Urinary system bacterial diseases or urinary tract infections are an extremely common condition in puppies and adult dogs. It is seen more often in older female dogs, but can be found in dogs of any age or sex. Dog urinary tract infections can result in some level of distress and pain, and in some cases trigger the bacteria to travel up the ureters to the kidneys. Most often a urinary or bladder infection develops when harmful bacteria from the exterior of the body moves up within the urinary pathway via the urethra, the tube that transports urine out of the body into the urinary bladder. The bacteria then colonizes in the bladder to a level that causes issues.
The reason for more caution with females is the shorter length of the urethra and the wider opening for carrying urine out of the body. The male penis has a smaller diameter than the female opening and provides a greater distance to travel. Seniors are at greater risk because of the potential of a depressed immune mechanism, which will allow the bacteria to colonize and take advantage of the bodys inability to ward off the bacteria. Certain diseases can also hep to promote the formation of urinary tract infections like diabetes mellitus. In this case sugar levels rise in the urine, leading to a perfect circumstances for bacterial formation. Overweight cats are also susceptible. Moisture buildup in these folds enables bacterial to colonize, especially when the folds are around the entrance to the urethra.
There are many symptoms that can indicate that a canine UTI is tis putting your dog at risk. The first visible symptom is some type of change in normal urinary behavior, for example having accdients inside the house. This is inot due to a behavior problem, but as a result of the urinary pain felt by the dog. To attain relief, the dog attempts to empty the bladder frequently, regardless of teh location. Since the dog urinates more often, she or he will also urinate in smaller quantities. A dog may even appear to be urinating or straining to pee with no actual urine being expelled from the body. Other indications can include canine blood in the pee or a definite urine smell.
In the event that you observe a dog pushing or straining to piss, or a rise in frequency, its critical that you visit the vet as quickly as possible. The veterinarian will conduct a urinalysis, which checks the amount of crystals in the urine, white blood cells and red blood cells. A urine sample also will be placed into a special container to determine if bacteria begins to grow. Based on these test results a Vet will know which of the many antibiotics should be prescribed. Once a dog is taking antibiotics, improvement should occur in about 48 hours.
Once treatment concludes, testing will be repeated to make certain that the urinary problem has been cured. If a dog fails to respond, or if frequent infections continue to be a problem, the doctor will do extra testing for issues like diabetes mellitus or an infection which has moved into the kidneys via the ureters.
The reason for more caution with females is the shorter length of the urethra and the wider opening for carrying urine out of the body. The male penis has a smaller diameter than the female opening and provides a greater distance to travel. Seniors are at greater risk because of the potential of a depressed immune mechanism, which will allow the bacteria to colonize and take advantage of the bodys inability to ward off the bacteria. Certain diseases can also hep to promote the formation of urinary tract infections like diabetes mellitus. In this case sugar levels rise in the urine, leading to a perfect circumstances for bacterial formation. Overweight cats are also susceptible. Moisture buildup in these folds enables bacterial to colonize, especially when the folds are around the entrance to the urethra.
There are many symptoms that can indicate that a canine UTI is tis putting your dog at risk. The first visible symptom is some type of change in normal urinary behavior, for example having accdients inside the house. This is inot due to a behavior problem, but as a result of the urinary pain felt by the dog. To attain relief, the dog attempts to empty the bladder frequently, regardless of teh location. Since the dog urinates more often, she or he will also urinate in smaller quantities. A dog may even appear to be urinating or straining to pee with no actual urine being expelled from the body. Other indications can include canine blood in the pee or a definite urine smell.
In the event that you observe a dog pushing or straining to piss, or a rise in frequency, its critical that you visit the vet as quickly as possible. The veterinarian will conduct a urinalysis, which checks the amount of crystals in the urine, white blood cells and red blood cells. A urine sample also will be placed into a special container to determine if bacteria begins to grow. Based on these test results a Vet will know which of the many antibiotics should be prescribed. Once a dog is taking antibiotics, improvement should occur in about 48 hours.
Once treatment concludes, testing will be repeated to make certain that the urinary problem has been cured. If a dog fails to respond, or if frequent infections continue to be a problem, the doctor will do extra testing for issues like diabetes mellitus or an infection which has moved into the kidneys via the ureters.
About the Author:
Cathy Doggins is the author of many articles on urinary problems in dogs. In addition to writing on dog health, Cathy edits the leading dog health guide as well as many other sties. When not writing or speaking about dogs and wellbeing, she can be seen working at a local canine shelter.
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