Prostate gland: disease

• Very rare condition in the cat.
• Cause: neoplasia, hyperplasia, cysts and/or infection have been reported.
• Signs: lower urinary tract disease, dysuria.
• Diagnosis: contrast radiography, post mortem.

• Tenesmus and dysuria.
• Penile or preputial bleeding.
• Hematuria Hematuria may be noted.
• Constipation Constipation.

• Anorexia.
• Pyrexia
• Malaise.
• Vomiting.
• Abdominal pain.
• Arching of back.

• Infectious - ascending infection via urethra.
• Glandular hyperplasia - ? senile change.
• Neoplasia - adenocarcinoma.

• Variable.

• Penile or preputial bleeding and/or hematuria.
• Dysuria.
• Tenesmus.

• Difficulty in urinating.
• Constipation and/or ribbon-like feces.
• Hematuria.

• Arching of back.

• Bladder may be distended if urethra obstructed or in spasm.

• Abdominal pain.

• Occasionally mass may be palpated on rectal examination.

Radiography

• Thoracic radiographs Radiography: thorax for detection of pulmonary metastases   if prostatic neoplasia suspected.
• Rarely will prostatic enlargement be visible on plain films.

Contrast radiography

• Retrograde positive contrast urethrography shows irregular narrowed urethra.

2D Ultrasonography

• Mass around urethra at bladder neck may be identified.

Histopathology

Urinalysis

• Sediment examination for presence of active sediment Urinalysis: red blood cells, inflammatory cells Urinalysis: white blood cells, bacteria Urinalysis: culture and sensitivity in presence of infection.

Cytopathology

• Neoplastic epithelial cells may be seen in samples taken via transurethral catheter biopsy in cases of pancreatic neoplasia.

• Regional lymph node enlargement (metastases from neoplasia or reactive change).
• Distant metastases from neoplasia, eg pulmonary.

• Neoplastic or hyperplastic changes can be differentiated histologically.
• Inflammatory cell infiltration in inflammatory disease
  May be secondary to underlying neoplastic cause.

• Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD).
• Cystitis Cystitis: bacterial.

• Trauma to preputial region, eg bite.
• Other abdominal or intestinal tumors Large intestine: neoplasia.
• Kidney disease Kidney: chronic kidney disease.

• Coagulopathy, eg warfarin toxicity Hemostatic disorders: acquired.
• Ectopic ureter Ureter: ectopic.

• In most cases of neoplasia no treatment is available.
• Prostatitis: treated with broad-spectrum antibiotic (most urinary tract infections are associated with one or more of the following - Escherichia coli  Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis Proteus spp, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa  Pseudomonas sp , Staphylococcus spp   Staphylococcus spp and Streptococcus spp Streptococcus spp).

• No specific chemotherapy for prostatic neoplasia, but one case report of chemotherapy Chemotherapy; general principles being given after resection of a prostatic mass.

• Prostatic abscesses may require surgical drainage.

• Resolution of hematuria
• Decrease in prostate size.

Monitoring

• Monitor urinalysis for continued lower urinary tract disease.
• Check prostate size and repeat retrograde radiography if required.

• Poor prognosis for neoplasia (usually highly malignant).
• Too few other cases to predict prognosis.

• Resolution of signs.

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Caney S M, Holt P E, Day M J et al (1998) Prostatic carcinoma in two cats. JSAP 39 (3), 140-143 PubMed.
• Newell S M, Mahaffey M B, Binhazim A et al (1992) Paraprostatic cyst in a cat. JSAP 33 (8), 399-401 VetMedResource.
• Hubbard B S, Vulgamott J C & Liska W D (1990) Prostatic adenocarcinoma in a cat. JAVMA 197 (11), 1493-1494 PubMed.