Guest TheUnrulyHound Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Cabby has a recurring urinary infection/incontinence problem, I took him to the vet the first time (it has happened two times before) they put him on antibiotics and it went away. It returned a few months later and went away within two days on its own (it happened on Easter weekend so I didn't get to the vet that time) now it is back again. What usually happens is I will find little dribbles of pee here and there (never full puddles) then I will see Cabby dribbling after beginning to watch him closely. I never yell at him because I know he isn't doing it on purpose, it usually happens when he is getting up from a dog bed or off the sofa. I will let him out to pee and he will stand and pee forever and never seems to be completely empty. When I let him out to pee just now he came up to the porch afterwards and I reached down to pet him and he started dribbling again, he looked absolutely ashamed and horrified with himself and I just about cried I am taking him to the vet tomorrow to have a urinalysis done but I have read a few times about cranberry pills being given to greys with recurring UTIs. what dosage is recommended and is it just useful for a hound that has a urine Ph problem? will it help just in general with a UTI no matter the Ph? Thanks for any help, Cabby appreciates it....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2four Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Hi, I don't know about Greys, but my 12.5 year old Labrador has been on a cranberry pill per day for years now. She is VERY prone to UTI's and when she's on the cranberry pill she hardly ever gets one...maybe once every 2 years. Hope that someone with Grey experience answers too, I'll be interested in reading the answers. Quote Tin and Michael and Lucas, Picasso, Hero, Oasis, Galina, Neizan, Enzo, Salvo and Noor the Galgos. Remembering Bridge Angel Greyhounds: Tosca, Jamey, Master, Diego, and Ambi; plus Angel Galgos Jules, Marco and Baltasar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurnerMiller01 Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 oh Cabby... I'm so sorry.. i hope someone answers your momma soon... and i hope you get well soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandysMom Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 (edited) Mandy went through frequent UTIs for almost a year, probably 6 infections in that time frame. I was frustrated and mentioned cranberry pills to the vet we see for acupuncture (he is very knowledgeable about herbs and other alternative remedies). He said it wouldn't hurt and would most likely help. He told me to give her a human dose. I get the Spring Valley brand (500 mg) at Walmart, which is a one-pill-a-day dose. Since she started with the cranberry about 3 years ago, she has had one UTI. Prior to the cranberry pills, her urine was extremely alkaline, with the cranberry, it is normally well-balanced. I know there are other things that can cause UTIs, but the $6.27 I pay for 60 cranberry pills is some of the best-spent money in my budget. The difference in Ph showed up in about 3 - 4 weeks. From re-reading your post, Cabby's infection may never have really gone away. He may need to have multiple rounds of a different antibiotic. Sending good thoughts for Cabby. Edited July 20, 2009 by MandysMom Quote Beverly. Missing my happy toy-flinging boy Sammy (Where's Mandrill), (8/12/2009-9/30-2021) Desperately missing my angel Mandy (BB's Luv) [7/1/2000 - 9/18/2012]. Always missing Meg the Dalmatian and Ralph Malph the Pekeapoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tricolorhounds Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Our Lab Cecily had UTIs for close to the last two years... I gave her cranberry pills 2 times a day for nearly the entire time and did not notice any difference. Make sure the Vet does a full culture to ID the bacteria so he can prescribes the right antibiotics. Cessy would be better while on the antibiotics and as soon as they stopped, we would be back to step 1... we even had her on a maintenance dose for several months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 (edited) Cabby, feel better buddy! I am sure some will jump all over this, but my experience with UTI's in people and animals have shown what many doctors have said for years, the cranberry juice/pill is a myth. With people, especially the elderly who have problems with reoccuring UTI's they are put on a low dose daily antibiotic which has proven excellent results. I'm not sure if that's a fix for animals Edited July 20, 2009 by cbudshome Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 What fixed Zema's recurring UTI problem was a change to home prepared diet. I'm not usually a fan of food "cures" (except for poop consistency and allergy cases) but it sure did work for her. There is apparently something in commercial food that bothers her innards. She can have a daily multivitamin with no problems, but commercial kibbles/canned foods send her back into overdrinking, overpeeing, and getting UTIs. