Have a puppy buyer whose pup came up with a UTI (no crystals) at approx 10 weeks. Was put on Clavamox and something for pain for 14 days.
Now puppy buyers says UTI is back after a week off meds and there is blood in urine.
Pup going in tomorrow first thing in the morning for a sterile sample.
Pup does NOT have an inverted vulva....
My question, what else could be causing this? They are using the same food as I did, PP Perf, all blankets and doggie beds are washed and clean.
I told her I would call her back tonight after I posted on this forum trying to get some ideas of possible causes.
The sterile draw and C&S should help pinpoint the correct antibiotic to use for the specific bug. my vet uses Amoxicillin in the interim....
Every time the pup squats to pee, bacteria can be entering the are, even off the ground. Clip her hair on and around the vulva short, and clean her vulval area a couple times a day.
Once she is done the antibiotics, I use a bit of AC vinegar in the drinking water for a few weeks. I also give a cranberry cap once a day until she is done her first season. Do not use the AC vinegar or cran cap until antibiotics are finished - they keep stuff from clinging to the bladder walls, and you WANT the antibiotic to cling!
Hope this helps. This regime has worked for my girls with UTI's.
Ectopic ureters can also cause recurrent UTI's- Labradors are a fairly common breed for this. If her UTI's don't clear up with the culture/sensitivity, you may have to start looking for a bigger problem.
14 days is not long enough (in my experience) for treating with antibiotics. Protocol is 3 weeks and I would use Clavamox.
Yes, UTI's can happen with ectopic ureters, but it's customary to treat for 3 weeks and wait to see how they do. I have had ectopic ureters before and have had pup on meds for an additional 3 or 4 weeks, before we did any other testing.
This is not an uncommon thing w/ puppy bitches. Usually starts w/ puppy vaginitis. Then anitibiotics are given and the whole natural flora gets thrown off and causes further problems.
Causes can be what has already been stated but also can be due to a less than optimum immune system as well as a soft vaginal and urinary tract. I had wanted to add that this puppy girl should be allowed one heat cycle before spaying her. Otherwise she could be plaqued w/ this through out her life off an on. This(letting her go through a cycle) will allow for changes in the vaginal and urinary tract walls that harden the walls and decrease susceptibility to infections.
I agree with all of the above. I went through this sort of thing with my one bitch. She had a recessed (not inverted) vulva that resulted in chronic UTIs and vaginitis. Most vets will push antibiotics (one of the biggest reasons we switched vets about 2 years ago was over a disagreement about pushing antibiotics for puppies- especially long term), but as Sherry implied, those will kill ALL the bacteria in the body- even the good bacteria. (IMHO, Clavamox especially is probably one of the harshest and most expensive antibiotics.) I agree with getting her off of antibiotics ASAP and onto a regimine of cran caps, acv, and either probiotics or yogurt (plain, all natural). After 2 weeks of this kind of regimine combined with religious cleaning of her vulva area (baby wipes work great), my girl was UTI clear and has been since. Best wishes that this will clear up for your little girl!
I also test urine PH weekly at home. If elevated dbl up on the crancaps for a week and check again. PH testing enables you to catch an infection in the early stages.
Hoping they can get this cleared up and keep the pup UTI free.