The issues have been going on now for over a year. They thought that it was puppy vaginitis, but it didn't go away after she was fixed. She is already on special food, and the infections still are occuring every 3 months or so. We go in get some drug (tried many kind) and it works for a while. She drinks a lot of water, but she is a large breed, so I am not sure. She is a Saint Bernard only a year and a half, I just want to know if something else is going on, or why it's happening. Any advice may help. Thanks
2007-11-16 13:25:26 · 8 answers · asked by speedchickaroo 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
If she hasn't been checked (xray/ultrasound) for kidney stones or bladder stones, insist that your vet check for this. It's one of the most common reasons for recurring uti's,,,and also one of the most missed.
2007-11-16 13:32:07 · answer #1 · answered by stulisa42 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get a second opinion from a specialist. If treated properly the first time, they should not come back. Make sure there are no other medical issues that would cause this problem. I honestly don't know what a "special food" would do for a UTI, not sure it is necessary.
Usually, when this happens frequently it means that: (1) they did not prescribe the right antibiotic and/or (2) the antibiotic was not given for the proper length of time.
Insist that they do a culture to find out EXACTLY what kind of infection you are dealing with, and exactly what type of antibiotic it will take to kill it; and for what length of time.
Your girl can't tell you when this is bothering her; but she is relying on you to "fix" the problem. Keep going until you get some answers. You may even want to Google something like "UTI's in dogs"; I'm sure there are plenty of studies out there that might shed some light on this.
You may also want to check right here on Yahoo Groups; they have groups for various breeds and they may have one for Saint Bernards. If they do, you will find very knowledgeable Breeders who would be happy to share information on this subject. If possible, you should also contact the people who bred your dog; they too may be of some assistance. Good luck.
2007-11-16 13:59:03 · answer #2 · answered by bully4me 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes with cats I know--their cervix doesn't close all the way when they sit which can cause UTI issues. I know that St. Bernards can be tricky dogs considering their, etc. Unfortunately it also can sometimes mean cancers or other uterine issues. I would try looking around for another vet with a lot of experience with the breed so that you could get a second opinion. Otherwise, hang in there, I wish there was more I could tell you.
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2007-11-16 13:32:41 · answer #3 · answered by tidy_tanks2006 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes it has to do with anatomy. There may be a fold of skin that covers or partially covers the vulva. If this is happening, the skin traps moisture and bacteria, and the infection travels up the urethra to the bladder. A simple surgery can remove this skin.
Has the urine been obtained sterily and cultured to make sure the correct antibiotics have been chosen? Also, antibiotics usually have to be given at least 3-4 weeks and the urine checked as soon as they are finished to make sure the infection is completely gone, otherwise it comes back pretty quickly.
Is her bloodwork normal?
Has she been xrayed for bladder stones?
If all the above has been checked, you may want to seek out a specialist to determine cause and treatment.
2007-11-16 13:33:19 · answer #4 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know just how frustrated you are. My female pup went back to back UTIs too, I thought I'd never get her house trained. I joined K9KidneyDiet at yahoo groups. Through this group I heard of d-Mannose which is an all natural human grade product for UTIs.
When it's in the bladder it's sticky, e-coli sticks to it and is flushed out rather than attaching to the wall of the bladder. Try it, it won't hurt your dog - I got mine on line. By the way, my dog is 4.1/2 years old now and hasn't had a UTI since she was 15 months old.
2007-11-16 16:45:07 · answer #5 · answered by Little Ollie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My dog has developed infections because she was improperly spayed, and they didn't remove the entire hormone producing organ (she still has some uterine material). This has caused a vaginal infection and a UTI in her (she's a lab mix). They gave me the option of having another surgery, but I didn't want to put her through that. Instead, I do the same thing for her as I do for myself: I wash her area with diluted apple cider vinegar. I take a wash cloth and soak it in 1/4 c ACV and 12 oz of water and just rub her clean.
2007-11-16 13:48:56 · answer #6 · answered by smartsassysabrina 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you gotten a second opinion about why these UTIs keep occurring? If not you should. Sometimes a new doc can see something that the other one is missing or has experience with something that the first one doesn't.
2007-11-16 13:37:30 · answer #7 · answered by fluffy_aliens 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In a situation like this, I would look for a specialist. Your vet may not be qualified enough to diagnos something this uncommon.
There are internal medicine vets now who specialize in many things like this, so ask your vet to refer you to one.
The constant medications can't be doing your girl much good, either. I would try to get to the bottom of this.
2007-11-17 00:59:56 · answer #8 · answered by anne b 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