UTI in Dog By Tess Thompson Canine and feline urinary tract infection is as troublesome for your pet as it may be to you. Occurrence of urinary tract infection in dogs however, is much more common than in humans. Sometimes the pain that the infection causes can be excruciating and this can trouble the dog to a great extent. A urinary tract infection in dogs has far reaching consequences if not treated early. The infection that usually starts from the urethra and bladder travels upwards and can cause damage to other organs as well. UTI is associated with canine and feline urinary incontinence and urine accumulation as well. Abnormal accumulation of urine can ultimately lead to kidney damage, kidney failure and death. Wetting is a major problem with young pups. Wetting caused by over excitement may be ignored but instances of continued prevalence of the condition may be indicative of UTI in puppies. The prevalence of UTI may make it difficult to toilet train a young dog. Signs of urinary tract infection are easily observed and a quick check using urine culture can confirm the diagnosis in the early stages. Prostatitis is common fallout of UTI in male dogs. Infection causes the prostate gland in males to enlarge and block free flow of urine. At this point bacteria from the UTI may start to move towards other organs via the bloodstream. Even if the infection remains localized within the prostate gland it may form an abscess which makes it necessary that a clinical assessment is sought at the earliest. Septicemia may occur due to an invasion of virulent microorganisms in the bloodstream from the urinary tract. Bacteria can multiply and can potentially affect any organ in the body. This can eventually infect the heart valves and the lining of the heart. It can also infect and inflame the intervertebral disks. There is usually an underlying disease that causes UTI. The underlying cause needs to be identified and that cause should be corrected. Some of the common causes of UTI in dogs include bladder stones, tumors of bladder, diabetes and Cushing’s syndrome. Medications used to treat some of these diseases, especially immunosuppressive drugs like cortisone and anti cancer drugs may also cause urinary tract infection in dogs. Studies are being conducted on dogs with urinary tract infections and dogs with endocrinal disease like hyperadrenocorticism or diabetes or both. The results show a substantial co- occurrence of UTI with endocrinal diseases making urinalysis necessary for dogs with endocrinal problems. As clinical symptoms of UTI are vague and laboratory tests can be normal in many cases, urine culture has to be done for correct evaluation. Urine cultures will also reveal the specific bacterium that is growing inside. Early assessment and treatment can stem the spread of infection. E. coli, the most common bacterium isolated during urine cultures, although normally present in the intestinal tract can be pathogenic in certain cases and can be a threat to safety. References: http://www.barkbytes.com/medical/med0080.htm http://www.preciouspets.org/newsletters/articles/urinary-tract-infections.htm http://www.vetcontact.com/en/art.php?a=1041&t=
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