Peeing In The House

[Meandmy]

We're not quite sure what the next step should be with our Tori. First, a bit of background. She had one UTI a couple of years ago. Other than that she has a bladder of steel and never pees in the house. She peed in the house twice when Shadow died (the end of January). We got her tested and no signs of UTI. We decided that was because of the circumstances and she hadn't done it since.

 

Last week she peed in the house one day and also had to go out in the middle of the night, so we thought she might have a UTI and got her tested. The vet saw no signs of infection, but she was to be going in for a dental several days later and he saw no harm in getting her started on antibiotics a few days early, just in case. Started her on the pills (cephalexin) and she's been fine ever since.

 

As of yesterday she'd been on meds for a week, with 3 days to go. I forgot to give her pill yesterday morning. She peed in the house during the day yesterday. After a week, I can't imagine that missing one pill would make her feel yucky again.

 

So now what? Could she have a UTI that didn't respond to cephalexin? Wouldn't there have been signs before yesterday? Is it not an infection but behavioral? We are going on vacation next week so want to do anything medical ASAP so that she's feeling better before she goes to a friend's house for the week.

 

I'd appreciate any advice

Edited May 1, 2010 by Meandmy

[CaliforniaGreys]

I'm just guessing that the vet didn't grow a culture? I think that would be a good idea.

She may need a different antibiotic to knock it out.

 

Keep us posted if you will

[Meandmy]

That's what I was thinking. How long does that take? Just trying to figure out timing before we go out of town.

[CaliforniaGreys]

That's what I was thinking. How long does that take? Just trying to figure out timing before we go out of town.

 

Usually 2-3 days to grow the culture. But I think she may have to be off the antibiotic for a week to 10 days.

 

Some vets will just switch the antibiotic but that can be a crap shoot so to speak.

[Guest Energy11]

I'd also ask the vet for a culture. Maybe the current abs are "keeping the infection at bay," so to speak, but not knocking it out.

 

Good Luck ... Hope she feels better soon!

[GeorgeofNE]

George was tested over and over and over for a UTI because he kept peeing in the house. He was cultured twice. Every single test was negative. All blood work was normal. But every time he took antibiotics of ANY kind for more than a week, he stopped! Within weeks of finishing, he'd start again.

 

Finally we did 14 weeks of Baytril, and he hasn't peed in the house since!

 

Draw our own conclusions, but my vet says he is not the first greyhound she has had the same issue with, treated the same way, and gotten the same result. Of course this was all immediately after adoption--but did go on for a YEAR before we got him fixed up...your situation sounds different, but I'd ask to try again with a broad spectrum antibiotic.