My cat is on a new diet. How quickly can urinary crystals form?

It can take 6-8 weeks for crystals to dissolve depending on how many there are. But He could have developed another infection while waiting for the crystals to dissolve. Just know depending on the type of crystals they may never completely dissolve. Also make sure your vet took an X-ray or did an ultrasound to ensure there a no stones in there that may need to be surgically removed. I would recommend to take him back to the vet for another urinalysis to ensure there is no bacteria present. If it is just inflammation, you may consider adding in cosequin for cats. This has been proven to increase the mucus lining of the bladder and therefore decrease inflammation. I hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Speedy. If his veterinarian has recommended a prescription diet, then he should stay on one. Royal Canin Veterinary Diets Urinary SO, Hills Veterinary Diet C/D or Purina ProPlan Veterinary Diets U/R are all great choices to help prevent crystals in his urine. I hope this information helps!

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If I am reading your question correctly, you indicate that Sapphire's urinary diet may have contributed to her developing cancer. I have never heard of this. Now, any chronic inflammation/irritation does have the potential to possibly incite a tissue to mutate to a malignant form, but again, this would be very unusual. For example, a bone cancer can developed at the site of a previous fracture in very rare instances. If your veterinarians have submitted urine to a laboratory, the sample should have come back with evidence of cancer cells. An ultrasound should also provide evidence of cancer, as well as a biopsy of the urinary bladder. If there is no evidence of cancer ( & I would be very suspicious of this in such a young cat ), then I would have no issues keeping Sapphire on a urinary diet to keep her crystalluria under control.

What a cute kitty! Your vet can prescribe a special prescription diet to help manage the crystals in his urine. The one we commonly prescribe is Royal Canin SO diet, but there are several others available as well. These diets help keep the urine pH at an appropriate level and can decrease or eliminate the crystals in the urine.

An over the counter urinary care diet should be fine to give if you have concerns. I would also recommend regular yearly rechecks of urine with your vet as this is the best way to monitor Mushu for any changes that may need treatment or a switch back to a prescription medication again. If you do notice him having any issues again, a vet visit more quickly for treatment is best.

As long as he is urinating within his usual frequency and volume and does not have any discomfort or blood with the urine I would not be immediately concerned with regards to an emergency visit unless anything changes. I would recommend submitting a urine sample to your vets office for analysis - you can use special urine collection litter in order to collect this from his litter tray. Your vet team can then assess concentration, pH and presence of microscopic crystals which can help to evaluate urinary health. A wet diet, or a dry diet specifically formulated to reduce crystal formation can be used to lower risk also.

I would strongly advise against this. I would keep him on some form of food labelled for urinary crystal prevention. Urinary blockages can be a fatal emergency. Royal Canin, Hills, and Purina ProPlan are the three foods that use the most science in their nutrition. I have never heard of young again. Any of their foods that are labelled "S/O" are meant to prevent the formation of urinary crystals. Many urinary diets do have an increased caloric amount, and I sympathize that can be a struggle, but it is related to what keeps their urinary tracts healthy. You can try feeding canned food that is watered down to lower some calories. The extra water and hydration is great for the urinary tract as well. Feeding the food out of toys and feeders, instead of bowls in meals, to encourage their working for food and hunting behaviors can also help with their food intake.