled for post-SCL days 7 and 14, as well as for LTC tube removal. Minor and major complications and length of LTC use were recorded.

The LTC was removed 11-42 days (mean 26 days) after placement. All cats recovered normal micturition spontaneously within 17-47 days post-SCL (mean 30.7 days): 1 cat between the 2nd and 3rd weeks, 5 cats between the 3rd and 4th weeks, and 3 cats >30 days after the trauma. Major complications, such tube dislodgement, occurred in two cats, whereas complications resolving after tube removal were recorded in 6 cats.

LTC was effective at managing UR post-SCL in 9 cats. All cats recovered normal urinary function within 7 weeks.

LTC can be an alternative to manual expression or bladder catheterization in cats with temporary UR after SCL.