Didnt Treat With The Right Antibiotics
There are a handful of different types of bacteria that cause most infections in dogs. Some of these can be handled by a wide variety of drugs. Some need a very specific type of treatment. Of course, theres always the wild card bacteria that shows up and is resistant to almost everything thats stocked in the pharmacy.
When a veterinarian needs to get a culture and sensitivity done, its mostly to identify the right antibiotics to use. It seems lately that Im doing far more C& Ss than I used to because the same old infections now seem to be resistant to many of the common medications I used in the past.
Some veterinarians will jump to a C& S for any infection and thats not wrong. Its a lot more expensive for the client but its sometimes the fastest way to fix the problem.
In my clinic, a C& S costs roughly $200 and takes 3-5 days to get the results.
Can A Dog’s Bladder Infection Go Away On Its Own
Although in some cases bladder infections in people clear up without the need for medical care, this is unlikely to be true for your dog. It is also the case that, since our canine companions are unable to tell us how they are feeling it is best to have any symptoms of illness checked out by your vet. Left untreated your pup’s bladder infection could become much more severe and lead to complications.
It could also be the case that your dog’s bladder infection symptoms are due to a more serious underlying condition in need of treatment. When it comes to your pet’s health it is always best to err on the side of caution.
Cost Of Natural Urinary Tract Infection Remedies In Dogs
Treating a dog’s UTI with herbal remedies is relatively inexpensive. These remedies can cost anywhere from $10 to $30. Supplements for preventive care could cost as little as the expense of specially formulated food and vet recommended supplements. These preventative measures usually cost an additional $10 to $30 a month.
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How Can You Help Prevent Utis In Your Dog
The best things pet parents can do to prevent UTIs in dogs is to make sure they drink lots of water, go to the bathroom on a regular basis, eat nutritious food that will maintain a strong immune system, and have any underlying disorders that contribute to the development of a UTI treated. If your dog suffers from recurring UTIs, your vet might recommend supplements or probiotics.
If your pups diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, having pet insurance can help you say yes to the best care, even when its costly. Check out how one of Pumpkins dog insurance plans can help cover the cost of a UTI and more.
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General Care Strategies For Urinary Health In Dogs
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Dog Bladder Infection Home Remedy List
Talking about bladder infections can be uncomfortable, but theres no reason they should be a taboo topic. Urinary tract infections are very common in both humans and dogs. Many pet owners have to deal with a dogs UTI at some point in their lives, so its certainly a topic worth discussing. Because bladder infections are such a common problem for dogs, people have developed several home remedies for treating them.
You dont have to be a veterinarian to figure out why maintaining a healthy urinary tract is important. It comes into play multiple times every day. Depending on your dogs breed, age, and overall health, UTIs may be a rare annoyance or a chronic sign of an underlying health condition. Before giving your dog UTI treatment, you should understand how these infections work. Lets get right to it.
Symptoms Of Bladder Infection In Dogs
The most common signs of bladder infections in dogs include pain or difficulties urinating, blood in urine or in some cases you may notice that your pup is only urinating very small amounts but frequently. Other indications of bladder infections or urinary tract infections include:
- Straining to urinate
- Increased thirst
If your dog is exhibiting any of the symptoms above it’s time to head to your veterinarian. Bladder infections and urinary tract infections are very uncomfortable and often painful for dogs. That said, when caught and treated early these infections can often be cleared up quickly and easily so the sooner you can get your pooch to the vet the better.
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Are Certain Breeds More Prone To Getting A Bladder Infection
All dogs are at risk for bladder and urinary tract infections, no matter what breed they are. The main risk factors for such infections are gender, age, and pre-existing conditions. To recap, female dogs are much more likely to get UTIs than male dogs, and older dogs have a higher risk.
Some breeds have a greater risk of developing kidney stones, which can contribute to UTIs, as we previously covered. Those genetically predisposed to kidney stones are generally small breeds. These include the Bichon Frise, Miniature Schnauzer, and Yorkshire Terrier.
Collecting A Urine Sample At The Veterinary Clinic
If you can’t get a sample at home, your vet can take a sterile sample with a needle. “It’s a quick procedure that most dogs tolerate extremely well,” Marx says. In fact, a sterile sample is necessary if your vet wants to run a urine culture. That’s why it’s best to ask your vet first before trying to get a urine sample at home.
