FASAVA Congress 2017

Knowledge surrounding the aetiology of Feline Idiopathic Cystitis has significantly advanced in recent years; in most cases the condition is likely to be multifactorial and involving complex interactions between the urinary tract, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and central nervous system. This lecture will begin by summarising the most recent information regarding aetiopathogensis, and relating this to best practice management.  Give the multi-factorial nature of the condition,  effective management also needs to comprise a multi-modal approach including multi-modal environmental modification, addressing underlying stressors, increasing water intake, and analgesia in addition to potentially other pharmacological treatments. The lecture will go through the latest recommendations for managing these challenging cases, and have a particular focus on what constitutes stress in these cats, how do we recognise it, and how do we address it to achieve effective long term management.