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kydie Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Hope your baby is better, I give them to my "old girl"don't know if they help, but I feel they can't hurt, started them after she had a UTI, and was treated, she hasn't had one since, so take it for what it is worth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytluck Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I used to have constant UTIs until I started to take cranberry pills. I take 1 a day and have been doing this for many years now. I also gave them to Hobbes for a few months when he was going through some urinary issues this past year. They really seemed to help him. Quote Hobbes-Ricard Hatch09/23/99-12/21/09 Always loved, never forgotten. Wally TNJ Boy Howdy, GLS Genuinerisk Corinna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurnerMiller01 Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 hey Holly, Check in with us.. and let us know how Cabby is when you get home from the Vet. hugs for you and Cabby and all your animals.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest monasmom Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Cranvet and a similar brand I can't recall right now... available at entirelypets.com, have completely eliminated pee accidents in our house. All three dogs get them twice a day as a preventive measure. Seems to help. Can't hurt. And they think they're getting treats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Energy11 Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Cabby, feel better buddy! I am sure some will jump all over this, but my experience with UTI's in people and animals have shown what many doctors have said for years, the cranberry juice/pill is a myth. With people, especially the elderly who have problems with reoccuring UTI's they are put on a low dose daily antibiotic which has proven excellent results. I'm not sure if that's a fix for animals I heard the very same thing, Claudia (about the cranberry pills being a myth). Antibiotics and drinking LOTS of water to "flush out" the bacteria is what I learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kydie Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I don't know about being a myth, but they have Vit. C and in people, cranberry juice is given to those that have urinary issues, as it changes the ph level of the urine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greensleeves Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 What is it about cranberry that is supposed to be helpful? My natural state is one of skepticism, but I am curious. We're dealing with a case of chronic idiopathic cystitis (or as DH has named it, "irritable bladder syndrome" )--never an infection, but a constantly irritated bladder with wbc/rbc in the urine, etc. We seem to have reached the limits of what can be done to help her, and constant antibiotics for an infection she doesn't have doesn't seem like the right answer to me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spencers_Greyt Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I have had chronic UTI problems with Spencer too and he always dribbles when he potties outside. I don't think he even realizes he's not finished as he walks away. Anyway, the vet put Spencer on several courses of antibiotics and then finally decided to send out his urine to be cultured instead of just looking at it in his own lab. Turns out Spencer had a nasty e-coli problem and the antibiotics he had Spencer on would kill some of them but not all. He then put Spencer on Primor, another antibiotic that seems to work especially well with e-coli and so far so good, no UTIs (knock on wood!). I don't know if cranberry pills would help or not. That's something I would talk to the vet about just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheUnrulyHound Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 OK back from the vet.... well that was about 5 hours ago but I took a nap! I ended up taking all 6 dogs I have to the vet today so I was exhausted.... here is what the urinalysis says ph 5 LEU neg PRO TR GLU neg KET neg UBG 8 mg/Dl BIL 3 mg/dL BLD 10 Ery no idea what this means but he palpated his abdomen and got a squeal out of him, and then gave him a prostate exam which checked out ok. gave him some antibiotics, Orbax for 2 times a day for 10 days........ I asked about the cranberry pills and he said that (like many of you have said) it works with humans and he didn't see any reason not to try it, it won't hurt to me it seems worth trying. I already give glucosamine once a day so one more pill isn't a big deal. Thanks for all your input, I asked him about the specific culture and he said we can probably wait to see if it comes back again and do that. Most of the time this one specific antibiotic takes care of it without spending the extra $100 for the culture at the lab. I WILL however keep the E. Coli thing in mind for if it comes back!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vahoundlover Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Over the last couple of years Sheba has had quite a few UTI's. Late last year we started giving her cranberry pills. 475mg 2x day. So far so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest arlosmom Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Jewel had crystals and high pH, We changed the food to lower protein, and added vitamin C. This did not work. Now she takes Dmethionine twice a day and her urine is perfect. No more crystals and perfect pH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spencers_Greyt Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 OK back from the vet.... well that was about 5 hours ago but I took a nap! I ended up taking all 6 dogs I have to the vet today so I was exhausted.... here is what the urinalysis says ph 5 LEU neg PRO TR GLU neg KET neg UBG 8 mg/Dl BIL 3 mg/dL BLD 10 Ery no idea what this means but he palpated his abdomen and got a squeal out of him, and then gave him a prostate exam which checked out ok. gave him some antibiotics, Orbax for 2 times a day for 10 days........ I asked about the cranberry pills and he said that (like many of you have said) it works with humans and he didn't see any reason not to try it, it won't hurt to me it seems worth trying. I already give glucosamine once a day so one more pill isn't a big deal. Thanks for all your input, I asked him about the specific culture and he said we can probably wait to see if it comes back again and do that. Most of the time this one specific antibiotic takes care of it without spending the extra $100 for the culture at the lab. I WILL however keep the E. Coli thing in mind for if it comes back!! Hopefully this will be the end of the UTIs! I was paying for an office visit and antibiotics each time I was bringing in Spencer which about equaled $100 a visit so it was totally worth it to me to get the culture because it saved me money in the long run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest luvdogs Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 another benefit of the cranberry pills is it keeps the grass green. Our girl was burning the grass with her pee for the first week or two after we got her. Someone suggested the pills and we tried it and the grass IS greener. Hope it works for your pooches UTI!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4greyhounds Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Hi Holly, We hope Cabby is feeling better. I am sorry I don't know about the Cranberry Pill. Quote Darlene Mom to: Aladdin, Sophie ,Pongo, Jasmine, Relic Forever in our Hearts Champ at the Rainbow Bridge. Let a greyhound race into your heart Adopt Bay Area Greyhound Adoptions INC. Naples/ Fort Myers Chapter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eaglflyt Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 What is it about cranberry that is supposed to be helpful? My natural state is one of skepticism, but I am curious. We're dealing with a case of chronic idiopathic cystitis (or as DH has named it, "irritable bladder syndrome" )--never an infection, but a constantly irritated bladder with wbc/rbc in the urine, etc. We seem to have reached the limits of what can be done to help her, and constant antibiotics for an infection she doesn't have doesn't seem like the right answer to me.... In humans, there's a similar syndrome called interstitial cystitis. There's a list of food and drink do's and don'ts that can certainly help the situation. I had a relative that once they stopped eating tomatoes, the situation totally resolved. Just google for diet for interstitial cystitis and see if there's anything in your dog's diet that could be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyGreys Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Thanks for the update on Cabby. Give him a kiss for me. Hope he feels better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 What is it about cranberry that is supposed to be helpful? My natural state is one of skepticism, but I am curious. We're dealing with a case of chronic idiopathic cystitis (or as DH has named it, "irritable bladder syndrome" )--never an infection, but a constantly irritated bladder with wbc/rbc in the urine, etc. We seem to have reached the limits of what can be done to help her, and constant antibiotics for an infection she doesn't have doesn't seem like the right answer to me.... IIRC there's a compound in cranberry juice that inhibits bacterial growth. I don't *think* that's just an old wives' tale but I haven't looked for refs. When Joseph had his UTI, was treated, tested better ... but didn't ACT better ... I put him on Zema's noncommercial diet for a week. Didn't seem to help. Since nothing else helped either, I put him back on her noncommercial diet for 3 weeks. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. That did it. Then transitioned to a lower-salt kibble than what he'd been eating, and he's been fine since. Zema's experience was a lot like yours. We tried freakin' everything. Then in desperation started a homecooked, no salt "elimination" diet. Symptoms disappeared over the course of @ a week. After @ 6 months I put her back on commercial kibble. She was fine for a couple months then started having symptoms and another UTI, so we went back to the homecooked and have been there ever since. I have been unable to figure out just what it is about commercial foods that bothers her. Even the prescription low-salt foods have the same effect. I can give her some salt in her homeprepped meals; no problem. She gets a multivitamin; no problem. Some days I wish I could give her kibble but it really isn't much trouble to prepare food for her and the alternative (fussing, leaking, overdrinking, UTIs) is lots worse. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinnieAndRexsMom Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 (edited) Cranberry is also very high in vit. C. As far as Cabby, my friends have a grey what always carried a low grade UTI that would keep flaring. After many courses of antibiotic they decided to use Solid Gold's Berry Balance with every meal and have had excellent results. Bandit has not had an infection since, and it has been years. It's a powder you sprinkle over the food. I babysat him for about a week and I never had a problem with him not eating his food/taking his suppliment. Check this out... especially the c. coli part halfway down the page. Cranberries Edited July 21, 2009 by VinnieAndRexsMom Quote Tonya, mom to May, and my angels Vinnie, Rex, Red, Chase, and Jake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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