Your dog may also need X-rays to check for bladder stones if your vet finds crystals in the urine sample. Bladder stones can cause recurring bladder infections and need to be treated as well.
In most cases, Marx says treatment for a UTI in dogs is a simple course of antibiotics, usually prescribed for seven to 14 days. You should also encourage your dog to drink water to flush bacteria from the bladder.
“Dogs should feel better by 48 hours after starting antibiotics,” Marx says. “Sometimes, it can be as early as 24 hours. But continue the medication for as long as prescribed by your vet to completely clear up the UTI.” Your vet can recheck the urine at a follow-up exam to make sure the bacteria is gone.
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How Long Does A Bladder Infection Last In A Dog
Your dogs UTI will almost certainly last until you seek treatment for them. Treatments and remedies are more effective the earlier you start to administer them. The longer you wait to address your dogs symptoms, the more likely they will develop dangerous complications.
Fortunately, UTI treatments work rather quickly. Veterinary antibiotics usually show signs of improvement in a couple of days. You should not use antibiotics for long-term treatment, as the risk of adverse side effects increases dramatically the longer they take it.
Dont wait until your dog gets a UTI to take action. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure! Thats why preventative measures are so important, like feeding your dog a healthy diet and regularly exercising them. You dont have to worry about how long a bladder infection might last if your dog doesnt get one in the first place.
How Do I Know If My Female Dog Has A Uti
Even though female dogs are more likely to develop a UTI, their symptoms should be no different from those of a male dog with the same infection. We already went over the common signs of UTIs, but well recap them here as well.
- Excessively licking the genitals
So, how can you tell if your female dog is in heat or has a UTI? First, it depends on whether or not your dog is spayed. Dogs who have been spayed do not go into heat, so if your spayed dog shows the above signs, it means they have a UTI or similar condition.
If your dog has not been spayed, she will go into heat about twice a year. This typically happens every 6 months, so you can keep track of your dogs estrous cycle and know when they will likely go into heat.
While the physical signs of heat and UTIs can be similar, the behavioral signs are very different. Dogs in heat want to mate, so they will actively seek partners. When you visit the dog park, youll probably notice your girl making a beeline for the male dogs. However, if your dog has a UTI, shell behave in the opposite way. Dogs in pain tend to act fearful and may hide. They are likely to show signs of fatigue and distress, not the energetic enthusiasm of a dog in heat.
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Why Do Dogs Get Urinary Tract Infections In The First Place
The following are some of the most common ways in which bacteria can accumulate in the bladder of a dog:
- Ascending Infection this fancy term just means that the bacteria originated outside of the dog and entered the urinary tract through the vulva and went up into the bladder. This is likely the most common reason why most female dogs get a UTI. Bacteria can hop onboard when a dog squats in a dirty area or soils itself and doesnt get cleaned properly.
- Something Is There bladder stones or a mass can disrupt the bladders natural defenses to infection
- Overstressing The Bladder making your dog hold its urine for far too long can trigger an infection. How long is too long? Hard to know when your dog wont tell you but anything over 8-10 hours is too long for most dogs. For some dogs, 5 hours can be too long.
- Diabetes when the body has too much sugar in the bloodstream it spills some of that over into the urine there is always a small amount of bacteria in the bladder just like everywhere else in the body. However, giving that tiny bit of bacteria a ton of fuel like glucose can cause them to multiply like crazy.
How Does A Vet Check For A Uti In Dogs
Pennys devastating story covers the importance of the early portion of early detection. Next, lets address the detection portion. After your vet performs a comprehensive physical exam and checks your dogs vital signs, he or she will want to examine a sample of your dogs urine.
In some cases, your dogs veterinarian may need to collect a sterile sample from the dogs bladder by cystocentesisdrawing the urine directly from the bladder using a needle. It sounds awful, but it is a very common, safe procedure and most dogs barely seem to notice. Also, it is the best way to get an idea of what the urine in the bladder is like, especially if your vet plans to culture your dogs urine.
