Just like humans, dogs can suffer from urinary tract infections (UTIs). Fortunately, UTIs are easy to treat in dogs as they are in humans. Most cases clear up after a simple round of antibiotics.

UTIs occur when bacteria enters the urinary tract. Dogs with compromised immune systems from a previous illness, stress or another cause, are more susceptible to developing UTIs. Serious complications can occur if the infection is left untreated.

How to Tell if Your Dog has a UTI

These infections are uncomfortable, so your dog will show signs of distress. The infection may occur in the urethra, bladder or kidney. Symptoms include:

• Blood in the urine – if the blood occurs at the beginning or end of the stream, the infection is most likely in the bladder. If blood is continuously present, the infection is probably in the kidney.
• Difficulty urinating – your dog may strain to urinate or cry out while urinating.
• Frequent attempts to urinate
• Accidents around the house
• Excessive licking
• Bad smelling, cloudy urine

If the infection is serious, you may see symptoms like:

• Weight loss
• Vomiting
• Lack of appetite
• Fever
• Tenderness in the lower abdomen
• Lethargy

Because these symptoms are similar to other conditions, a urinanalysis will need to be performed by your veterinarian to confirm a UTI. If your dog is acting abnormal and showing signs of distress, give your veterinarian a call.

 

When a dog has a urinary tract infection, they are treated very similar in the way that a human is treated for this type of infection. If your dog is suffering from a urinary tract infection, this is a serious matter that needs to be handled immediately. Even though the signs and symptoms of this particular infection vary, this condition is treated as an emergency situation. The very first step that you will need to take is seek immediate emergency care for your pet. Once your furry friend has been properly diagnosed, there will be a few treatment options available. A few of these treatments include:

• Dietary changes
• Increased water intake
• Medications
• Supplements
• Antibiotics
• Surgery

These are just a few treatments that are available for dogs if they happen to get a urinary tract infection. Depending upon the severity of the dog’s condition, more extreme measures may need to be taken, such as surgery. A lot of the time, a dog is back to normal health within a few days and proper antibiotics.

During the time that your furry family member is recovering, a lot of rest and down time will be needed. Some dogs recover in as little as two to three days and others take a little more time to get themselves together. In any event, your dog should have at least an entire day to relax and let the medication take effect.

If you suspect that your pet is suffering from a urinary tract infection, the best thing that you can do is make a visit to your veterinarian’s office. Even if your pet turns out okay and nothing is wrong, it is a lot better to be safe than sorry. If this condition is left untreated, the results are critical. Serious problems such as bladder infections and life-threating illnesses can occur as a result from non-treatment.

There are a few signs that will indicate that your little furry friend may be suffering from a urinary tract infection. If you notice certain changes in your pet such as:

• Cloudy urine
• Lethargy
• Severe back pain
• Weight loss
• Bloody urine
• Strong odor from urine
• Fever
• Loss of total bladder control

If you notice any of these instances, it is essential that you contact your veterinarian office immediately. If you happen to notice these symptoms on a weekend or late at night, the chances of you seeing your veterinarian at that time are slim. Try to find an emergency vet that is local to you.

 

Contrary to popular belief, dogs are a lot like humans in many ways. Dogs make awesome family pets and you want to make sure that they stay around for many years. In order to do this, you have to properly care for them. When it comes to your dog’s urinary issues, there are a lot of issues that can take place and cause your furry friend to be in a lot of pain. A few of these problems include:

• Bladder stones or crystals that appear within the urine
• Cancer
• Bacterial infections
• Trauma

You may be wondering what causes a dog to experience these issues. A urinary tract infection within a dog could be caused by many different things. A few of these things include:

• Cancer
• Stress
• Trauma

In any event, you may be wondering what you need to look for so that you will be able to take care of the situation immediately. The quicker you get this situation handled and under control, the better your dog will feel and the healthier he will be. Depending upon when you catch the infection, your furry pet may have a quick or a slow recovery. There are a few symptoms that you can look for to quickly tell if your dog is suffering from a UTI. A few of these symptoms include:

• Vomiting
• Weight loss
• Extreme back pain
• Higher levels of water consumption
• Fever
• Loss of control in the bladder
• Cloudy urine
• Bloody urine
• Dribbling urine

There are a lot of other symptoms that you may want to look for, which include:

• Frequent urination
• Urine with a strong odor
• Change in appetite

Each of these symptoms will let you know that you should seek prompt medical assistance for your dog. Keep in mind that you may fail to realize that your dog is suffering from all of these symptoms, but in any event, you should schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to make sure that your little furry friend is alright and not suffering from a urinary tract infection. Another factor that you will need to acknowledge is that all dogs are not the same. You will not be able to diagnose your dog’s symptoms and behavior using another dog’s symptoms and behavior instances. This is the primary reason that it is critical that you schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.