I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

For those seeking advice on caring for incontinent pets and animals with kidney-related problems.
shaesgrammi
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I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by shaesgrammi »

Hi everyone, I have a partially paraylised dog named Turbo..I have posted a picture of him. He is a sweetheart. We got him in May and he has been doing very well. I express him 3-4 times a day and thought all was well. I had a urine test a month after we had him and all was good. Anyhow a couple of days ago while expressing him he lifted his head up and sniffed like he smelt something funny. I didnt notice it at all. I expressed him tonight and there was blood and he was uncomfortable while expressing him especially at the end. I have noticed over the last couple of months while receiving accupunture for his injuries he is tensing up in the bladder when I express him. Like he wont relax it and let me get all the urine out. I thought I was doing a good job and now I feel I have failed him :cry: I thought everything was ok..I have to take him to the vet tomorrow. I am worried that once he has had an infection that now he will get them all the time. He has been injured since April and has not had an infection until now so it must be me.. :oops: :cry: Has anyone else felt this way and what were the odds of him never getting an infection and am I being unrealistic thinking I could do this properly so he wouldnt ever get one?
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slshepherds
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by slshepherds »

Hi, Let me try this again, I thought I posted this morning but I can't find the post anywhere!

I'm Joanne and I have 2 paralyzed dogs, Carl (Lab) and Teddy (Corgi). Please don't feel guilty, you are doing the right thing! Unfortunately, being paralyzed does increase the risk/chance of getting urinary tract infections ( UTI's) as it is difficult to totally express the bladder. I adopted Carl in January 2010 and he was great until the late summer when he got his first UTI. It was susceptible to all antibiotics and was easily "cured" or so I thought. In October he got another, this one more resistant, and then again in late November and one we just started treating yesterday. It is frustrating dealing with these infections, but I am hopeful that Carl's neurologist can devise a treatment protocol that will keep him UTI free in the long term.

The big thing with UTI's in paralyzed dogs is to get a urine culture done. UTI's can quickly become antibiotic resistant, especially if the infection is e-coli (Carl is resistant to all but 2 antibiotics). You want to use the weakest antibiotic to start with so you have the big guns for later if you need them. Carl's neurologist recommends I do a culture every 6 months to make sure there isn't anything going on that is not yet visible, another way to try to keep UTI's under control.

Wishing you the best
Joanne
Joanne
Carl, Tiny, Freckles (paralyzed Lab, mix and Red Heeler)
Sam I Am (Lymphoma, Lab)
Eli, Aoibhe, Tesla (limb deformities, GSDs and Lab mix)
Mochridhe (storage disease, GSD)

http://www.straightlegshepherds.org
http://www.paralyzeddogs.org
marilynb
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by marilynb »

Please don't blame yourself.My paraylised dog never had a bladder, however he did have bleeding from the penis as I was changing him. I took him to the ve and he had bladder stones, so please do take him to the vet , let us know how he is doing. We all care on this board.


Marilyn and Wally
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critters
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by critters »

A UTI with a paraplegic is pretty much SOP, especially early on, but they can show up periodically anyway. Peeing "Kool Aid" is a good indicator of one. :(
shaesgrammi
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Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 1:31 am

Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by shaesgrammi »

Thank you all so much for responding..I really appreciate your kindess and information. Turbo was treated for a UTI yesterday and is doing much better, no more blood so far. He seems like more himself. What is considered the big guns for antibiotics? I am in Canada so not sure if the antibiotics used here are different? I am very interested in knowing what meds were used when first getting an infection. Not sure if my vet has had experience with a paraylised dog before so any help would be so appreciated..thanks a million, Leanne :thankyou:
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CarolC
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by CarolC »

My dog usually just gets amoxicillin. There are other medications they can use, but that's a common one they will try. I would not worry, having one infection does not mean you will have recurring infections. Is he easier to express now?
shaesgrammi
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by shaesgrammi »

He is..When I get near the end he tenses up, his back legs as well..not sure what this means..thank you again for your help. It really means so much.. :thankyou:
lexisusan
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by lexisusan »

