What Do They Give Dogs For Urinary Tract Infection

How Can I Treat A Uti At Home For My Dog

Here are some at-home dog UTI treatment options:

Honest Paws Pre+ Probiotics for Dogs. This dog UTI treatment is made with prebiotics and probiotics for gut health. A dogs health begins in the digestive system Honest Paws ensures there are healthy bacteria for a healthy gut biome to promote better and faster recovery. The probiotics inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, while the prebiotics stimulates the growth of healthy bacteria. The formula uses antioxidant-rich foods to promote immune system function and inulin, their natural prebiotic, to promote the growth of 6 strains of healthy bacteria that help to strengthen the immune system and promote good digestion.

Symptoms Of Urinary Tract Infections

During the first stage, the urinary tract infection might not show any symptoms. It is only when the bacteria have invaded the urinary tract that symptoms appear. There are two types of urinary tract infections, and the symptoms are different.

An upper urinary tract infection comes with:

• Lack of appetite
• Drinking more water than usual

A lower urinary tract infection will present symptoms such as:

• The dog is in pain when urinating
• The urine might contain traces of blood
• The dog urinates significantly more than usual
• The dog tries to urinate, but cannot

How Is A Bacterial Uti Prevented

In most instances nothing specific can be done to prevent a UTI from occurring. Your dog or cat should be re-evaluated if clinical signs recur. With complicated UTI, your veterinarian should periodically evaluate your pet to make sure that the UTI has not recurred or is under control. In some animals, a urinary antiseptic or an antibiotic must be given long term to prophylactically prevent a UTI from occurring. If prophylactic antibiotic treatment is necessary, a low dose of the antibiotic is usually given to your dog or cat once a day at nighttime so that the antibiotic that is passed into the urine is allowed to concentrate in the urinary bladder.

Client handout reference from Ettinger: Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 7th Edition.

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Caution Flag #: Bailey Was Taking Prednisone

Second, Bailey had been prescribed prednisone, which decreased her ability to fight infection. Taking prednisone was another caution flag in her predisposition to develop a urinary tract infection.

Why? One of the side effects of prednisone is that it decreases the bodys immune system. So while the prednisone and acupuncture significantly improved Baileys mobility, her chances of developing an infection were higher than that of the average dog.

What Are The Symptoms Of Utis In Dogs

Similar to UTIs in cats, common symptoms of UTIs in dogs include:

• Bloody and/or cloudy urine
• Increased thirst

Make sure youre always watching out for changes in your dogs peeing habits to stop a UTI in its tracks, and be extra vigilant if you know that your lovable breed of dog is more susceptible to bladder stones.

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Some Medical Conditions May Predispose Dogs To Utis

In addition to the conditions listed above that lead to urine retention, other diseases or anatomical abnormalities also can interfere with the normal defenses of the urinary tract system. This may happen when the condition changes the composition of the urine, damages the urinary tract, alters its function, or suppresses the immune system. As a result, UTIs are more common in dogs with the following conditions:

• Diabetes mellitus
• Ectopic ureters
• Recessed or hooded vulva
• Cancer somewhere in the urinary tract

Dog In Heat Having Trouble Urinating

There are a few reasons why a dog in heat might have trouble urinating. The first is that the hormones released during heat can cause inflammation in the urinary tract, which can make urinating painful. Another reason is that the dogs vulva may swell during heat, making it difficult to urinate. Finally, some dogs become so excited during heat that they cant control their bladder. If your dog is having trouble urinating, its best to consult your vet to rule out any medical causes and to find the best way to help your dog.

A painful discharge from a dogs mouth can be fatal if left untreated, so it is critical that the animal be treated as soon as possible. The causes of painful urination in dogs include bladder infection, crystals, and stones. If the kidney, ureter, bladder, or urethra are all involved, you may experience symptoms of urinary stones differently. There are a number of reasons that an enlarged prostate can occur in a dog. There are some symptoms of prostate problems that may include difficulty urinating or blood in the urine. If your dog is experiencing frequent urination pain, a urine sample from him may be required by your veterinarian to determine what is causing it.

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Can I Give My Dog Cranberry Pills

Cranberry juice and pills made from cranberry extracts have long been recommended for humans suffering from UTIs, so many owners consider giving similar pills to their dog. But the question is: Are cranberry pills safe for dogs? Generally speaking, yes cranberry pills specifically made for dogs are usually safe.

How Can I Tell If My Dog Has A Uti

Some common signs that indicate your dog has a UTI include:

• Urinating small amounts frequently

References

Connect with a vet. Get your pets Rx meds. From home.

