SUB Systems

We are seeing a run of ureteral obstructions in cats! Blocked Ureters are becoming more and more common, likely due to a combination of better detection and increasing incidence of calcium oxalate stones due to diet trends. We have been placing artificial ureters (subcutaneous ureteral bypass, or SUBs) in several cats recently, all of them going very well. Typical presentation is vomiting +/- anorexia, and a palpably enlarged or painful kidney (right more common than left). Some cats do not become azotaemic as their other kidney is still functional, so may go undiagnosed. Ultrasonography by someone trained to observe renal pelvic dilation and ureteral distension is sufficient to diagnose this, and the recommendation is usually to place a bypass as medical management fails in 85% of patients.