Canine Urinary Tract Infection Home Remedies

Home Remedies For Uti Treatment

The best course of treatment is to first consult and follow the advice of your vet. While medication may be prescribed, there are some steps you can take at home to assist your dogs comfort and recovery from a UTI:

• Ensure your dog drinks plenty of water. Refill their bowl regularly with fresh, cool water every time.
• Go for some gentle exercise, only as long as they are comfortable.
• Do not allow children to overexcite them as this can trigger a urinary response which can become painful.
• Be patient. If your dog is in pain, it might act a little more aggressively. Give them space and comfort when they need it.

Urinary support supplements can be used to help reduce the likelihood of another UTI occurring. These dog supplements help prevent bacteria sticking to the urinary tract wall causing an infection.

Monitoring Response To Therapy

Patients with a simple, uncomplicated UTI may not require rigorous monitoring. However, patients with complicated, relapsing, or recurrent infections should be monitored very closely. The following protocol is recommended to monitor response to therapy in patients with relapsing, recurrent, or refractory UTI.3

Read Also: Urinary Tract Infection Antibiotic Medicine

Recovery And Management Of Utis In Dogs

Your vet should test your dogs urine following antibiotic therapy for both acute and chronic UTIs. In some instances of chronic UTIs, urine testing will also be performed during treatment, in addition to afterward, to assess the amount of bacteria.

Once urine testing confirms that a UTI is resolved, no further treatment is necessary for dogs with acute UTIs. If your dog has a chronic UTI, they may be kept on urinary tract supplements and probiotics to avoid recurrence.

If your vet diagnoses an underlying medical condition, treatment will aim to control it to avoid recurrent UTIs. Here are a few examples of possible underlying issues and their potential treatments:

• Diabetes mellitus: insulin therapy and diet changes

• Kidney disease: diet changes, blood pressure management, and fluid therapy

• Abnormal vulvar conformation: surgical correction and/or daily cleaning of the perivulvar region

• Urinary crystals: increased water intake, urinary tract supplements, and sometimes a dissolution diet

• Bladder stones: surgical removal via cystotomy, or in some cases, a dissolution diet

• Urinary tract masses: surgical removal and/or chemotherapeutic protocols

Each dog with a UTI should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis since there are so many factors that can contribute to pain and inflammation.

You May Like: How Does Cranberry Juice Help Urinary Tract Infections

How To Prevent Uti In Dogs

Below are three tips for preventing bladder infection in dogs.

Ensure Plenty Of Fluid Intake

This is yet another home remedy for dog UTI that requires large amounts of fluids to ensure the bacteria is appropriately flushed from their system.

Throughout the day, ensure your dog is getting enough fluid intake. Keep an eye on him.

Required Ingredients:

Process:

Don’t Miss: Urinary Pain Relief For Males

Natural Home Remedies For Dog Uti

Now that youve hopefully identified why your dog is having symptoms, there are numerous natural home remedies for dog UTIs that you can use to help your dog feel better but also help prevent UTIs in the future.

But first, what about the prescription diets that are recommended for life for urinary crystals and stones?

Most of these diets are high in carbs and starches which was the original problem for the pH being off. Remember, diets that are too high in carbohydrates or starches will cause the pH to be too alkaline that can lead to struvite crystals and/or stones.

Another issue with most of these diets is that the proteins are feed-grade, not food-grade. This means that the meats are the unusable meats from the human side and are often diseased and poor quality that are being rendered into pet food.

So why do they help lower the pH of the urine?

The reason these pet foods help reduce the urine pH is the addition of an amino acid dl-methionine. This is an essential amino acid that helps chelate heavy metals and regulates the formation of ammonia. When its metabolized by the body, sulfuric acid is formed that lowers or acidifies the urine. Therefore when your dogs urine is too high, this can be helpful, which is why its in prescription foods.

This also shows why its important to know the pH of your dogs urine. If the pH is already too low, you can make things worse by adding this into their diet or by using the wrong prescription food.

So what about cranberry juice?

Natural Supplements For Dog Urinary Tract Infections

Some natural supplements that are beneficial to dogs with urinary tract infections include:

Cranberry juice or powder

If you want to feed cranberry juice to your dog as a preventive measure against urinary tract infections, remember to use the non-sweetened juice . You may find it easier to get some cranberry powder and mix 1/4 of a teaspoon of the powder with your dog’s food.

Also Check: How To Treat Feline Urinary Tract Infection

Increase Vitamin C Intake

Some evidence shows that increasing your intake of vitamin C could protect against urinary tract infections.

