UTI/vaginitis

[2blondebabes]

HI

I am brand new to this board but have been reading it for awhile. I haven't seen much about vaginitis or UTI. I think my 13 week old puppy has both. She is on her 4th antibiotic since we got her Thanksgiving. She just had a sterile urine sample drawn to be cultured so hopefully we can find out what kind of bacteria is growing. It is possible that the bladder infection is gone but that the white blood cells we are still seeing are from vaginitis. If the culture comes back positive we are looking at additional testing to find out if there is a conformation abnormality. If it is negative it may just be the vaginitis. Has anyone else had problems with these?? I am switching from Nutro Natural to Solid Gold. Does anyone have any ideas of a good diet or supplement to keep these pesky bacteria away?? :dogbark

[johnwa]

Related threads:
<a href = "http://www.topgoldenretrieversites.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1019&highlight=vaginitis">thread 1 </a><br>
<a href = "http://www.topgoldenretrieversites.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1835&highlight=urinary"> thread 2 </a><br>
<a href = "http://www.topgoldenretrieversites.net/forums/showthread.php?t=766&highlight=urinary"> thread 3 </a><br>

[mtee1958]

My boy Bailey is having an ultrasound as I write. He has had 3 UTI's since we got him in Sept. The last one occured 3 days after he quit his last antibiotic. The vet decided it was time to check for some sort of abnormality. Maybe a kink in the urethra. So I'm hoping (odd to say) they find something. That way we can finally do something positive to get rid of this problem. I hope your vet comes up with reason for the numerous UTI's. All I know is if they are having them over and over, there's something wrong. I'm not sure about diet causing anything. Someone did mention apple cider vinegar in the water as a preventative. But I would verify that all is normal inside first. Hope everything works out.

[2blondebabes]

Did they say what they could do if it is an abnormality? I am curious as to the cost, procedure and if they feel that there is a high percentage it will fix the problem. I am worried that if Riley has an abnormality they will do surgery and we will spend a ton of money and never really get it fixed.

Rileysmom :204

[mtee1958]

They haven't said anything about what we do if we find something. I'm still waiting on the vet to get back to me. She had her own doctor's appt and when she first called she had not finished reviewing the ultrasound. So I will let you know. I agree, the cost of surgery is going to be alot I bet, and I won't do it if this isn't going to clear up the problem. But I would assume if there is some sort of abnormality, that is most likely the reason for the flare-ups. Like I've said, something is allowing this bacteria to grow. I think I will do that vinegar thing after all this is over, as a preventative. Plus lots and lots of water!! Wish I had known about dog insurance before all this. But I might not have enrolled anyway. My last Golden had no problems until her last years. So I assumed this one would be trouble free as well.

[meandgracie]

Cranberry may help prevent UTIs. You can get a powdered form in capsules.

[sabydoo]

something called "cantharis", if you do an internet search on these 2 items you will see that they are listed as cures for UTI/bladder infections. (humans and animals) We have a homeopathic dispensary in our neighborhood and i bought mine there. Both are natural (not harmful) I've pretty much got Abbi's bladder infection cleared up.
I highly believe in natural cures as often as possible. I will continue to give her a cranberry tablet (the powder inside)every day as a preventative.
You'd be surprised at all the natural herbs you can give to prevent many illness'.

[2blondebabes]

Thanks for the advice. I was just reading in Solid Gold's brochure that they have a Berry extract product to use for UTI's. I wonder if it is the same as a cranberry capsule/ Anyone used it??

Riley's mom :054

[mtee1958]

Well, Bailey is fine congenitally. The vet believes the first UTI caused a "raft" of bacteria to set up space in the bladder wall and this is what is flaring up. Soooo, we are going to be 12 weeks on this antibiotic then they will take a culture by puncturing the bladder?, which they couldn't do before because Bailey is too squirmy. Hopefully it will come back negative, if it does we will still keep on the antibiotics for another period, get another culture and hope for another negative. So he stays on until we get a double negative culture.

My vet says this is much more common in young pups than older. In fact she is suggesting not neutering him until 9 or 10 months. She says letting him mature sexually can sometimes help get rid of some of these problems.
Has anyone heard of the benefits of doing this?

[2blondebabes]

I am glad to know there is no abnormality, although a nasty bacteria infection can be so hard to clear up. At least you don't have to be thinking of a surgery that might not have fixed things. The way they take a sterile urine sample is to stick a need through their stomach directly into the bladder. This way the urine does not come in contact with any other source. I am hoping Riley's culture comes back negative also. That would mean that the white blood cells showing up in her urine are most likely from vaginits, not a bladder infection. I think she did have one initially but then got the vaginitis later. I never thought I would be dealing with these health issues with a dog! I read on the internet from "THE GREAT DANE LADY" that you should actually treat vaginitis by "douching" the dog with a solution of oxydrops and water. It seems to be working because the pus has gone away. She is also still on antibiotics but I figured they must not be working very well since she still has it! As far as waiting until he sexually matures, I have read that in females this may be true, although my vet says they haven't found a connection in bladder infections, only vaginitis.

Rileys mom :dogbark

[2blondebabes]

We just got a call from our vet today and they said the culture came back negative!! That means that what we thought was a bladder infection this whole time was not. She did have one initially, but all the urinary tests that kept coming back with white bloods cells are actually from vaginitis now and not the bladder! :029 We were starting to think she had a urinary abnormality that would have to be corrected surgically. Now we just have to get rid of the vaginitis and hopefully we will be home free! The Dr. said I should be douching her, which I already am so hopefully this will be the end of the neverending infection! banana

Riley's mom