What is a dog urinary tract infection? What symptoms will there be? How can it be treated?
Dogs, like people, can also get sick from bacterial infections, such as urinary tract infections, a type of bacterial cystitis, which is a common infectious disease in dogs that affects dogs a lot. So how does this disease get infected, and what should dogs pay attention to?
What can cause urinary tract infections in dogs?
The main causes of canine UTIs are bacteria, fungi, or parasites in the urethra (kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra). Bacteria enter your dog's body through their urethral entrance. When a dog's feces or other body digestion comes into contact with the area, they can become infected. The urine in your dog's bladder should itself be sterile, but if bacteria get into your dog's bladder, they can continue to grow and replicate, causing a UTI. Among them, Escherichia coli and Proteus are the most common urinary tract infections.
Also, dogs with more skin folds or who are overweight are more likely than other dogs to get UTIs.
At the age level, dogs older than 7 years are also at increased risk for the disease.
What Are the Symptoms of a UTI in Dogs?
A very common sign of a dog with a UTI is that they urinate more frequently. You'll notice that the dog will do the peeing motion more often. If the dog is a bitch, they may squat frequently, just as male dogs raise their legs to mark.
In addition to symptoms of frequent urination, dogs may also have some signs of a urinary tract infection:
The dog's urine will be bloody or cloudy.
The dog will not urinate smoothly, whine or complain, and appear more distressed.
The dog often licks the opening of the urethra;
If such symptoms appear, it means that the dog is not in the right state. Of course, it may be a urinary tract infection, but other problems cannot be ruled out; Go to the vet. The reason why it is recommended to take dogs for routine physical examination is that the symptoms of urinary tract infection in dogs are sometimes not particularly obvious.
How Can Dogs Prevent Urinary Tract Infections?
There is no surefire way to prevent disease, but if we make some improvements up front, we can give dogs a healthier lifestyle.
Minimizes bacterial growth. Clean your dog's water bowl regularly, especially if you see your dog drooling in the bowl or food floating in the water, empty it out for your dog, clean the water bowl, and give your dog fresh water to drink.
Don't let the dog hold back urine for a long time. Give your dog plenty of time to relax his bladder.
Keep your dog clean and tidy. If your dog has long hair, trim it regularly. If your dog is dirty, give him a bath to clean him up, or wipe him down with a damp washcloth to get rid of germs.
Provide your dog with a healthy diet. If possible, consider improving your dog's diet to promote urinary health. Prescription treatments are also available for dogs with bladder problems. In the meantime, some dogs may take supplements, such as glucosamine. These dietary adjustments or supplements help to form a protective mucus layer on the dog's bladder wall to keep bacteria out. Of course, if you want to change your dog's diet, it's best to talk to your dog's veterinarian first to see if this is recommended.
What is the treatment for a urinary tract infection?
If a dog is diagnosed with a UTI, some doctors will treat the dog with antibiotics.
In addition to this treatment, we can also treat urinary tract infections in dogs at home with the doctor's permission.
Add a teaspoon (small dogs) or 1-2 tablespoons (large dogs) of apple cider vinegar to your dog's water bowl. Repeat twice daily for 7 to 10 days, depending on the severity of the UTI. If some dogs don't like the taste of apple cider vinegar, you can switch to water without apple cider vinegar later.
Let the dog soak in hot water for ten minutes (not too hot and not too deep) to help the dog relax its muscles. Then wash the dog with mild soap, paying attention to the dog's genital area, do not rub the soap on the area for too long, and be sure to rinse the area with clean warm water. Do this every few days until the infection clears up.
Let the dog drink more water, so that you can put more pots in the room. Change the water once or twice a day to make sure it is clean and fresh.
Crush 500 mg of vitamin C tablets and mix it into the dog's dog food once a day for seven consecutive days.
Give your dog 1-3 tablespoons of pure citrus juice without added sugar, which can aggravate your dog's infection symptoms.
Add about two teaspoons of chopped blueberries or cranberries to your dog's food twice a day for seven to ten days.
Dogs are also able to recover more quickly from UTIs when these treatments are performed at home under the supervision of a doctor.
Has your dog ever had a urinary tract infection? How did you handle it?