Vitamin C is thought to work by increasing the acidity of the urine, thereby killing off the bacteria that cause infection .

An older 2007 study of UTIs in pregnant women looked at the effects of taking 100 mg of vitamin C every day .

The study found that vitamin C had a protective effect, cutting the risk of UTIs by more than half in those taking vitamin C, compared with the control group .

Fruits and vegetables are especially high in vitamin C and are a good way to increase your intake.

Red peppers, oranges, grapefruit, and kiwifruit all contain the full recommended amount of vitamin C in just one serving .

Despite these studies, there is still more research needed to prove the effectiveness of vitamin C for reducing UTIs. .

SUMMARY

Increasing vitamin C intake may decrease the risk of UTIs by making the urine more acidic, thus killing off infection-causing bacteria.

Drinking unsweetened cranberry juice is one of the most well-known natural remedies for urinary tract infections.

Cranberries work by preventing bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract, thus preventing infection .

In a 2016 study, women with recent histories of UTIs drank an 8-ounce serving of cranberry juice every day for 24 weeks. Those who drank cranberry juice had fewer UTI episodes than the control group .

Symptoms Of A Urinary Tract Infection In Your Pet

It can be hard to tell if your dog is experiencing urinary tract problems at least in the beginning. As with any natural remedy, if in doubt, see the doctor and seek medical advice.

The following are common signs of urinary tract infections or problems in dogs.

• Loss of bladder control

• Blood or Discoloration of urine
• Inability to urinate

Urinary tract problems can become severe issues. So, you will want to monitor your pet closely. Be sure that if the signs persist, worsen or are serious and/or severe, you take your dog to a veterinary professional.

Also Check: Burning Sensation In Urinary Tract

Urinary Tract Infections In Dogs

A dogs urinary system, just like in humans, is what processes and removes waste from the body. Urinary infections can affect different parts of the dog’s urinary tract, but bladder infection is the most common. This type of infection is known as cystitis and occurs when bacteria travel up the urethra and reach the bladder. Once there, the bacteria grow and reproduce, thus causing the infection. If not spotted and treated quickly, these urinary tract issues can turn fatal.

To learn more about the different types of UTIs in dogs, don’t miss out this article on urinary track infections in dogs.

Home Remedies For Urinary Tract Infections In Dogs

Homeopathic Remedies For UTIsIf youre a fan of homeopathy, here are some effective UTI remedies recommended by veterinarian Dr Dee Blanco, along with dosing instructions. Homeopathy is often a successful treatment for UTIs. In stubborn cases, you may need expert help. A homeopath will analyze your dogs whole symptom picture to select the best remedy not only the UTI symptoms. So homeopathy can help with more complicated infections or even systemic infection. Find a homeopath at theavh.org.

Herbal Remedies for UTIsThere are many herbal remedies to choose from. When you buy herbs, try to get organic, pesticide-free products. Here are the top 5.

Recommended Reading: Over The Counter Urinary Tract Infection Pain Relief

How Vets Diagnose Utis In Dogs

There are many ways to tell if a dog has a UTI and to investigate the underlying causes for why an infection occurred in the first place. Its important to obtain a definitive diagnosis whenever there is evidence of urinary tract disease, or else UTIs may come back.

Here are the ways that veterinarians test for UTIs in dogs.

Foods That Contain Prebiotics And Probiotics

Probiotics help to crowd out bad bacteria by promoting and encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria. These healthy bacteria, in turn, assist in the formation of short-chain fatty acids or SCFAs.

These SCFAs are known to boost your dogs overall health, thus reducing the risk of UTI in dogs by preventing harmful bacterial growth.

You can either use supplements based on probiotics and prebiotics or fermented veggies to ensure the constant supply of these components. I highly recommend you these ones that I tried myself for my little friend!

• Squash

Recommended Reading: How To Control Urinary Incontinence

Add Prebiotics And Probiotics

Probiotics encourage the growth of healthy bacteria, which help crowd out harmful bacteria. They also produce short-chain fatty acids that boost your dogs overall health. This can help prevent bacteria growth to reduce the risk of UTIs caused by infections.

Supplements are the most convenient way to add probiotics to your dogs diet. Many people will use fermented veggies and kefir for probiotic benefits but they arent the best choice. Thats because the probiotics in these foods rarely survive the trip through your dogs digestive tract so they cant provide the healthful benefits your dog needs. But that doesnt mean fermented foods arent useful. They also contain prebiotics that feed the probiotics in your dogs gut so they can produce SCFA. Other prebiotic foods include garlic, chicory root, and mushrooms.

