When Your Cat’s Ureter Is Blocked: How a SUB Device Can Save Their Life

A ureteral obstruction is one of the most urgent diagnoses a cat can receive. When a stone, stricture, or scar tissue blocks the ureter — the tube carrying urine from kidney to bladder — pressure builds rapidly. Without emergency intervention, kidney failure and death can follow within days. At Dogwood Veterinary Specialty and Emergency in Marietta, GA, our board-certified internal medicine specialists and surgeons perform Subcutaneous Ureteral Bypass (SUB) device placements as a life-saving solution.

 

Warning Signs of Ureteral Obstruction

• Decreased appetite or refusal to eat
• Increased water consumption
• Lethargy and hiding
• Visible discomfort or hunched posture
• Bloodwork showing elevated kidney values (azotemia)

 

What Is a SUB Device?

A SUB device reroutes urine directly from the kidney to the bladder, bypassing the obstructed ureter entirely. A small port is placed just under the skin for long-term maintenance access. Recommended when:

• Ureteral stones or strictures are causing the obstruction
• Ureteral stenting has failed or is not anatomically feasible
• Both ureters are obstructed simultaneously
• Prior surgical interventions have not resolved the problem

 

 

Before, During & After Surgery

• Before: Full diagnostics including bloodwork, urinalysis, abdominal ultrasound and/or CT imaging, IV fluid stabilization
• During: General anesthesia overseen by our board-certified anesthesiologist — the only one in Atlanta.
• After: 2–3 days of hospitalization for pain management and monitoring. The SUB device requires routine flushing every 3 months under light sedation.

 

Long-Term Outlook

Cats with a well-maintained SUB device routinely live comfortable, happy lives for years. Our internal medicine team coordinates long-term care with your primary veterinarian.

Dogwood offers 24/7 critical care, board-certified Internal Medicine (Dr. Sophia Avgeris, DVM DACVIM), experienced surgeons, and the only board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist in Atlanta — all under one roof.

 

Questions about SUB placement?

Contact our team at info@www.dogwood.vet or call (404) 609-1234. We’re open 24 hours.