Uti Or Marking?

[sarabz]

Curious about symptoms of a UTI vs marking. Bella used to have one big pee and then one smaller on our walks, and in the past few weeks the first pee has gotten much shorter, but then she'll stop several times (anywhere from 2-3 on a 10-minute walk to a dozen if we're out for close to an hour) and pee in small amounts. I'm pretty confident that she's marking, as it's always after sniffing and she definitely has some spots that she will ALWAYS pee in, no matter how much she's already gone. We do live in NYC, so there's lots of other pee-mail to check up on and reply to

 

However, I don't want to get complacent - what are symptoms of a UTI that I should look out for?

She's not straining, no visible blood in urine, no visible discomfort of any sort.

 

Thanks!

[Batmom]

The bottom line is ... you can't tell.

 

If she doesn't seem to be in any discomfort and isn't having problems holding it indoors, she's probably fine.

[Guest Energy11]

Hard to say. I'd at least take a urine sample into the vet, just to be on the safe side. Good Luck!

[Guest Samantha]

Maddison pee's a lot when out on walks, we took a urine sample to the vet which came back fine, she marks all the time, usually just a dribble lol. Best to get it checked, it puts your own mind at rest.

[JohnF]

You're right to notice a change in frequency. That may be sign of a mild lower tract UTI, or just a dog that's marking seriously against rivals. If the dog is making a hard job of urinating, then that's a sign too. If he's dribbling urine all the time then it's almost certain he has a bad infection..

With upper tract UTI's they can become very ill, dehydrated even though they drink a lot (skin stays tented on pinching, eyes sunken), temperature higher than normal, smelly urine maybe with some blood in it.

Edited May 29, 2010 by JohnF

[sarabz]

I guess I should specify that we've only had Bella 6 weeks, so she's constantly developing new behaviors. I'm not super-concerned because she's not showing any other signs of a UTI and has gotten progressively more frequent with urinating, but will keep an eye on her and probably take a sample in to be tested this week.

 

Thanks!

[Guest FreddyGirl]

Bring in the first pee of the day.

[Guest Cris_M]

I guess I should specify that we've only had Bella 6 weeks, so she's constantly developing new behaviors. I'm not super-concerned because she's not showing any other signs of a UTI and has gotten progressively more frequent with urinating, but will keep an eye on her and probably take a sample in to be tested this week.

 

Thanks!

 

That is a very short time for her to be with you. I would think that she is becoming used to her environment and is, indeed, marking. It happened with my Gabriel. Gotta say that he took marking to a whole new level -- each pee got smaller and smaller until he hiked his leg and nothing came out. Then, he just kept on "marking". Silly dog.

 

Seriously, if Bella isn't showing signs of discomfort, dribbling, lethargy, or peeing in the house, I personally wouldn't worry about it. If you continue to be concerned, by all means take her to the vet.

[jamngrey]

the only thing I can add is Cassie is a marker

[Guest MZH]

Peeing small amounts in the house is a sign of a UTI if they never did that before. Another is squatting in the house with nothing coming out. (I learned this from our Rita when she was new to us.)

[Guest MZH]

Oops, that was a double post.

Edited June 1, 2010 by MZH

[YvetteVal]

Gracie has frequent UTI's and is also a marker. I can tell when something is wrong because she pees in the house. She will pee as many times as she can on a walk.

[Guest LindsaySF]

Sounds like marking to me. I would be more worried if she was peeing in the house also or had signs of discomfort.

[Guest Swarley]

same thing happened to us. we had only had swarley a couple of weeks and he had been great so far. no accidents in the house, would ask to go out when he needed to, etc. but he wasn't a very big marker at first. just one big pee at the beginning of a walk and that was it. and then it started to increase to one big one and then 7 or 8 smaller ones in an hour-long walk. it was hard to figure out if he was just getting more comfortable in his new neighborhood and wanted to mark territory or his something was wrong. but the sure fire sign was when he started to pee in the house. he would pee huge lakes and it was really stinky. actually, the smell kinda reminded me of marijuana. anyways, we took him in and he went on the meds and was fine in no time. but he does mark a lot more now than when we first got him.

[brandimom]

The first sign we get is peeing in the house in inappropriate places. There has never been any blood in the urine. As soon as we have seen her pee in those inappropriate places, off to the vet we go.