Urinary Tract Infection in Dog

" Urinary tract infection in dog has symptoms associated with difficulty urinating. This includes problem urinating, leads and even blood in the urine. Treatment is effective when antibiotics are used. There are also some home remedies and approaches that can help to keep the infection from returning. "

A dog urinary tract infection (UTI) is the term used to describe an infection in any part of the urinary tract. The most common cause is bacteria that enters the body through the open where urine passes out of the body. It is possible that bacteria gets passed from the kidney's, but this is rare.

When the body gets an infection, in causes inflammation in the areas where it has taken hold. I this case it includes the:

• Urethra (tube that carries urine from the body - called urethritis)
• Prostate gland Infection (prostatis)
• Bladder infection (cystitis)
• Ureter (tube that carries urine from kidney to the bladder - ureteritis)
• Kidney Infection (pyelonephritis)

Infection can be caused by both bacteria and fungus.

Diagnosis and Examination Associated with Dog Urinary Tract Infection

When the body is working properly, it is likely that a urinary tract infection in dog will not take hold. Your veterinarian will examine the following areas to check to see if malfunction in any one is a possible cause of the problem:

• Urination
  • Flow
  • Frequency
  • Amount (all urine leaves body at a time or only some)
• Urinary System Itself
  • Function of the rethra
  • Surface of the urethra
  • Canine Bladder Wall
    • Bladder pressure
    • Problems with the wall
    • Bladder contractions
    • Urethra length
    • Valves
• Urine Quality
  • Proper PH
  • Urine concentration
  • Urea concentration
  • Acid level
• Infection fighting Antibodies in the body
• Kidney Function
  • Blood supply to the Kidneys
    

Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection in Dog

The course of treatment depends on the severity of the infection. It is possible that the infection progressed for some time before your dog showed any symptoms (asymptomatic UTI).

Your veterinarian will look for problems that block the urine including infection, stones and growths in the urinary tract (neoplasia). It is possible to have more than on condition, although in the vast majority of cases, a simple infection is the problem.

A urine test (urinalysis) will let your vet know if there are an unusual number of crystals (the building blocks of stones) and bacteria present.

Once diagnosed, your veterinarian will continue to treat and test your dog until the infection is gone to avoid related serious issues such as:

• Formation of bladder stones (struvite uroliths)
• Prostate Gland Inflammation
• Abscess (pocket of pus) in the Prostate (prostatic abscess)
• Problem with the joints in the back (diskospondylitis)
• Kidney Infection and Failure (renal problems)
  

Antibiotics (Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Tetracycline - brands are Ampi, Polyflex or Amoxi). are the primary method of treatment and are administered for a period up to 14 days. If the infection is resistant to antibiotics, then the treatment may be extended to 30 days. A follow up test after treatment is standard procedure to determine if the infection is gone.

Dogs with diabetes mellitus sometimes suffer from a fungal infection. The medication mphotericin B is effective in treating this condition.

If it is difficult to recover from a urinary tract infection in dog, then your veterinarian will check for some type of prostate disease. In males and females, your vet will also check for stones and growths (neoplasia) that are interfering with the prostate gland, urethra or bladder.

Prevention of Urinary Tract Infection in Dog

There are several approaches that might be helpful to either ward off an early stage bacterial infection or to keep them from starting at all. Ideas include:

Help Your Dog Urinate More: Provide fresh water wherever your dog likes to sleep or lay down. The more she drinks, the more she will urinate. Also, foods such as canned products contain more water. Taking your dog for an additional walk each day will also encourage more frequent urination.

Homeopathic Natural Remedies: Many herbs can help maintain an normal PH in the urine and support the urinary system. These include:

• Cantharis: helps urine flow and bladder
• Berberis vulgaris: bladder restorative
• Arctostaphylos uva ursi: for PH
  

One supplement that combines these three ingredients and that is made for canine urinary support is PetAlive UTI-Free Formula. It is also a good source for additional research on canine urinary tract infections

Juices can help: A common home therapy is to provide a citrus based fruit juice such as orange or preferably cranberry juice. The acids will help the urine. Provide in a bowl in the AM or mixed with food. Be aware that some dogs don't like the taste.

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References:

Urinary Tract Infection
David Senior
Professor and Head, Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Louisiana State University
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
School of Veterinary Medicine
Louisiana State University

Problem Urinary Tract Infections
D.F. Senior
School of Veterinary Medicine
Louisiana State University