You see, as we have discussed, bacteria can live around the external opening of the urethra and even start crawling up the urethra. So, if you collect a sample of your dogs urine when he or she urinates , that urine contains anything that was in the bladder PLUS whatever bacteria or debris were in or around the urethra.
Your vet may still be able to assess whether or not your dog has a UTI based on that sample, but sometimes the results are ambiguous. Plus, that sample isnt useful for a culture because of the bacteria from the urethra and surrounding skin.
By the way, in the event that your vet does want you to collect a urine sample at home, check out the tips in my blog, 7 Tips for Improving Your Dogs Lab Tests.
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Urine Drug Concentration And Clinical Efficacy
Antimicrobial drugs must achieve an adequate urine concentration, which must be maintained for a sufficient time for a drug to be effective in treating UTI.16 It has been suggested that clinical efficacy is observed when the urine drug concentration is maintained at a concentration 4-fold higher than the isolates MIC throughout the time between doses.9
Experimental studies in rats have shown that the time for which the plasma drug concentration exceeds the isolates MIC correlates to the magnitude of bacterial colony count reduction the longer the time for which the drug concentration remained above the MIC, the lower the urine colony counts.12 Successful eradication of bacteria within the renal parenchyma or urinary bladder wall is correlated to the plasma, not urine, drug concentration.
When prescribing time-dependent antibiotics, shortening the interval between drug administration is the most effective method to allow the tissue/urine drug concentration to exceed the MIC for the majority of the dosing interval.
- Drug elimination follows first-order kinetics, where 50% of the drug is lost in 1 half-life.
- In contrast, doubling the dose would only add 1 half-life to the dosing interval.
- To add 2 half-lives to the dosing interval, the initial dose would have to be increased 4-fold. The peak serum drug concentration achieved by this approach may exceed the window of safety, producing adverse drug effects.
What Can I Give My Dog For A Urinary Tract Infection
Our Winston-Salem vets often see dogs suffering from urinary tract infections . In fact, it’s estimated that up to 27% of dogs will develop a UTI at some point in their life. Below, we share some of the most common symptoms of this condition in dogs, and what you can give your dog if they have a UTI.
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How Are Bladder Infections Are Treated In Dogs
Antibiotics are the primary treatment for bladder infections in dogs, although in some cases your vet may recommend anti-inflammatory medications or pain killers depending on the severity and underlying cause.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet’s condition, please make an appointment with your vet.
If your dog is experiencing pain or other severe symptoms of a bladder infection outside of your vet’s regular hours contact AnimERge emergency animal hospital . Our veterinarians provide New Jersey pets with emergency and specialist care.
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What Can Happen If A Dogs Lower Urinary Tract Problems Go Untreated
Untreated lower urinary tract problems can cause serious medical problems for dogs. Along with discomfort, untreated infections can result in partial or complete blockage of the urethra, disrupting urine output and leading to toxic levels of waste buildup.
If your dogâs urinary symptoms are caused by a disease or a cancer, the condition can progress if itâs left untreated, and your dogâs symptoms may worsen or increase to include other symptoms. Many serious conditions, like cancers, can be fatal if left untreated. Some can be treated to help your dog live a longer and healthier life, though they are difficult to cure.
Getting the right diagnosis will help you know how to resolve your dogâs urinary tract problems and be sure thereâs nothing else that also needs treatment.
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Can I Give My Dog Cranberry Juice
We have heard time and time again that cranberry juice can help get rid of a UTI for humans. But what about dogs? Is cranberry juice for a dog UTI safe? We recommend speaking to your dogs vet about this. Each dog is unique, and what works for one may be dangerous for another. We strongly urge you to speak with your dogs vet before administering any type of treatment.
How To Treat A Uti In Female And Male Dogs: Signs And Symptoms Treatment Causes Prevention And More
This content was reviewed by veterinarian Dr. JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM.
To keep the lights on, we receive affiliate commissions via some of our links. Our review process.
Urinary tract infections in dogs are caused by bacteria that make their way into the bladder . If your dog is prone to UTIs, you probably feel helpless at times.
What can you give a dog for a urinary tract infection? Is there a dog UTI treatment over the counter? How can you help prevent your dog from getting UTIs? Well answer these questions and more.
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