What Are The Signs Of Utis In Dogs
Urinary tract disease can include kidney, ureters, urethra and bladder infection.
While were using a female dog example below remember that male dogs can get UTIs too! Typical symptoms of UTIs in dogs of either gender include:
- Frequent urination or urging.
- Bloody urine. Sometimes you may see a little blood at the very end. Other times there might be a blood clot. Sometimes its hardly noticeable. Get your dog to pee on a paper towel to see if theres blood present.
- Licking before or after she urinates.
- Inappropriate urination or accidents in the house.
- General restlessness.
- Needing to go out during the night.
- Trying to pee again right after shes peed. You may see her try a few times and appear to squat or strain a few different ways. This is due to difficult flow of urine.
- Signs of painful urination.
When untreated, UTIs can lead to bigger problems, including stones, dysfunction, infertility, kidney infection, and even kidney failure.
Causes Of Blood In The Urine
The urinary tract is made of two kidneys, two ureters, a urethra, and a bladder. The function of the kidneys is to remove the excess fluid in the body, along with waste products. This fluid is collected in the bladder through hollow tubes, called ureters. In hematuria, there is a leakage of blood in this urinary tract. The reason for this leakage can be anything as:
- Urinary tract infections
Can Urinary Tract Infections Be Prevented
These steps may help reduce the chance of getting UTIs:
- Drink plenty of water every day.
- Drink cranberry juice. Large amounts of vitamin C limit the growth of some bacteria by acidifying the urine. Vitamin C supplements have the same effect.
- Urinate when you feel the need. Do not wait.
- Take showers instead of tub baths.
- Clean the genital area before and after sex, and urinate shortly after sex.
- Women should not use feminine hygiene sprays or scented douches.
- Cotton underwear and loose fitting clothes help keep the area around the urethra dry. Tight clothes and nylon underwear trap moisture. This can help bacteria grow.
- Repeated bouts of urinary tract infections can be treated with small doses of regular antibiotics.
Please consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns you may have about UTIs.
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What Is The Prognosis For A Person With A Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infections typically respond very well to treatment. A UTI can be uncomfortable before you start treatment, but once your healthcare provider identifies the type of bacteria and prescribes the right antibiotic medication, your symptoms should improve quickly. Its important to keep taking your medication for the entire amount of time your healthcare provider prescribed. If you have frequent UTIs or if your symptoms arent improving, your provider may test to see if its an antibiotic-resistant infection. These are more complicated infections to treat and may require intravenous antibiotics or alternative treatments.
Seattle Children’s Urgent Care Locations
If your childs illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.
Treatment for a Bladder Infection
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How Do You Get Urinary Tract Infections
The design of the human body makes it so it isnt hard to get a bacterial UTI, because the infection comes from outside, through the urethra. Bacteria in the genital area can enter the urethra and the urinary tract, either because wiping after going to the bathroom, sexual activity, or unsanitary conditions. Once the bacteria have entered the urethra, the body tries fight them off, but sometimes the bacteria multiply and cause an infection.
In the case of a fungal infection, usually the fungus gets to the urinary tract through the blood stream. Those who develop this type of infection are usually ill with a disease that has compromised their immune system, such as AIDS.
How Do I Prevent Utis
Among healthy young women who have their first UTI, 25% will have a recurrence within 6 months. In some cases this represents relapse of the same infection, while other cases are new infections. Women in either case are generally retreated with good results.
Women who have a long history of recurrent UTIs can be offered prophylaxis: In this case, antibiotics are used to prevent UTIs, rather than waiting for them to occur. Several regimens have been used successfully. Since UTIs are commonly related to sexual activity, one very effective regimen involves taking a single dose of antibiotic with every sexual encounter. Other regimens, including daily doses of antibiotics, are occasionally necessary.
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What Causes Strep Infection In Your Urinary Tract
Group B strep are bacteria that can live in your bladder and sometimes cause a urinary tract infection . And, if youre pregnant, they can threaten the life of your unborn baby.
The problem is that group B strep can spread to a newborn infant during delivery, causing life-threatening infections, including pneumonia and meningitis.
Thats why doctors test pregnant women for group B strep between 35 and 37 weeks of pregnancy. If you test positive for the bacterium, it means that theres a chance you could pass it on to your baby during labor and delivery.
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Treatment For More Severe Utis
Kids with a more severe infection may need treatment in a hospital so they can get antibiotics by injection or IV .