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What Does A Urinalysis Look At

If your cat presents to your veterinarian with urinary signs, your veterinarian will first perform a urinalysis. The urinalysis can reveal so much important information about the urine when a UTI is suspected. Your veterinarian will look at the following:

• urine-specific gravity

Once these levels are measured, the urine specimen is placed into a centrifuge and spun down to allow cells and other debris to accumulate at the bottom of the sample tube. That debris can then be evaluated under magnification, and this examination can reveal the presence of red blood cells, white blood cells, bacteria, and crystals.

What is seen under the microscopes magnification can lead to the next steps of assessing the dogs urinary tract disease. For example, if there are crystals in the urine, your veterinarian may recommend radiographs or an ultrasound of the abdomen in order to look for bladder stones.

Complicated & Recurrent Uti

Antibiotics should never be selected empirically for complicated UTI without culture susceptibility results . Management of pyelonephritis, prostatitis, and relapsing or recurrent UTI is often unsuccessful without therapy guided by culture and susceptibility results. However, therapy should be instituted while culture and susceptibility results are being awaited. Rational initial drug choices for complicated UTI include amoxicillin, fluoroquinolones, or trimethoprim-sulfonamide.3

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Treating A Dog With A Uti

If a veterinarian does diagnose your dog with a urinary tract infection after running tests, theres a good chance that they will prescribe antibiotics to treat it. However, assuming that antibiotics will completely eliminate health problems for your dog is not safe to do. In general, UTIs are caused by an existing health issue, some of which are caused by diet and water intake. Making sure that your dogs diet is conducive to maintaining urinary tract health is absolutely crucial, especially when pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes, may be responsible for the UTI to begin with. Thankfully there are a variety of dog foods available that are specifically designed to promote urinary tract health. A huge factor in preventing continued urinary tract problems in dogs is daily water intake, so switching to wet or moist food is highly recommended, otherwise a dry food specifically designed to help treat and prevent UTIs.

Treatment Of Utis In A Dog

Antibiotics are indicated for bacterial UTIs. Prescription food may be required to combat crystals/stones in the urinary tract.

Resistant or recurrent UTIs are a real pain in the neck for the patient, pet parent and doc! Many of these require additional testing before a treatment plan can be reached.

Over-the-county remedies and supplements such as cranberry juice extracts dont seem to do much good. One of the most trusted voices in holistic/naturopathic veterinary medicine, Dr. Susan Wynn, DVM, CVA, CVCH, AHG, says she does not use them.

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What Should I Do If I Think My Dog Has Lower Urinary Tract Problems

Pay attention to your dogâs behavior, because itâs not easy to spot all your dogâs symptoms.

If you notice symptoms of pain and discomfort, especially difficulty urinating, call your dogâs vet to figure out whatâs causing the problems and the best way to treat them.

Show Sources

American Kennel Club: âDoes Your Dog Have UTI Symptoms or Something Worse?,â Urinary Tract Infections in Dogs.â

Banfield Pet Hospital: âLower Urinary Tract Disease .â

Canine Health Foundation: âCanine Lymphoma.â

Merck Manual Veterinary Manual: âBacterial Urinary Tract Infections.â

MSPCA-Angell: “Lower Urinary Tract Diseases of the Senior Dog.”

Peoria Area Veterinary Group: âUrinary Tract Problems in Dogs.â

Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira: âAnalysis of lower urinary tract disease of dogs.â

VCA Hospitals: âUrinary Tract Infections in Dogs.â

Is There Anything Over

A veterinarian is most likely to prescribe medication to treat urinary tract infections in puppies. Apple cider vinegar, citrus juice, cranberry juice, cranberry pills, Vitamin C, probiotic/prebiotic supplements, cranberries, and blueberries are some of the over-the-counter remedies that can help with urinary tract infections.

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A Note About Antibiotics For Bladder Infections

Antibiotics are standard treatment for UTIs. The problem with this is that antibiotics dont just kill the bacteria causing the UTI they also destroy the healthy bacteria in your dogs gut. Remember that many holistic vets say that urinary tract problems in dogs are actually inflammation, not an infection. So using antibiotics will damage your dogs microbiome without effectively treating the real cause of your dogs UTI. Thats why UTIs become chronic recurrent infections in many dogs. Urinary concentration of antibiotics is also a factor. The drugs are less effective if they dont achieve high antimicrobial concentrations. In fact, a 2014 review of antibiotics for UTIs at University of Copehagen concluded: there is little published evidence relating to antibiotic treatment of UTIs in dogs and cats. Well-designed clinical trials focusing on the duration of treatment are warranted to create evidence-based treatment protocols.

