Visit vet for your pet's urinary tract infection

My cocker spaniel, Maggie, is nine years old. She has had a urinary tract infection for the past year. I've been giving her antibiotics to calm the symptoms, but they cause diarrhea and loss of appetite. I've tried cranberry supplements but it's not working to stop the infection. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Wendy

Readers, I contacted Wendy for more information and found, although the onset of Maggie urinary tract infection (UTI) was diagnosed over a year ago, Wendy has not mentioned this problem to her veterinarian since that time.

Maggie's infection was discovered with a urine sample examined under a microscope. A commonly used antibiotic was prescribed and the veterinarian suggested sending the sample to an outside laboratory to properly identify the bacteria and submit a list of antibiotics most effective to destroy it.

The lab requires a few days to grow a culture and check its sensitivity against a variety of antibiotics. While awaiting the lab's report, the initial antibiotic was prescribed to help decrease the symptoms and would, very likely, prove to be one of the types listed on the lab's report had a urine sample been sent for identification. It's also possible, however, the lab results may have shown a different type of bacteria requiring a different group of antibiotics. That being the case, Wendy's veterinarian would have substituted the initial antibiotic for one recommended by the lab.

Wendy refused the culture because of the additional cost, plus the knowledge the initial antibiotic stood an excellent chance of clearing the infection. But, she made the mistake of stopping the treatment after only 48 hours when symptoms appeared to subside. While symptoms often decrease rapidly when antibiotics enter the body, the full course of treatment is required to ensure the infection is completely eliminated. Elimination can be confirmed only through a urine re-check.

As Maggie's symptoms continued to return, Wendy gave her a few antibiotics and stopped again when symptoms decreased. When she ran out of antibiotics prescribed by her veterinarian, she used a different medication from an open prescription written by a medical doctor to address one of Wendy's own medical problems. It is extremely dangerous to assume meds meant for human use can be transferred to an animal.

UTI's can be very painful and although they're usually considered an easy fix when caught in an early stage, if left to brew, they can result in a variety of secondary problems such as renal failure, kidney or bladder stones, and a weakened immune system that can leave the body susceptible to multitudes of complications.

I urged Wendy to take Maggie back to her veterinarian and follow her instructions without fail. If the prescribed medication causes diarrhea, inappetence or any other side effect, her veterinarian can offer ideas to help.

Cranberry, lime, orange juice and apple cider vinegar are often suggested to help avoid recurring urinary tract infections in humans as well as animals. Cranberry supplements are readily available at most health and drug stores and can be mixed into food or hidden in a treat. Lime and orange juice and apple cider vinegar may be added to the pet's food or drinking water. Home remedies such as these are thought to create an unfriendly atmosphere for bacteria in the urinary tract. They're used as a preventive, not as a cure for an existing infection, and should be given only on the advice of a veterinarian and in conjunction with tried-and-true conventional treatments.

Wendy, I hope Maggie's infection clears up quickly following her visit to the veterinarian. Don't forget to tell your vet if you notice any negative side effects from the prescribed medication, and find out when you should bring another urine sample to the clinic for analysis to make sure the infection is truly gone. Your vet can give you a sterile container for this purpose.

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