Urinary Tract Infection In Dogs: Causes And Treatment
A urinary tract infection in dogs is more common than you think. It causes discomfort and pain in your pet, especially in the kidneys and other areas of the urinary tract.
We’ll talk about the causes, treatments, and also how to tell if your dog is suffering from it.
Causes of Urinary Tract Infection in Dogs
A urinary tract infection can have in dogs different causes. Sometimes it can develop without showing any visible symptoms. For this reason, regular veterinary examinations play a very important role.
The most common causes of urinary tract infection in dogs are:
- Bacterial infections
- Endocrine diseases
- Long-term medication use
- Accumulation of ureteral stones
- Fungal infections
- Bladder incontinence
- injury
- cancer
- Prostate disease
- Bone marrow abnormality or other birth defects
Symptoms of urinary tract infection in dogs
Urinary tract infection in dogs presents a number of symptoms. If you notice this, you will need to have a dog treated by a veterinarian.
But sometimes the disease is symptom-free and has no external features.
Looking for changes in your pet’s behavior or character is an essential step in helping him or her right away. The most common signs of a urinary tract infection in dogs are:
- Blood in the urine
- fever
- Bladder incontinence
- Pee more or more often
- Compulsive licking of the genitals
- Strong urine odor
- Difficulty peeing
- Weight loss
- lethargy
- Pain from pressure on the lower back
These symptoms are a warning sign that something is wrong with your dog’s urinary tract. Although the most common cause is infection, there could be a bigger problem. So don’t hesitate to take him to the vet quickly.
Treatment of urinary tract infections in dogs
The vet will determine the correct treatment because, as you saw at the beginning, this infection can have different causes and each requires different treatment. The vet will first take a urine sample and analyze it.
The presence of white blood cells can tell that there is an infection in the urinary tract caused by bacteria or urinary stones. Usually this test is enough to diagnose a urinary tract infection and know how to treat it.
However, if the dog has very severe symptoms, other tests may be done to determine how far the infection has spread.
Treatment depends on the type and extent of the infection. The most common therapies are:
- Antibiotics or other drugs
- different diet
- Increase water intake
- Urine alkalinization or acidification
- intravenous fluid therapy
- Surgery in the most severe cases
- Treating the underlying disease. Sometimes a urinary tract infection in dogs is caused by another disease. If you treat these, the infection will go away.
What can you do?
Even if your dog has already been diagnosed with an infection and is under medical treatment, you can help make it faster and more comfortable. Here are some tips:
Pay attention to cleanliness and hygiene
This is very important because if you already have an infection, dirt affects the organism faster and promotes the spread of harmful bacteria. You too can become infected by poor hygiene.
Medication
Don’t forget to give your furry friend the medication on time. This is important for the effective treatment of urinary tract infection. Give your dog only medication prescribed by a doctor and do not stop it prematurely.
Clean water
Always keep your dog’s water clean and fresh, and make sure he drinks more than usual. If you see him struggling, you can give him a shot to help. Water is essential for quick healing.
Don’t hug him
The infection causes discomfort in various parts of the body, so your dog cannot cuddle and hug now. Keep calm, he knows you like him.
Don’t worry, dog urinary tract infections are common and rarely lead to complications. It’s easy to handle, and there are a lot you can do for your pet with these tips.
