Cover Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
ISSN:
0003-1488
Publication Date:
01 Nov 2013

  • 1. Hetrick PF, Davidow EB. Initial treatment factors associated with feline urethral obstruction recurrence rate: 192 cases (2004–2010). J Am Vet Med Assoc 2013; 243:512–519.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • 2. Streater-Knowlen IM, Marks SL, Rishniw M, et al. Urethral pressure response to smooth and skeletal muscle relaxants in anesthetized adult male cats with naturally acquired urethral obstruction. Am J Vet Res 1995; 56:919–923.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • 3. Wang B, Bhadra N, Grill W. Functional anatomy of the male feline urethra: morphological and physiological correlations. J Urol 1999; 161:654–659.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • 1. Streater-Knowlen IM, Marks SI, Rinshniw M, et al. Urethral pressure response to smooth and skeletal muscle relaxants in anesthetized adult male cats with naturally acquired urethral obstruction. Am J Vet Res 1995; 56:919–923.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • 2. Lefevre-Borg F, O'Connor SE, Schoemaker H, et al. Alfuzosin, a selective alpha 1 adrenoceptor antagonist in the lower urinary tract. Br J Pharmacol 1993; 109:1282–1289.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • 3. Fischer JR, Lane IF, Cribb AE. Urethral pressure profile and hemodynamic effects of phenoxybenzamine and prazosin in nonsedated male Beagle dogs. Can J Vet Res 2003; 67:30–38.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • 4. Hetrick PF, Davidow EB. Initial treatment factors associated with feline urethral obstruction recurrence rate: 192 cases (2004–2010). J Am Vet Med Assoc 2013; 243:512–519.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • 1. Strimple EO. Veterinary applicants (lett). J Am Vet Med Assoc 2013; 243:618.

Advertisement

Editorial Type:
Views

Letters to the Editor

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.243.9.1240
Volume/Issue:
Volume 243: Issue 9
Online Publication Date:
01 Nov 2013
Restricted access
Reprints and Permissions Purchase Article
Prazosin in cats with urethral obstruction

The authors of the article “Initial treatment factors associated with feline urethral obstruction recurrence rate: 192 cases (2004–2010)”1 suggest that administration of prazosin to cats with urethral obstruction could reduce the likelihood of recurrence. They do warn that prospective randomized trials are needed to substantiate their conclusions; however, current research calls into question prazosin's usefulness for this purpose.

First, to our knowledge, urethral spasms have never been documented in cats. In a study2 of 6 cats with spontaneous urethral obstruction, for instance, urethral pressures were similar to or lower than