Worried About Loca

[robinw]

Loca is 13.5 years old and is prone to UTIs. She was most recently treated for a UTI last month or so and her urine came out clear during the follow up visit. I have a feeling it never actually cleared as she has been on a pee fest lately, plus she has been panting a lot, which is new and very troublesome. What tests should I ask the vet to complete so we can rule out a long,stubborn infection?

 

i forgot to mention that her senior blood work was completed a couple of months ago and came out normal

 

thanks

Edited April 26, 2009 by robinw

[Guest candt]

no advice but wishing you and loca the best!

 

(also switching trues food made her utis completely disappear...shes on chicken soup for the dog lovers soul and has no pee problems ever anymore)

[Guest KennelMom]

I would start with a complete blood panel to look for signs of long term infection.

 

Hope Loca is feeling better soon

Edited April 26, 2009 by KennelMom

[robinw]

I would start with a complete blood panel to look for signs of long term infection.

would this be different than her annual senior blood work?

 

(also switching trues food made her utis completely disappear...shes on chicken soup for the dog lovers soul and has no pee problems ever anymore)

food makes a big difference with her. i had recently switched to Orijen and her peeing was even worse, so I switched back to California Natural. She's still peeing

Edited April 26, 2009 by robinw

[Batmom]

Cystocentesis (drawing urine out of the bladder with a needle) and culture.

 

That didn't do any good for Zema. Only thing that worked for her was diet change. I've given up on feeding her commercial food.

 

Sending hugs and scritchies.

[robinw]

Cystocentesis (drawing urine out of the bladder with a needle) and culture.

ouch! that sounds painful!

[Rickiesmom]

Robin I don't have suggestions regarding tests - except maybe to culture to ensure the chosen antibiotic will for sure kill the bacteria.

FWIW I recently changed Rickie over from Orijen Senior to Wellness Core Reduced Fat. Partly for the lower fat content, partly because it has lower phosphorus and ash levels so hopefully easier on the kidneys. (Don't now how it would compare to California Natural.)

 

Please keep us posted.

[Batmom]

Cystocentesis (drawing urine out of the bladder with a needle) and culture.

ouch! that sounds painful!

 

Actually, doesn't seem to be. Even *Zema* doesn't care (and she DOES care about shots, ai yi yi!). Very fine needle is passed from outside the abdomen into the bladder, and a little pee drawn out. Easy peasy, like a blood draw. This ensures you get a sterile sample with no contamination from outside things.

[Burpdog]

Are you giving bottled water? Sounds to me like it's not being treated long enough or with the right antibiotic. You have to do a culture!

[Sirocco_Nikki]

Just wondering, do dogs get kidney or bladder stones?

[Guest WarmheartedPups]

Otis and Roo had the cystocentesis with a culture....as the initial urine exam was clean....the culture came back positive.

 

With OTis we went to an x ray and then an Ulta sound....looking for kidney or bladder stones......Unfortunately some stones show up on xray and some show up on an ultrasound....but with the ultrasound...the Doctor looked ALL around at other organs too, which made me feel better.

 

I will think good thoughts for Loca

[Guest 4baddogs]

Just wondering, do dogs get kidney or bladder stones?

 

Yes, they do. Zoe was tested for them several time. They also get crystals in their urine.

[robinw]

Are you giving bottled water? Sounds to me like it's not being treated long enough or with the right antibiotic. You have to do a culture!

i give them tap water. should i be giving them bottled water?

[Guest candt]

also, after true had all those utis (tho honestly, they didnt always test as utis, but the vet treated them like it) a new vet i went to up in massachusetts said that it might be bladder polyps... i had never heard any of trues other vets say that and i thought it was interesting.

 

btw, true never did well on california natural. if you can get the chicken soup stuff you should try it!

[Guest SusanP]

Don't worry about the cystocentesis--when Zippy had it done, I was at her head, helping stabilize her as she lay on her back, and I saw it done; didn't seem to really bother her at all.

[Guest KennelMom]

I would start with a complete blood panel to look for signs of long term infection.

would this be different than her annual senior blood work?

 

It's probably the same. Our vet's senior blood panel is the same as the full/complete/pre-surgical blood panel. They also have a 'quickie' blood test they can do in house, but the senior is the same as "full"...They send that one out usually. The other vet we've worked with that offers senior blood panels are the same. So, if you've done that recently you are probably fine. Long term infections can throw off some values as they stress the organs like kidneys and liver.

Edited April 26, 2009 by KennelMom

[Sighthounds4me]

Are you giving bottled water? Sounds to me like it's not being treated long enough or with the right antibiotic. You have to do a culture!

i give them tap water. should i be giving them bottled water?

 

Bottled drinking water was suggested when Naples was having UTI problems. The theory is that impurities are what cause the problems, and there are fewer impurities, thanks to the filtering. My vet told me that we could do the gallons of drinking water from the grocery store, rather than spend a ton on cases of bottles.

 

BUT, I believe you'd be able to do just as well if you have a charcoal filter, like Pur or Britta. Someone can correct me if I am wrong, though!

[CaliforniaGreys]

I second the vote to have the urine cultured. That UTI could be still lingering.

I sure hope this mis-understood girl feels better soon

[Guest hannahmom]

Another vote for the culture here

About a year ago, a new vet in the area looked at Hannah's urine when I brought her in for a UTI and ( incorrectly) told me she was dying of advanced kidney disease, partly because the infection she was harbouring didn't show.

 

Thanks to some very knowledgeable people of this board ( Hi Burpdog ) I insisted on a culture and sure enough, she had a nasty infection brewing.

Clavamox and some extra cookies, and she was as right as rain.

 

for Miss Loca

[Guest PhillyPups]

Robin, no experience or advice here, just lots of good thoughts and prayers for Loca to you.

[nyGreys]

Sending prayers for Loca.

[maximum]

I would start with a complete blood panel to look for signs of long term infection.

would this be different than her annual senior blood work?

 

(also switching trues food made her utis completely disappear...shes on chicken soup for the dog lovers soul and has no pee problems ever anymore)

food makes a big difference with her. i had recently switched to Orijen and her peeing was even worse, so I switched back to California Natural. She's still peeing

 

I don't have any suggestions, Robin, but thought I would share that Max had issues with Orijen (with all of the 100% grain free foods that we've tried actually). He drank huges amounts of water and pee'd like crazy. After less than a week off of it, he was fine. So might be related. But given her history with UTI's more work on an ongoing infection might be merited...

 

Hope pretty girl is feeling better!

[crazygang]

Sending well wishes for Loca.......

[Guest vahoundlover]

Sending prayers!

[Guest myjazzy]

It sounds like she has a UTI that hasn't completely cleared and when you stop the antibiotics, it shows up again. I also vote for the urine culture. You really need to know what is causing the infection to make sure she is getting the right antibiotics. Keeping the feisty Miss Loca in my toughts.