This might happen if:
- the child has high fever or looks very ill, or a kidney infection is likely
- the child is younger than 6 months old
- bacteria from the infected urinary tract may have spread to the blood
- the child is dehydrated or is vomiting and cannot take any fluids or medicine by mouth
Kids with VUR will be watched closely by the doctor. VUR might be treated with medicines or, less commonly, surgery. Most kids outgrow mild forms of VUR, but some can develop kidney damage or kidney failure later in life.
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Leukocytes In The Urine Without Nitrite
If the test for leukocyte esterase is positive but finds no nitrite, an infection may still be present.
The test is particular to certain bacterial enzymes, which means it can pick up specific bacterial infections with more certainty. However, it is not highly sensitive, which means that the test does not pick up all bacterial infections. E. coli bacteria are most commonly associated with nitrites in the urine.
Having leukocytes in the urine without nitrites can also lead to a false-positive result that points to a bacterial infection when there is none. The pathologist or technician will carry out further testing to confirm the presence of an infection.
This is particularly true when there are other causes of inflammation in the urinary tract. The genital canal can sometimes pass leukocytes into the urine during the process of giving a sample.
To avoid a false-positive result, people should clean the area around the urethral opening before giving the sample, using cleansing wipes and holding their labia or foreskin aside.
Take a sample halfway through urinating. The initial stream of urine may be contaminated by skin bacteria, so taking a sample this way also reduces the risk of a misleading outcome.
Leukocytes are white blood cells. They are heavily involved in immune responses that protect people from infection.
There are several types of white blood cell. The two main leukocytes are phagocytes and lymphocytes.
Are There Other Conditions That May Seem Like A Uti
We encourage women with urinary symptoms to be seen in the office to confirm the diagnosis. Urinary infections are sometimes mistaken for other conditions and vice-versa. Conditions that cause similar conditions include:
- Vaginal infections are usually characterized by discharge, irritation, itching, and/or odor, but burning on urination is occasionally the only symptom.
- Genital herpes can cause burning with urination.
- Ovarian cysts can cause lower abdominal pain.
- Bladder stones can sometimes cause blood in the urine.
With the exception of women who have already had numerous culture-proven UTIs, women who have symptoms suggesting a UTI should be seen in the office to rule out other causes for their symptoms.
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What Are The Symptoms Of A Uti
If you have a UTI, you may have some or all of these symptoms:6,7
- Pain or burning when urinating
- An urge to urinate often, but not much comes out when you go
- Pressure in your lower abdomen
- Urine that smells bad or looks milky or cloudy
- Blood in the urine. This is more common in younger women. If you see blood in your urine, tell a doctor or nurse right away.
- Feeling tired, shaky, confused, or weak. This is more common in older women.
- Having a fever, which may mean the infection has reached your kidneys
Check If It’s A Urinary Tract Infection
Symptoms of a urinary tract infection may include:
- pain or a burning sensation when peeing
- needing to pee more often than usual during the night
- pee that looks cloudy, dark or has a strong smell
- needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual
- needing to pee more often than usual
- lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs
- a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
- a very low temperature below 36C
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Is That Burning Sensation A Urinary Tract Infection
Reviewed By:
Melindia Mann, M.S.N, C.N.M., W.H.N.P.-B.C.
Chances are, it has happened to you: You go to the bathroom and feel a burning sensation when you urinate. That feeling is a telltale symptom of a urinary tract infection , and its one that most women are familiar with. UTIs are incredibly common. In fact, the risk of a woman contracting one in her lifetime ranges from 40% to more than 50%.
UTIs are inconvenient and can make a woman feel miserable from the pelvic pain, frequent urination and that burning feeling. Prompt treatment is key to relieving these symptoms and preventing possible complications, such as kidney infection.
Melindia Mann, a womens health nurse practitioner who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of UTIs at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, talks about the common causes of urinary tract infections, how to prevent them and when to see a doctor or practitioner.
Does Cranberry Juice Prevent A Urinary Tract Infection
Many people say that cranberry juice can help treat, or even prevent, a UTI. Researchers are currently looking into the topic, but havent found a definitive answer yet. Healthcare providers recommend drinking lots of fluids if you have, or have a history of getting, a UTI. Adding a glass of unsweetened cranberry juice to your diet isnt a proven way to prevent a UTI, but it typically wont hurt you either.
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Causes Of Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections are usually caused by bacteria from poo entering the urinary tract.
The bacteria enter through the tube that carries pee out of the body .
Women have a shorter urethra than men. This means bacteria are more likely to reach the bladder or kidneys and cause an infection.
