Help Needed! UTI? Blood and tiny gray "balls" in urine... help!

[Wlw9x]

I know I've been MIA for awhile (got married and disappeared.. haha), but Katie has had some strange symptoms lately and I need help! I have done a little research, but thought I may as well ask the experts about experience with things like this.
Katie was recently picked up from being boarded at the vet. She came back covered in fleas, filthy, and with raw sores from scratching. She was acting very skiddish (sp?) and didn't really want us to touch her (WAY out of character for our love bug!). We gave her a bath last night, then went to bed thinking we'd solved the problem.
My husband took her out this morning before he left for work and he said she pooped but didn't pee. When it was time for me to wake up, she was whining to go out. When I took her out, she would squat, drip a little, walk around some more, squat again, drip some more.. and so on and so forth for about 10 minutes, like she was straining to pee. I finally had to drag her back inside so I could get ready for work! I went to take her out again as I was leaving and noticed a little puddle of bloody liquid on the floor with these tiny gray round things in it (like tiny pebbles or capsules). There were a few other bloody drips around the puddle. She has been acting like she doesn't feel good, but we thought it was just the itchiness from the fleas until now... any suggestions as to what this may be? We plan on taking her to her usual vet (not the crappy place she was boarded) to get checked out.. but thought I'd ask here now for some peace of mind.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Wlw9x]

I have pictures of the bloody puddle that I can try to figure out how to post if anyone needs to see that to understand what's going on!

 

[Scueva]

Sounds like a a UTI maybe a kidney infection due to the blood. My girl had a bad UTI took almost 2 months to get rid of. Take her to vet ASAP as these can be very painful for them. I recommend getting a full culture done which would probably cost around $160. It's more than a simple urinalysis but they are worth it because they do sensitivity testing to determine what is the best course of treatment.

 

[RiiSi]

Take her to the vet ASAP. She most likely has bladder stones. It's a good thing that she is a she and can pass bigger stones than boys without getting blocked. It is vital that the stones get analyzed so you know how to treat them. My Usko has had stones operated, so I'm a bit of an expert in this field. He has a defected HUU gene and that makes him susceptible to develop urate stones. This is quite common in bulldogs.
She can also have struvite stones due to infection or any any other type there is. Treatment is different depending on the type of stone so analysis is important.

 

[Wlw9x]

Thanks so much for the responses! We will be taking her today if it all possible.. and if not, then tomorrow! I hate to see my baby in pain. :crying:

 

[Lucy-licious]

Thanks so much for the responses! We will be taking her today if it all possible.. and if not, then tomorrow! I hate to see my baby in pain. :crying:

Try to get a little tub under neath her next time she squats down so that you can get a sample for thevet. Hugs to you both xx

 

[Sherry]

Poor Katie had a rough time of it lately, hope she feels better soon, keep us posted please

 

[BruceP]

Awww... poor baby.... Please keep us in the loop. Hope she is well soon.

 

[Scueva]

I don't recommend trying to catch the urine yourself, too easy to get contaminated. My vet wouldn't even test the urine when I brought it in. My vet prefered to get the sample. They let her start to pee the. Slid this crazy looking catch tray under her midstream. They can also extract urine directly from the bladder.

 

[RiiSi]

We take urine samples ourselves all the time. Once a week to test the pH ourselves and once in a couple of months we take it to the vet to get tested more thoroughly.

 

[izstigspunks]

Sounds like a uti and probably stones like the above people mentioned. And there's no harm in getting a sample yourself. My vet allows me to do so, but only if it's within an hour from the appt and it needs to be a sterile cup.

 

[SunDog]

I would treat this as an emergency. Her PH is probably way out of whack (could be from stress or even something like the water at the boarding place) and this stuff can be painful. You will have to wait for the urine culture results, maybe a few days, but if the vet suggests starting her on broad-spectrum antibiotics right away, do it. It's pricey, so if money is an issue, ask if you can buy half the perscription, then the other half later. also, ask about adding a cap of apple cider vinegar to her water to help clear the stones and regulate her PH.

Also, I have no idea if this actually translates in to real help, but when we went through this, I would try to soothe/comfort Lupe with long firm petting, like a mother's tongue. I read somewhere that this helps dogs feel safe and less stressed. Se would just drift to sleep within minutes. Maybe it helped me more!

if this is a long-term thing, you can manage with special food and daily grooming once the infection has cleared. Good luck!!! Your being a good parent by catching it so soon!

 

[RiiSi]

I do not recommend apple cider vinegar before the analysis. If she is prone to urate stones vinegar is not going be good for her. It is vital to know what kind of stones/problem she has before adding any home remedies in to her food or drink. A lot of people are advising to give cranberry, vitamin c or apple cider vinegar for bladder problems, but if it is what my Usko has (and bulldogs are amongst at the breeds more likely to have urates than most) it is only adding fuel to the flames! So please wait for the results.

But a little or a lot of TLC is highly recommended in both cases!

 

[bullmama]

Great advice above!! Also make sure she is getting plenty of water. A good way to be sure she gets extra is to add water to her kibble as well. No dry food until she is clear.

I also posted a supplement in the great products forum the other night, the problem with UTI is they can keep coming back so giving the supplement will help clear it completely.


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[Wlw9x]

Thanks so much, guys! I knew I could count on everyone here for good advice. I've spoken with the vet, and they told us to monitor her for a few days and see how she does because she may be able to pass the stones on her own since she is already. They also recommended plenty of water! They said if anything changes to bring her in asap, but as of now, we have a Saturday morning appointment. My husband went to check on her at lunch, and he told me she is still having the same symptoms, but doesn't seem as upset. Knowing me, I'll end up taking her to the vet before Saturday! She will be getting some major petting and attention tonight. I'll keep everyone updated!