Recurrent UTI's

[MissPennyLue]

Hi Friends,

It's been a long time since I've been around, but here I am!

I think Penny is starting another UTI. She has had 4-5 since January. The last was in early October when she was at the kennel. We thought we had it narrowed down to a tail pocket infection. However, her tail is nice and clean. She's woken me up the last two mornings to go out which is unlike her and did the dry squat all over the yard after she peed.

Does anyone have any success or experience using preventative measures at home? I gave her 1/3 of a cranberry pill this morning based on the dosage I found online. I tried the apple cider vinegar, but she refused that. From what I've read they are more susceptible to them once they have one. She had an x-ray that showed no stones.

She is also on Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feat food & has been for a long time. Is this still a recommended food around here? She seems to be doing ok otherwise.

Any other advice? I feel so bad for her & I'm getting frustrated w the vet trips and cost.

Thanks!

 

[ddnene]

So sorry to hear about Penny… I'm going to tag some members that I know have dealt w/these issues. I was going to say stones, but I see that you already had x-rays for that. Keep us posted!!!

 

[MissPennyLue]

Thanks!! I appreciate it.

 

[bullmama]

Misspennylue! Nice to see you again! Sorry to hear Penny is having UTI problems.

Hopefully this article will help:
English Bulldog News Forums - How to Successfully Treat a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)

 

[RiiSi]

So sorry that your baby is going through this. Since she has has so many UTI's this year I would demand a more thorough check up. There can be something else there that causes them to happen and then treating just the symptom is not a cure.

Most stones don't show on X-rays and the vet should know that. There are quite a few different type of stones and crystals and X-ray is not the best tool for detecting them, ultrasound works better. Did the vet analyze her urine?
If she has what my boy has, hyperuricosuria, a genetic disorder, it is very counter productive to give her cranberry pills. Urate stones form in acidic urine and cranberry makes the urine just that.
For the common UTI that can lead to struvite stones, cranberry pills are great, but that is it, you have to be sure.
Bulldogs can also have cystinuria, which again makes the dog prone to develope yet another kind of crystals or stones and then again cranberry is no good.

 

[MissPennyLue]

Thanks @bullmama!! I'll check out the link
@RiiSi - very good info!

Our old vet did the X-ray & we have since moved and discovered that they were not a great vet. When she did the X-ray, she said we would need to do the u/s if she got another one. Then, we moved and the new vet found the tail pocket issue which the old vet didn't even check - yikes!

We have been to our new vet with UTI's twice since May. In May & the beginning of October. We did the urine re-check 2-3 weeks ago after she finished the antibiotics and everything looked good. If we end up back at the vet this time, I will ask about a more thorough work up. She doesn't seem to have any extra skin down there. She was fine until she got the one in Jan at almost 3 years old. I'd just like to get to the bottom of it.

 

[MissPennyLue]

[MENTION=3354]RiiSi[/MENTION] how did you find out about the genetic disorder?

 

[RiiSi]

My boy had urate stones surgically removed at the age of one and after that we had a gene test done. He has defected HUU gene. I ordered a test kit from vetgen did the swaps, send them back and got the results by email.
Hyperuricosuria means elevated levels of uric acid in the urine. This trait predisposes dogs to form stones in their bladders or sometimes kidneys. Hyperuricosuria is inherited as a simple autosomal recessive trait. The trait can occur in any breed but is most commonly found in the Dalmatian, Black Russian Terrier and Bulldog. Dalmatians are considered to be homozygous for hyperuricosuria.

 

[2BullyMama]

She doesn't seem to have any extra skin down there. She was fine until she got the one in Jan at almost 3 years old. I'd just like to get to the bottom of it.

this was Banks' probelm... too much skin in the area, she ended up having a vulvaplasty to remove extra tissue and skin and her UTI's became less... the other times she would get them is when her allergies were bad -- I have to alwasy wipe her during those times to keep the area clean.

 

[Davidh]

Good info above, I don't have anything to add, but do hope she gets better soon.

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi, I'm sorry you're going through this with Penny, poor girl. It sounds like you're doing everything right, you took her to the vet, she had antibiotics, you're giving her cranberry for prevention of UTIs and you tried giving her ACV. Have you tried putting it in her kibble instead of in her water? Sometimes they will turn their nose up at the vinegar smell if they aren't used to it, but if you mix it in their food, they'll take it. Does Penny squat down low when she pees?, because this can sometimes cause UTIs from bacteria and germs getting on her girly parts and causing infection. You can prevent this by using antibacterial or baby wipes to clean the area and keep it free form bacteria and keep them from entering the bladder. Increased water intake to allow for more frequent urination to prevent infections by flushing out the bladder.
Long-term, low-dose prophylactic antibiotic therapy to keep the bladder sterile. Cranberry extract, which may prevent some bacteria from causing UTIs, and Probiotics are all things that can help recurring bladder infections.

 

[MissPennyLue]

[MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION] [MENTION=2]bullmama[/MENTION] & anyone else....

I did a quick search on here & it looks like some give it. What are your thoughts on NuVet supplement? I came across it this evening. There are testimonials on the site for bladder/kidney infections. I'm wondering if we shouldn't try this, or if I should be supplementing her w other things. Occasionally I give her coconut oil, but I haven't been very consistent w it. Looks like yogurt could be benefial, too. Thoughts?

 

[bullmama]

[MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION] [MENTION=2]bullmama[/MENTION] & anyone else....

I did a quick search on here & it looks like some give it. What are your thoughts on NuVet supplement? I came across it this evening. There are testimonials on the site for bladder/kidney infections. I'm wondering if we shouldn't try this, or if I should be supplementing her w other things. Occasionally I give her coconut oil, but I haven't been very consistent w it. Looks like yogurt could be benefial, too. Thoughts?

Nuvet is great, I love it. I'm not sure if it would prevent UTI but it's got a lot of great ingredients in it, so I am not surprised.

 

[2BullyMama]

@Davidh @2BullyMama @bullmama & anyone else....

I did a quick search on here & it looks like some give it. What are your thoughts on NuVet supplement? I came across it this evening. There are testimonials on the site for bladder/kidney infections. I'm wondering if we shouldn't try this, or if I should be supplementing her w other things. Occasionally I give her coconut oil, but I haven't been very consistent w it. Looks like yogurt could be benefial, too. Thoughts?

I never used it but other do say it is a good product. I gave Banks Cranamials... it is dried cranberry powder that I placed in her food during times she could possibly get a UTI... spring summer mostly

 

[RiiSi]

I would suggest that you first find out if there's an underlying condition that causes the UTI's, before starting with any new products. Nuvet is a great product, but it's vitamin B comes from brewer's yeast which is loaded with purines and is really bad in some cases. Also cranberry can sometimes be very counterproductive. In the ones that's been suggested, probiotics will do no harm in any case.