Things that increase the risk of bacteria getting into the bladder include:
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do not use scented soap
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do not hold your pee in if you feel the urge to go
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do not rush when going for a pee try to fully empty your bladder
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do not wear tight, synthetic underwear, such as nylon
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do not drink lots of alcoholic drinks, as they may irritate your bladder
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do not have lots of sugary food or drinks, as they may encourage bacteria to grow
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do not use condoms or a diaphragm or cap with spermicidal lube on them try non-spermicidal lube or a different type of contraception
Treating Whats Causing Blood In Your Urine
Treatment for blood in urine will depend on what medical condition is causing the hematuria. For example, if you have a urinary tract infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. If you have an enlarged prostate, your doctor may prescribe medication to shrink it.
For bladder or kidney stones, your doctor may use shock wave treatment, known as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. They may remove the stone by inserting a scope through the urethra, or they may recommend surgery.
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Four Common Causes Of Hematuria
Written by Sarah Thebarge, Physician Assistant
Hematuria is a condition in which red blood cells are found in the urine. Hematuria can be macroscopic , where blood is visible with the naked eye, or it can be microscopic, only visible when examined under a microscope.
Here are four of the most common causes of this condition.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Urinary Tract Infection
These are the most common symptoms of a UTI:
- Frequent urination
- Pain or burning when passing urine
- Urine looks dark, cloudy, or reddish in color
- Urine smells bad
- Feeling pain even when not urinating
- Pain in the back or side, below the ribs
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Despite an strong urge to urinate, only a small amount of urine is passed
- Women may feel an uncomfortable pressure above the pubic bone
The symptoms of UTI may look like other conditions or medical problems. Always see a health care provider for a diagnosis.
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Can Utis Be Prevented
These tips can help prevent UTIs:
- School-age girls should avoid bubble baths and strong soaps that might cause irritation. They also should wear cotton underwear instead of nylon because it’s less likely to encourage bacterial growth.
- All kids should be taught not to “hold it” when they have to go. Pee that stays in the bladder gives bacteria a good place to grow.
- Kids should drink plenty of fluids but avoid those with caffeine.
What Can Happen If A Uti Is Not Treated
If treated right away, a UTI is not likely to damage your urinary tract. But if your UTI is not treated, the infection can spread to the kidneys and other parts of your body. The most common symptoms of kidney infection are fever and pain in the back where the kidneys are located. Antibiotics can also treat kidney infections.
Sometimes the infection can get in the bloodstream. This is rare but life-threatening.
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Symptoms Of Group B Strep
In This Article
If you have a group B strep infection, you may have some of the following signs and symptoms:
Pregnancy complications.
Symptoms of group B strep infection may include a high fever and chills, rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, and reduced urine output. A woman with one or more of these symptoms who has recently given birth may have a group B strep infection.
Newborns.
Signs and symptoms of group B strep infection in newborns may include lethargy, irritability, poor feeding, low body temperature , rapid breathing, and seizures. Some newborns with a group B strep infection appear healthy at birth but may become ill within several days after delivery.
Bloodstream infections.
Adults with group B strep blood infections may experience fever and chills, low blood pressure , reduced urine output, abdominal pain, and respiratory distress.
What Is Blood In Urine
Blood in your urine can look red, pink or brown. Sometimes, you may not know you have blood in your urine until you have a urine test. A urine test may also find white blood cells, which can be a sign of an infection in your kidneys or another part of your urinary tract.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you have blood in your urine so they can decide what to do next.
If you notice a lot of blood, or any blood clots in your urine, contact your doctor right away.
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Is It Normal To Have Pink Blood In Your Urine
Treatment depends on the cause. Gross hematuria produces pink, red or cola-colored urine due to the presence of red blood cells. It takes little blood to produce red urine, and the bleeding usually isnt painful. Passing blood clots in your urine, however, can be painful. Bloody urine often occurs without other signs or symptoms.
Drugs Diet And Toxins
There are a number of substances that can discolor the urine which may be mistaken for blood. However, some substances and particularly toxins can cause bleeding within the kidney and urinary tract.
- Foods including beets, berries, rhubarb and certain types of energy drinks.
- Supplements including high dose vitamins and minerals and certain herbal remedies.
- Prescription medication including certain types of antihypertensives, antibiotics, anticoagulants, antihistamines, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, antiretrovirals and NSAIDs.
- Toxins including heavy metals and overdosing on drugs such as acetaminophen.
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