Sheath Infection

[Guest MomofSweetPotatoes]

Hi all,

 

Yardman has a sheath infection and a bladder infection. Well, we're treating the bladder infection with antibiotics and due to his history; we are having his urine cultured to make sure we are on the right antibiotic for the bladder infection.

 

Yardman is totally asymptomatic of having any infection (except for the gooey sheath )

 

So, in addition to that stuff we are flushing his sheath once per day with a mild warm novalsan(sp) solution (the blue stuff). I do the flush 3 times once per day. talk about gunk coming out .

 

He's getting a round of bloodwork anyway for his thryroid levels, so we threw in kidney values just to take a look see.

 

Do you have any helpful hints or handy tips to try to prevent or help possible prevent this in the future.

 

When we first brought him home several years ago, he had a raging bladder infection that took us nearly 9 months to completely eradicate. We managed to get it, just short of resorting to injectable antibiotics.

 

He's had an ultrasound and exray of his bladder - no stones.

 

So, do you have any helpful hints or handy tips for the future? We are starting a cranberry supplement once his antibiotics are complete. Beyond that we are stumped at how to keep his sheath from getting infected and to keep him from getting bladder infections.

 

We're going to have a revisit with the vet in a few weeks because of other things. He's limping too, but we're pretty sure it is arthritis fusing in his hock. (We hope )

 

Thanks

 

Kerri

Edited September 13, 2007 by MomofSweetPotatoes

[Batmom]

Batman had this a couple times. No UTI but nasty sheath infection (where on earth WAS all that stuff???!). I usually started by getting the vet or techs to clean it out, to make sure it was absolutely clean going forward. Then usually just panalogged a couple times a day.

 

All but one time when he had it, it was shortly after he'd had anaesthesia for something. I think it may have been the result of not cleaning himself well for a day or two, while recovering. But that's just a theory.

 

Good luck with your boy!!!!!

[Burpdog]

Perhaps flushing him on a regular basis every few weeks or so. I've been doing that with Huston. Went about 4 weeks or so and just flushed him with the blue stuff.

[Guest ProudGreyMom]

Jake had a sheath infection and I had to do the flushing thing too (yay). He has not had one since then - if I see that area looking dirty, I clean it up (again, yay), and I also watch to be sure he is not licking that area excessively.

[riverbosun]

Kerri,

Strike always had UTI's and sheath infections. Lengthy courses of antibiotics and flushes and yet they still came back. The only thing that worked (discovered entirely by accident) was a midday turn out. I swear once my Mom came over midday for a turn out all of his symptoms cleared up and he went years without either infection.

[Guest RooRoo]

No advice but I'm sorry to hear about Oddie Please give him our best. Bins and Ki are thinking of him too!!

[Guest greytexplorer]

My favorite Seinfeld quote:

 

[Elaine]: "I don't know how you guys walk around with those things."

 

 

:lol :rotfl

[Guest SoulsMom]

No tips, but oh Geez, I hope Soul never gets this!

 

Here's hoping he's feeling better soon!

[silverfish]

Kerri,

Strike always had UTI's and sheath infections. Lengthy courses of antibiotics and flushes and yet they still came back. The only thing that worked (discovered entirely by accident) was a midday turn out. I swear once my Mom came over midday for a turn out all of his symptoms cleared up and he went years without either infection.

I'm completely convinced that this can be the case. In people it's well know that if you have a tendency to cysitis, the absolute worst thing you can do is hold your bladder once it's full, then not empty properly.

 

Jim had this once. He began peeing (more than usual ) and despite nothing showing up on urine tests, I was concerned because he had greenish goo leaking from his sheath. The vet, rather reluctantly, I thought, gave me a course of antibiotics for him and suggested flushing with warm saline. It fixed him.

 

The stuff that came out had to be seen to be believed! It must have been in there a while, because it came out in pieces, curved to fit, like limescale off a pipe. After that I flushed him out thoroughly about once a month and it never came back. I think I used about a teaspoon salt to a pint of water.

[Guest Wpgkeith]

Hmmm. a timely thread as Riley has finished a routine of antibiotics for a UTI about 10 days ago. Today, he had another "accident" and do tomorrow I'll take another sample in for testing... maybe I'll print out this thread for the vet to look over.

 

Given the process of cleaning the sheath... I can only hope that is not the cause of his current difficulties making it through the day without the accidents.

K

 

[Greytlady94]

When I adopted Teddy he was being treated for a UTI which ended up needing another round of antibiotics. I only give the dogs filtered water and he has never had another UTI. I don't know if that is the answer, but it's worked for us.

[VinnieAndRexsMom]

Rex had one of those infections. Vet had me use massingill V & H2o twice a day. I don't remember now that he had oral antibiotics; it was so long ago.

Poor boys

[Guest jurishound]

Sorry to hear about Yardman's infection. I have no experience with this and did a little research on the web but couldn't find anything particularly useful that hasn't already been posted. Good luck!

[Guest MomofSweetPotatoes]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and ideas.

Well, Yardman is getting his daily flush, without issue. It seems to be working. The first day, bits an pieces and debris came out with the solution. The past couple days, it's been mainly clearish solution returning until the last bit is out, then it is milky cloudy. So I would say we're clearing out the junk.

 

The good news is Yardman's bloodwork came back pristine. That's always a good thing.

 

We are going to make it a point to have him go out at every turn out. Usually we let him stay in if he doesn't want to go out. Well, no longer. Out he goes, whether he likes it or not.

[Fudge]

I'm glad I have girls

[Guest VanillaBean]

pets are more susceptible to infections when they have had antibiotics. Never a sheath infection here, but I do give all of my dogs a probiotic after a round of antibiotics and about 2 times per week otherwise.