So dont forget you have great natural options for your dogs UTI. Be confident you can help your dog naturally at home if she develops any UTI symptoms.

Home Remedies For Uti In Dogs

There are a few home remedies to treat UTI in dogs, but they are unlikely to be completely effective.

This includes things like:

• Bathing your dog especially her genital area in warm baths
• Encouraging her to drink more water

I know this isnt a very satisfying answer, but the truth is, youll just need to take your dog to the vet anytime she suffers from a UTI. Its the only completely safe, effective, and humane way to treat the issue.

Don’t Miss: Urinary Incontinence Devices For Women

Treatment Options For Dogs With Urinary Tract Infections

Treatment for UTI focuses on managing pain, giving antibiotics for bacterial UTIs. If there is an underlying cause, this must be addressed as well. Dogs with a recessed vulva often benefit from surgery which helps correct this problem. Some dogs with bladder stones can be treated by changing the diet. This helps prevent the future formation of stones in the bladder. For more information on bladder stones, click here!

Talk to your vet about other or alternative treatments such as supplements and/or acupuncture. Cranberry juice has not been proven to help dogs with UTI, but it can be offered to dogs along with their normal bowl of fresh water. Its important to note that cranberry juice or cranberry supplements are thought to improve bladder health and decrease the recurrence of UTI, but they will not cure a current bladder infection.

Make sure that your dog finishes all medications as directed by your vet. If your dog stops eating, has vomiting or diarrhea, or worsening of UTI symptoms while on medication, call your vet right away.

Follow up with your vet to recheck your dogs urine sample once the medication is finished. This will help determine if the UTI has cleared up or if your dog needs to continue treatment.

How To Prevent Urinary Tract Infection In Dogs

Urinary tract infection is highly preventable in dogs you need to follow these steps to keep your dog from contracting UTI.

Don’t Miss: Royal Canin Urinary So Morsels In Gravy

Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

Any infection that occurs in the presence of an anatomic or functional abnormalities or in an animal that has a comorbidity that predisposes to persistent infection, recurrent infection or treatment failure. Recurrent infections can be further categorised as:

Co-morbidities that should be considered:

Endocrinopathy

Urinary incontinence/retention

DIAGNOSTICS

The same principles for diagnosis apply from uncomplicated infections. Presence of underlying factors should be investigated and client compliance with previous therapy ensured, especially in case of relapse. Consider whether the antimicrobial chosen is appropriate in dosing/dosing frequency to achieve adequate concentrations at the site of infection. Urine culture is always needed for ongoing management, antimicrobials should not be changed empirically.

TREATMENT

DURATION OF THERAPY

Treatment length may vary depending on the clinical signs/comorbidities goal of treatment is clinical cure and no adverse effects . Microbiological cure is desirable but not necessarily achievable.

What Do Utis In Dogs Look Like

UTIs can be hard to spot, which is why you should always take note of your pups potty habits. If your dog is attempting to pee small amounts every time you take them outside, needs to go more often, straining or crying when urinating, or having accidents in the house even when they are potty trained, it could be a sign of a UTI. The most obvious and alarming symptom is blood mixed in with your dogs urine if you notice this, you should call your vet immediately.

Read Also: Urinary Tract Infection Does It Go Away On Its Own

Remedies And Treatments For Cat Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract diseases are common in cats and can cause discomfort and distress. If left untreated, a UTI can lead to partial or complete blockage of the urethra. This can lead to kidney failure or rupture of the bladder, which could be deadly.

Depending on the severity of the infection, a cat UTI can be treated using at-home remedies and treatments.

Cranberries

While cranberries are known as a UTI treatment in humans, they can also be used to treat a cat UTI. The acidity of cranberries can lower the pH of your cats urine, which can help treat a UTI and stop it from coming back.

Many cranberry juices are high in sugar. Instead, you can find cranberry capsules , supplements, or powder to add to your cats diet.

Before giving your cat cranberry, you should first test the pH levels in your cats urine. While the acidity of cranberries may help with some UTIs, in other cases, it could make the condition worse. Only provide cranberry supplements if your cats urine is too alkaline.

Continued

Apple cider vinegar can also lower the pH in your cats urine, eliminating and preventing any harmful bacteria. Add half a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to your cats food each day. To reduce the bitter taste, you can mix it in with chicken or beef broth. Just make sure the broth doesnt contain onions, as this is toxic to cats.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Bone Broth

Continued