Home Remedies and Veterinary Treatment For a Dog UTI

puppy uti treatment

Left untreated, bacteria can spread to the kidneys and lead to serious infection in pets. Proactive pet parents and prompt veterinary care can help address a UTI in an animal.

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Be on the lookout for symptoms of canine urinary tract infection (UTI), including difficulty with urination, accidents in the home, excessive licking around their genital area and increased water consumption. Frequent wee breaks and plenty of fresh drinking water will also help protect against developing an infection.

Contents

Treatment

At some point, most of us have experienced urinary tract infection, or bacterial cystitis. When this happens to a dog, she’ll want to go outside more frequently, strain while urinating, cry out when doing so, have bloody urine, or may lick at her genital area frequently.

Veterinarians will typically order a urinalysis and antibiotic therapy for any dog suffering from urinary tract infections (UTIs). Recovery time varies based on severity; depending on its length of infection it could take weeks.

Complicated bacterial UTIs occur as a result of anatomic or functional abnormalities that predispose individuals to infection, repeated infections or treatment failure. They should be managed using empirical antibiotic selection – where the vet selects an antibiotic based on knowledge about which bacteria cause most UTIs and which ones tend to work against them most effectively – although urine culture and sensitivity tests should always be conducted on patients who present with such UTIs.

Prevention

UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections) are bladder infections caused when bacteria invade and escape from natural defense mechanisms of the body’s defenses in the bladder. E. coli bacteria is often to blame; left untreated they can spread to kidneys and even prostate glands in intact male dogs.

Keep an eye on your dog’s urination habits. If they suddenly begin urinating more frequently or passing small amounts, schedule an appointment with the veterinarian immediately – these changes could indicate serious medical conditions like diabetes or Cushing’s disease that need treatment immediately.

Recurrent UTIs in dogs often require antibiotic treatment for 14 days to eradicate infection-causing bacteria and allow the body to flush them naturally out. Make sure your pup drinks plenty of water to aid this process, and avoid processed kibble that contains high starch content which feeds yeast or harmful bacteria while crowding out good ones.

Home Remedies

While home remedies for UTI can alleviate discomfort and symptoms in dogs, only prescription antibiotics and professional veterinary treatment will truly be effective in curing an UTI.

One of the primary signs of UTI in dogs is frequent but difficult urination. Your pup may also dribble or pee more than usual and his urine will have an unusually strong scent and become darker; in severe cases blood may even appear in their urine and cause great pain for their pet.

To protect your dog from getting a UTI, it’s essential that they have access to plenty of fresh water and take frequent bathroom breaks. Apple cider vinegar added directly to water or food may help fight infection as can vitamin C supplements that prevent bacteria growth in their bladder; the right dose depends on their weight.

Diagnosis

Many of us can relate to the pain associated with UTIs or bladder infections at some point, including dogs who also may suffer. UTIs can be extremely uncomfortable for these furry creatures.

Vets typically start by conducting a urinalysis to detect bacteria, abnormal blood cells and crystals in the bladder. A urine culture and sensitivity test can then help identify which antibiotics would best combat those microbes growing there – this will ensure that only appropriate treatment is used and will not accidentally lead to overuse leading to antibiotic resistance.

Other tests could include blood work panels, radiographs and ultrasound. Antibiotics may also be prescribed, although their duration will depend on what caused their UTI.

Recurrent UTIs may be caused by an underlying condition like diabetes and kidney disease; thus, these must also be managed. Additional treatment options for UTIs may include pain medication and fluid therapy to provide temporary relief from symptoms.