My Worst Nightmare

[Christine]

Sometimes they can really be stubborn, especially if they cannot pinpoint the right medication for the cause. Here is an article from a http://www.vetinfo.com where they are answering someone who is dealing with a chronic UTI ...maybe something there will help at least have your vet check another avenue.

http://www.vetinfo.com/dbladder.html

Sending your little Tallula healing vibes and prayers...

[slshepherds]

Hi Ricky

Carl has been dealing with a resistant UTI since November of 2010, and his vets (including a veterinary urologist) doubt we'll ever fully be able to clear it. Unfortunately UTI's are a recognized complication for dogs who can't fully empty their own bladders, which is why they can be such a problem for paralyzed pups.

The big thing is to culture regularly (if Talulla has not had one ask your vet to do one) and use the weakest antibiotic that will deal with the problem - you may well need the big guns later. I finally have Carl with a negative culture, but this was after a 6 week course if injectable meropenem, followed straight away by a 6 week course of clavamox.

Hopefully now Talulla is more mobile, once you clear this infection she will not have more.

Joanne

[Bobbie]

Encourage her to drink more water, if she doesn't like it flavor it with pumpkin or yogurt or unsalted chicken broth to encourage more consumption. It seems counterproductive when a dog is incontinent but lots of fluids helps with UTI and future prevention of them. With a female, using a clean up such as a diaper wipe after she poops may help keep bacteria away from her urinary tract. If she is wearing diapers make sure they are not left on wet very long.

As Joanne said, culturing the urine may help the vet find a good antibiotic and then she should stay on it for longer than the vet probably does for a non paralyzed dog. We see a lot of cases where the dog is off the antibiotic after two weeks and the UTI comes right back so at this point I would say stay on it 4-6 weeks. If it comes back like that the old antibiotic won't work again so you need to try a new one, in my experience this is not something vets routinely do but it makes sense.

[Ricky35]

Thanks for the quick responses. My wife just got back from the vet and they are giving her a different antibiotic. We did have a culture done and it came back positive. The thing that worries me is that there is a discharge of pus. The vet said that if the new antibiotics don't clear it up, he would suggest that a sonogram be done to rule out anything more serious. I never realized that UTI's were so hard to clear up. If it's not one thing, it's another! Thanks again everyone! Ricky

[Bobbie]

The culture should come bsck with a recommendation for an effective antibiotic, but an ultrasound may be a good idea. Though UTIs in paralyzed dogs are not uncommon and usually do not mean anything else is going on. I have heard of pus. UTIs are way more common in females and my dogs are male so luckily no major issues here.

Anyway, if the new antibiotic seems to work but is prescribed for two weeks or less, ask to continue it another two, with NO break in between, that is, don't wait for the UTI to come back.

[Ricky35]

Hi Bobbie. Just wanted to let you know that the vet did exactly what you said. We were given enough antibiotics that to take us past the usual amount of time that the infection would be treated. Thanks for the tip. Ricky

[Christine]

Ricky, sounds like you have a good vet who will listen and realizes that you are there for the long run. Fingers crossed that Tallula kicks this UTI to the curb.

[Ricky35]

Thanks Christine. The sooner we get this thing licked, the sooner we can start the hydrotherapy. We can't do it while she has the infection.

[Shaz]

Hi Ricky

My Pug had recurrent UTI's and appeared better with antibiotics but would relapse. An X Ray showed bladder stones and a Urine Analysis showed crystals. She has been having Hill's Crystal Diet and Bladder Stone Diet for a couple of months and so far no more infections. Maybe the Sonogram will show something that is easily remedied. Good Luck!

[Ricky35]

Thanks Sharon. I really hope that it is something simple like that. If she still has the infection after all the meds are gone, we are going ahead with the sonogram.

[Ricky35]

Hi all. Talulla is plugging along. We are able to go on fairly good walks now with the assistance of a sling. The one problem we are having is that she thinks she can still do all the stuff she did before all this happened! But thats ok with me. It warms my heart when I see her throwing her toy around and then "run" after it. My wish is that by the spring, we will be able to go for walks without the sling, and that she really will be able to run a little. She has come so far though since September and I feel truly blessed. I know that I have thanked you all many times for all the help. but I need to do it again. Ricky

[kadysmom]

Hey Ricky good to hear!! Just be careful . I think our Dr told us it takes about 12 weeks for the spot where they operated on daisy at to harden. Daisy wanted to do all the things she use to do also but dr really stressed 12 weeks of avoiding any sudden twists from running and playing. Like I said before daisy walks like a drunk and has a limp but she can run like #### and it's been about a yr and a half and we still yell at her to settle down. She's a wild woman. Keep up the good progress tallula!!!

[Ricky35]

Hi Kadysmom. Believe me, I'm trying! I don't let her run wild, although she would like to. She also wants to get up on the couch like she used to, but we don't let her climb up. We will put her on the couch if someone is going to be there and place cushions on the floor in front of the couch just in case. She also still goes to therapy every week, so hopefully that will help in the recovery. She has come such a long way since September, and I'm so thankful for that. Have a great weekend! Ricky

[Jean]

I am sorry if something I say has been mentioned before but I just wanted to emphasize a few very important things.
I have been expressing bladders for 13 years and from my experience the number 1 reason that pets have bladder infections is due to not totally emptying the bladder. I express my paralyzed pets and then come back and express what I missed 5-10 minutes later.
Make sure you have your vet check to see if you are totally emptying your pet's bladder.
Second, culturing is so important. As my paralyzed pets age they seem to have more antibiotic resistant infections. When they were younger amoxicillin would always be affective but now we are having to use more high powered antibiotics.
Third, some pets have to have bladder meds to totally empty the bladder.
My paralyzed pets use a combination of Robaxin (muscle relaxer), bethanechol and phenoxybenzamine.
Lastly, find a vet who is willing to work with you. My vet when he started working with me and my kids had seldom seen paralyzed pets and had never had a paralyzed cat as a patient. But, he was willing to learn and we make a great team ! /Jean

[Ricky35]

Hi Jean. Thanks for the reply. Talulla went to the vet for therapy today and they are doing a culture on her. And you are correct about emptying her. On a few occasions, I have gone back a short time after expressing her and have found more in her. I was sure I got it all out the first time. I'm just hoping that the culture comes back negative this time. I'll let you know when I hear. Ricky