Recurring urinary tract infections - any suggestions?
oztrade_pacific
22 years ago
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bulldinkie
22 years agoAuntBea
22 years agoRelated Discussions
Urinary infection, round 3
Comments (14)Hi, we had similar problems with one of our dogs. he was adopted and I am not sure if he had problems before. He had one UTI and then we had two weeks of antibiotics then he had another about 2 months after and it cleared up with 2 weeks of antibiotics. The vet checked for bladder stones, as I guess that can cause UTI's. He was ok though. About a month later he had a third one and the vet gave us two courses of two different antibiotics, thinking that the first antibiotic wasn't clearing all the bacteria. We have been UTI free for a couple months now. (crossing fingers!) So I think the vet was correct thinking that the first antibiotic wasn't working very well. Our dogs are always inside so we usually catch the infection within 24 hours. First day, he vomits once or twice. Then he starts to need to go out more and more. By the early morning he is not wanting to go in and stays outside squating and trying to pee. He may vomit more. Then we usually see blood in his urine. It happens VERY fast. Usually he starts getting sick in the evening (of course the vet is closed :( and by the morning he has blood in his urine. We have successfully held off the infection from getting too bad by making him DRINK so he has to pee alot and that helps to clear out the bacteria. I put gravy in his water once and he loved that! He loves to swim so sometimes we put him in the bathtub and let him play. He plays and he swallows water and then has to go bathroom alot. This usually makes him more comfortable over the night while we wait for the vet to open. The vet always gives him an antibiotic shot and another shot of steroid to make him thirsty, then we start the pills that day. You can see a HUGE improvement within an hour after he gets the shots. Usually by the evening he is holding his urine again and by the next day his is almost normal. We give him boiled chicken for that entire day, as it is easier for him to digest and we don't want him to vomit. the vet said some dogs just get the infections and it isn't something you can prevent. Also that stones can cause infections. I was thinking that we needed to let him outside more so he doesn't hold his urine too long, but the vet said that he was sure that wasn't the problem. So, I vote for different antibiotics or maybe two courses of antibiotics. It seems to have done the trick for our boy. I am hoping he is cured of them. they are aweful and i feel so bad when he gets ill. -renee...See MoreUrinary blockage...so frustrated
Comments (40)My kitty has had obstruction problems as well. First doctor recommended the prescriptions diet as well as the be-all, end-all, as in "noting else will work." Cat didn't like the (crappy) food; he was back to the practice within 2 mos. Happily, there was a "relief" vet there covering for the bully who owned the place. He recommended extra fluids with his regular food (raw), SPRING water (distilled pulls needed minerals from the body; the minerals in spring water are NOT what cause the blockage) AND, prophylactic use of sub-q fluids, tapering down to prn. It had been more than 18 mos now and all has been well until my prescription for sub-q fluids rand out. Can't seem to find another vet who uses that philosophy and can't find the "relief" vet. I am getting worried. We're going to 6+ weeks since his last sub-q fluid administration (125ml/day for 8 days at beg of each month). Anybody know how to track down a "relief" vet in the central Florida area? Thx....See Morelabradoodle 'poo' problems (recurring diarrhea)
Comments (29)I believe that experiences are shaped by experiences themselves. Especially in the medical field, weather it be human or veterinarian. I have just had so many problems misdiagnosed by vets that I've lost count. I have a memorable one. My Shepherd/Lab, Tara, about 10 years old had an off smell. Not a dirty smell, just an off smell. I couldn't figure out what it was, my regular vet wasn't concerned, and my dermatology vet said not to worry. Weeks past, and the smell got worse, plus Tara's coat was appearing very oily. Then one day she started to bite herself severely trying to relieve itching. She was literally damaging herself trying to get relief. My regular vet consulted with dermatology vet, and they both agreed that the dog had "fox mites" even though there was no evidence of them. Treatments that lasted about three weeks took place. In the meantime, the situation was getting worse. By this time, Tara had chewed off at least half of her fur and had severe infections. I was sleeping with her on the floor to comfort her. Because I was so concerned, I took her into dermatology vet and left her for a day for observation. Again, vet said that medication was working (even though I could see that it wasn't) and that we should continue with the medication prescribed. The next day the situation took a drastic turn for the worse, and I decided I couldn't take it any more, and the dog was suffering. I was so desperate that I called the Pennsylvania Veterinary School and was ready to take her there from Maryland. They told me that the best dermatology vet to be treating her was the one I had. The day I decided that things just had to end, I located another dermatology vet. I took in Tara, and the vet came up with a completely different infection for a diagnosis. In short, the treatment was taking place for the wrong problem for at least three weeks, new vet fixed things, and Tara lived for another 4 years. This experience and others prior and after, have made me extremely cautious when it comes to what is being done to my pets. I have also learned that if there are multiple vets in a practice, things can take place to increase revenue that simply should not be allowed. But again, when we who do not have formal training, we take our pets to someone who we think we can trust to fix things. I have come to rely heavily on all advice, weather it could be wrong or right when health issues come up with my dogs. When I get all of the information I can find in front of me, I weigh my decision, consult with at least 2-3 other vets, and I alone have the final say, as to what is going to happen to my pets. Just a thought. SG...See MoreUrinary Tract Infection in Cat?
Comments (2)Your friend's cat may have a UTI or he may have urinary crystals or stones. The latter in male cats can be life threatening VERY QUICKLY (like within hours) if the crystals/stones create a complete blockage of the urethra. This is absolutely an emergent situation in a male cat. Even if he currently has only a partial blockage, he is clearly in pain while trying to pass urine. He will likely require catheterization if that is the case. There will be nothing your friend can do at home to help her cat if he is dealing with a partial or complete blockage. UTI can be treated with antibiotics, but the cat will still need to be diagnosed by the vet in order to get them. Laurie...See Moreoztrade_pacific
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