Male Westie Puppy on PPA...alternatives??

[westiepug]

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 2:14 am Post subject: Male Westie Puppy on PPA...alternatives????

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Hi : I am a brand new forum member. I have a 8 yr old Female spayed Pug, Jazmine, and a 6 month old Male Westie,MacDuff. MacDuff is the most wonderful puppy except for:

We have never been able to fully housebreak MacDuff. He was 12 weeks old when we got him (he was hand raised from birth as his mother would have nothing to do with him & his 2 male siblings).He did have a bladder infection at 5 months,took 2 rounds of antibiotics and fully recovered . The urinating continued in the house every houror more.The vet has now taken X Rays and has eliminated kidney and bladder obstructions, stones and pockets. He has put MacDuff on PPA three times a day.He has been on it for 3 weeks now . We keep him on a leash attached to us or in his crate for several hours at a timeday and night. He has only been urinating when he is excited or if someone comes to visit but we are going out every 2 hours. (I know abt submissive urination).He is anything but submissive!He has no idea that he has even dribbled.
My question is: what else can we do to stop this ? Does anyone know if there are any herbal supplements or other things we could try?
Our Vet wants to wait another month or so before neutering him in the hopes that the PPA willtotally eliminate this problem.Will this possibly help?
Thanks for your thoughts and sorry to be sooooooo long winded.....

By the way...Jazzy, the Pug, is great except for a collapsed trachea but we know how to treat this.Have 6 years experience under our belts!

 

[Renee750il]

I don't know anything about the PPA, but it does sound like he may have some underdeveloped bladder and urinary tract muscles and perhaps some spasming of the muscles when he gets too excited. I would think it very likely that he will eventually grow out of it.

 

[chazhound]

Hi WestiePug, welcome to the forum!
Sounds like he is just getting over problems. Time should help alot.

Chazhound

 

[westiepug]

Thanks Renee and Chazhound for your wise words. I hope you will both be correct .
Just for your future knowledge : PPA (phenylpropanolamine) or Proin is the most used drug for dog urinary tract problems. It is used to tighten up the sphincter muscles.It was originally used on humans in diet pills in the '70'sand '80's but was taken off the market due to high death rates and many side effects.It is only used for animals now and is very controlled.I know another drug DES is also used but do not know much about it.
Thanks for the welcome to the Forum...I'll be back and hopefully can shed some wisdom for others to use.

 

[Renee750il]

THAT'S scary!

 

[westiepug]

Yes It is scary! Both medications had such nasty side effectson humans and yet they have been using them on dogs for a long time with the only side effect being hyperactivity.Luckily my Westie so far has been very tranquil.Hopefully this will work or he will mature and outgrow the problem and then we can stop the pills.Who really knows what long term problems might be caused by this medicine.

 

[westiepug]

Wondering if changing MacDuff's dry food would help at all. He is on Nutro Lamb and Rice Puppy food...What abt changing to one that Chaz Hound uses( River....?) or Inova? I know nothing abt either one but they are available nearby.
Today MacDuff had an accident near the door......and of course the usual "submissive" accident when I got up this morning and he greeted me with kisses. SIGH...................

 

[chazhound]

I have been using FlintRiver brand dog food for quite sometime for my dogs.
The two shelties are on it now and I am glad. What you feed them does matter alot.

Chazhound

 

[westiepug]

thank you both..
I will look into finding the 2 foods mentioned above. Do they both make a puppy food? Or a food for small dogs?

 

[westiepug]

thanks for the links.........will read up on both and make a decision.