Hi there! I have a paralyzed dog as well. I am going on three years of bladder infections on and off. Baytril is considered the big gun antibiotic. So it's better if you have your dogs urine cultured so that you can stick with the basics like clavamox and amox. My dog was having UTIs nonstop for almost a year. My vet put her on a human drug called methenamine madelate...its not an antibiotic. She takes it twice a day and didn't have an infection for 6 months. Unfortunately she just recently got another one. However, I am thankful that this medicine kept her UTI free for as long as it did. Hopefully we will cure this one up and once it gets colder we can keep the infections away easier. I know how frustrating it is. I get myself all worked up everytime I find out she has another infection. I guess all we can do is continue to keep them clean and care for them as best we can. Hopefully that will keep the infections to a minimum! Good Luck!
Tracy928
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by Tracy928 »

My 4 yr old shih tzu recently became paralysed due to IVDD. I thought I had a handle on expressing his bladder but her is on his 2nd UTI in 6 weeks. I felt so guilty like you, but you can't beat yourself up. These dogs are prone to UTI's and that is that. My guy had surgery and a catheter for 2 weeks. He pulled the catheter out (ouch) twice. This I'm sure is what gave him the 1st infection. That and being on steroids makes them more prone to infection. He had a dose of antibiotics for 2 weeks and I noticed the 2nd infection a week after being off the meds. The vet seemed to think he wasn't over the 1st infection. So another round of antibiotics and a supplement for urinary tract health. They are disguised as treats and have cranberry extract in them. Hoping to get these under control soon.
ladylinda
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by ladylinda »

I am so suprised to find this sight. MY dog Magnolia was hit by a car when she was 7 months old. She was paralyzed from the waist down. She has had multiple urinary tract infections, I am so frustrated, I do not want to mention the money involved, the thing is, I do everything I can think ogf and am beside myself. What else can I do. What I did today was switch from cranberry to other homeopathic remedies for canine. I feel like I want to cry, especially since I read your post.
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CarolC
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by CarolC »

Hi ladylinda,

Do you mind if I ask you a whole bunch of questions to get a better picture?
Are you expressing her bladder? How often?
Does she wear a diaper? Is it all day or part of the day? Does it have an open tail hole?
What kind of a dog is she and where on her back was she injured (upper back, mid back, lower back, tail area?)
Is she fixed?

I am sure there will be more questions, but that was a lot to begin with. :)

:group:
giselle.bussi
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by giselle.bussi »

Hi. I have a paralyzed dog. He`s having recurrents UTIs. My problem is that I can`t express his bladder because its never full, he`s always leaking and always on diappers. Somethimes he eats the diappers or free his penis. In the past he almost eat his own penis and we need to do a surgery to cut half of it and the skin was remodeled. So I think that is the open door for the bacteria. I`m here to ask If there are something I would to do to prevent UTIs. He was on clavamox for 21 days and after 7 days without the med the UTI start again yesterday. We are going to Vet again today, probably to re-srart the treatment. Please... Say if you guys know something that can help. Thank You.
Aaah... We are gaving him dryied Cranberries.. but think that isn`t enough.
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critters
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by critters »

:whale: I'd be willing to bet that he has "funny feelings" in his body from the damaged nerves. Gabapentin (Neurontin) can be a BIG help with that. It is a prescription medicine in the US.

I also wonder if this might not be a case for using Bethanechol, a prescription medicine in the US. In my experience, it increased the bladder tone, which may be what you want--his bladder is too floppy and leaky already. If he's leaking less, you might be able to express, or maybe he could even pee on his own.
giselle.bussi
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by giselle.bussi »

I forgot to mention that he is paralyzed because his spine was broked by a car (in L2). I found him in the street after the accident. The Vet says in that moment that he will not be able to pee by himself again. As long now we are here in US I'll ask the Vet about the medicine you mention. Thanks a lot for your answer. It is very helpfull.
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critters
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Re: I feel so guilty bladder infection in my paraylised dog

Post by critters »

giselle.bussi wrote: The Vet says in that moment that he will not be able to pee by himself again.l.
There's an old saying--Never say never. :lol: Vets have been known to be surprised before!

You might want to consider trying to find a vet with more experience with disabilities. While your vet seems OK, some vets are more willing and more able to deal with the special circumstances of severe disabilities.

:thankyou: for taking him in!
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