Antibiotic resistance is also a concern. The more your dog takes antibiotics, the less effective they are. So save them for when theyre truly necessary and avoid antimicrobial resistance thats becoming a problem for all of us!

Symptoms Of Urine Infections In Dogs:

If your dog has a urine infection, they may display some of the following signs:

• Difficulty urinating they may appear like theyre straining and might whimper.
• Urinating frequently they may also dribble urine.

• Forgetting their housetraining they might start urinating in the house again.
• Blood in dog urine it may appear a pinkish colour or be cloudy.
• Frequent licking they may constantly lick around the urinary opening.
• Fever your dog may feel hot and a fever may be present.
• Bad odour the urine may also have a strong smell to it.
• Increased thirst due to the more frequent urination, your dog may drink more often to try and restore their bodily fluids.

Fatigue your dog may seem more tired or sluggish than usual.

If you suspect a dog urine infection is present, take them to the vet for a diagnosis. When left untreated, these infections can cause problems such as lower urinary tract dysfunction, kidney or bladder stones, blood poisoning and even a kidney infection in more serious cases.

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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.

What Are Urinary Tract Infections In Dogs

Urinary tract infections in dogs are usually caused by bacteria in the urine. There are lower and upper UTIs, but lower UTIs are more common. Lower UTIs affect the bladder and/or, in male dogs, the prostate. Upper UTIs affect the kidneys and/or ureters .

UTIs in dogs are considered either acute or chronic. Acute UTIs usually occur infrequently and are easy to treat with antibiotics and pain medications. Chronic UTIs are defined as three or more episodes of UTI in a year, or two or more episodes of UTI within a six-month period.

A UTI is also considered chronic if it cannot be fully cleared with antibiotic therapy. Chronic UTIs can be frustrating, and though they are often treated and cleared, they tend to return.

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Does My Dog Have An Inherited Urinary Disease

Some inherited diseases can cause chronic urinary problems in dogs and you can test your dog to see if hes at risk. EasyDNA has an at-home DNA test kit that you can give your dog, mail it in, and get results in just a few weeks. Diseases tested for include:

• Hyperuricosuria: a genetic disorder that involves elevated levels of uric acid in the urine, which can cause the formation of stones in their bladders and sometimes kidneys. This EasyDNA test is available for all dog breeds.
• Cystinuria: another autosomal recessive disorder that causes the kidneys to fail to reabsorb amino acids . This can lead to the formation of cystine crystals and stones in the urinary tract, leading to possible blockage of the urethra. This EasyDNA test is available for Labrador Retrievers and Newfoundlands.

How Do I Know If My Dog Has A Bladder Infection

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 signs of bladder infections or urinary tract infections include:

• Straining to urinate

• Increased thirst

If your pup is displaying any of the symptoms above it’s time to head to the vet for an examination. Bladder infections and urinary tract infections are very uncomfortable and often painful for your dog. When caught and treated early these infections can often be cleared up quickly and easily.

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What Happens If A Dogs Uti Goes Untreated

If a dogs UTI goes untreated, it is likely to develop more serious complications that can end up being life-altering or threatening. If left alone, a UTI can develop into kidney stones, bladder stones, and lower urinary tract dysfunction that can lead to recurrent UTIs.

If allowed to become severe, it can lead to things like Cushings disease, a condition caused by steroid treatment for inflammation associated with a urinary tract infection. This disease can damage the kidneys and cause the adrenal glands to overproduce cortisol, a stress hormone.

Although it is possible, it is unlikely for a UTI to completely go away without medicinal intervention. Whenever a dog exhibits symptoms of a urinary tract infection, it is always best to visit a doctor of veterinary medicine right away.

Urinary tract infections are painful, uncomfortable, and sometimes outright dangerous for dogs, and getting it taken care of promptly can save you some expensive vet bills in the future and spare your dog some potentially harmful side effects of an untreated UTI.

Dogs That Are Prone To Utis

Any dog breed can develop a urinary tract infection, but female dogs develop UTIs more commonly than male dogs.

Male dogs have longer urethras, requiring the bacteria to travel farther to invade the bladder. Picture the bacteria getting tired on their long trek and either giving up on their journey or dying before they make it to their destination.

Dog breeds that are prone to bladder stones are more prone to UTIs in generalespecially chronic, recurrent UTIs. This is due to the stones rolling around in a dogs bladder and breaking down its defense mechanisms, causing inflammation.

Breeds that are predisposed to chronic UTIs secondary to bladder stones include:

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