What causes high ammonia in my cat before spay and what does it mean?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about your cat. These are all impossible questions to answer maybe even for your vet who has examined her. Time will tell if she conceived. Liver problems can certainly complicate anesthesia but a liver protocol could certainly be followed if you elected to spay her. I would consult with the vet who knows the most about this case. Good luck

Prior to surgery she was mildly anemic which may have been secondary to a parasite, fleas, infection, blood loss, or possibly it was just normal for her. Since her HCT dropped to 4.2 after surgery, I am concerned that she was bleeding internally. The only way to know the exact cause would be to have a necropsy done to look for abnormalitites. I am so sorry that your cat had to be put down. That is very sad.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The strong ammonia smell is likely due to the urine being concentrated (not diluted by water intake). Male cat urine also has a special "scent" for marking. Neutering will help with this. The yellow stool will require a fecal from your veterinarian to check for parasites. Hope this helps!

Great question, The only way to ensure the safety of performing a routine spay operation is to have your small animal veterinarian perform a pre-surgical exam along with pre-anesthetic blood testing. After the exam and blood, if anything looks abnormal, further testing such as X-rays and ultrasound can be done prior to surgery. Keep in mind, veterinary clinics vary as to their equipment, so, to insure your pets safety, its alway good to have your cat monitored on an EKG/Blood pressure monitor. Nutrition is important, feeding a good quality adult diet either recommended by your local veterinarian or purchased through Petco or feed store should be adequate. The important things is that it agrees with your cat over time such as providing normal stools and volume, maintains nice haricot, and maintains normal weight. Changes in diet should always be done slowly. Please feel free to set a consult with me if you have further questions regarding her upcoming surgery. Thank you, Steve Popish, DVM

Urine is mostly water and urea which is a waste product of protein breakdown. Urea can develop into ammonia NH3 > NH4 which is why your cat litter smells like ammonia. You should empty out the litter completely more frequently (less deep litter with frequent cleaning is preferable for your cat). If your cat is older you should consider taking her in for blood testing to check her kidney function. There is a new test called SDMA which can detect early kidney disease.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I wouldn't worry about a high amylase in a healthy cat. Amylase and lipase are not good indicators of pancreatic disease. Amylase can be a sign of chronic kidney disease in cats but again it is of little significance when it is the only thing elevated in an otherwise normal cat. I know it is hard to not worry but I wouldn't if Argyle was my baby! Have a good day!

Hello. The presence of only 1 kidney is a birth defect that can occur. If that kidney is fully functioning, as demonstrated by normal blood kidney values, & a normal urinalysis, then there is no reason that anesthesia will be any more of a concern then for a cat with 2 kidneys. I am not sure what you mean by an indifferent colon, other than if there is one congenital birth defect, other defects are possible. We had a case of a puppy born with a deformed hind leg, & when he was old enough for neutering, also found a completely abnormal reproductive tract as well as a deformed kidney. This dog is now 13 years old & going strong. Your kitty may require periodic blood work to make sure the kidney stays healthy, & possibly some type of special diet depending on how the colon actually affects the kitten's overall well being. But, accidents in nature happen. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.