Ohhh my poor Ruby-girl - any advice?

[Rubylove]

Well, Ruby's urinalysis is back, and our vet told me she had `horribly infected' bacterial cystitis. Plenty of crystals, and `maybe' some stones, but there were none on the x-ray so for now we are just going to treat her cystitis and incontinence.

He still doesn't know what the cause is, but said she needs long-term antibiotics (she has been resistant to the ones that ought to have killed it) and worst of all, when I asked if it would have been painful for her, he said `yes, very' but hastened to add that he thinks she's probably ok now because she's been on antibiotics for a couple of weeks already.

The good thing is that he said it's not a lifetime disease, just a bad, bad infection.

Does anyone have experience with this, and any advice they can offer me? My poor baby girl...

 

[bubbatd]

Crap sweetie ! Never have had this . Feel for you ! Poor Ruby ---poor you !!!

 

[Rubylove]

Thanks Grammy - you know, I was hoping (as is often the case) that the tests would come back normal, or a bit abnormal, and we could all sigh with collective relief and say we were just being over-protective. But no - long term treatment, the vet wants to discuss it with me this afternoon when we go in and `choose' which antibiotics she should be on....

 

[Zoom]

Ohhh poor baby!

Would cranberry pills help at all? Even just a little?

 

[Rubylove]

Ohhh poor baby!

Would cranberry pills help at all? Even just a little?

A couple of people have suggested that - I'm going to ask Drew this afternoon. He did say that a change in diet to have more Vitamin C, to lower the pH levels of her urine, will be necessary. Cranberries are chock-full of Vitamin C.

I can't help thinking in some way that we should have been able to prevent this. But honestly, she gets UTIs pretty regularly so we really watch her - the second she shows any signs she is off to the vet that day. But I think that perhaps her body-language may have given it away and we missed it? We feel dreadful...

 

[Zoom]

There is a bulldog that boards quite often and she is on a daily regimen of cranberry pills to help prevent UTI's.

 

[MomOf7]

Poor Ruby! Give her a hug and kiss from me!

This is what I do know.
They need to know what type of stones it is. Calcium stones cannot be dissolved with medications or special diets.

If it is not the Calcium type a high acid diet is in order. Pineapple juice is high in acid and you can take a syring to orally feed it. Cranberry juice works better than the pills. Its just a pain to get down the dogs gullet.

I treated a dog who had stones. One stone passed and the crystals dissolved by treating her with pineapple juice and antibiotics.
4 large syringes full of juice 3 times a day. Worked like a charm.
Never had a problem after that.
This was many years ago.

ALWAYS check with your vet before implimenting any type of treatment as what you do may interfere with thier treatment. They know best.

 

[Rubylove]

Thanks hun. They don't know if there are any stones yet, but there are struvite crystals.

I was apprehensive about cranberries because dogs are SO allergic to grapes I wondered if there was any relationship between the two (probably not, but horticulture's not my best topic...) We don't so much as change Ruby's diet without consulting Drew first (he must be sick of us!).

Getting Ruby to take anything is an exercise in frustration and we have come up with so many subvertive techniques to dose her, all of which she works out and conquers. Shoving pills down her throat doesn't work (aside from it just being horrible and traumatic) - she manages to keep them in the roof of her mouth, happily swallow and lick her nose, and then spit them up ten minutes later. She's a little houdini when it comes to tablets - so that's part of what we're discussing with Drew today, how to dose her, best method, and best form of medication.

 

[MomOf7]

I had a dog just like that!! How she got the pills out from her throat is still a mystery! LOL I litterally opened her mouth and gently pushed the pills down her gullet. Poor thing hated it but she needed to take her antibiotics.

Never know she may like pineapple juice. Could you be so lucky? LOL!!
They do have special diet foods that are for stones and crystals that is high in acid.
I hope she recovers soon!

 

[joce]

Does she have a lot of that curly hair by her vulva? I have heard that can introduce the infections. Maybe try cutting it far down. I forgot what the condition is called but I know with some dogs if they don't go through a couple heats they have that issue because the vulva doesn't position itself correctly(or something like that). Is she fixed?

 

[rij73]

POOR RUBY!!!

I know absolutely zilch about UTI's in dogs, but I know LOTS about them in humans. Based on what I know about humans, it's possible that she never got fully cured from any of the early UTI's she had. The symptoms might have abated somewhat, and she might have learned to live with the pain, but the fact that she has such a raging one now suggests that to me. The good thing about that is that if you get her on the right antibiotic for a good long time and REALLY eradicate the infection this time, her problems might be over for good!

Here is what I would try (again, based on my extensive knowledge of the issue in humans): cranberry, lots of fluids (maybe give her no-salt chicken broth to encourage her to drink a lot more), lots and lots of urinating (especially since she'd be on increased fluids, obviously), and insanely religious cleaning of the urethra area (I'm talking wiping with a clean, wet paper towel front to back every time she poops, and even laying her on her back and pouring warm water on the area once a day).

Okay, that is probably way too much info! Please don't wonder about how I know all this. Let's just say that gaining this knowledge has not been pleasant.

 

[ToscasMom]

I've had plenty of experience with this with cats, and with ME!

Stones, gravel, crystal or even just the infection alone can be very painful, hopefully if they are small enough they will pass since crystals are very small. I myself have had several that hid from xrays until they moved. Let her relax though, because she's probably feeling pretty punk and her bladder constantly feels like she has to go. It's a very miserable feeling, even just the infection without gravel/stones. Fever is common too. Try to get as much liquids down her as possible to hasten things if you can. Including chicken broth, or whatever she likes. I'm not sure what causes them in dogs but I know ash is a culprit with cats and it is most common among male neuters who are overweight.

As long as the dogs isn't blocked, she will get thru fine with the right antibiotics and lots of liquids.

 

[ToscasMom]

rij,
I just read your post, looks like we are simpatico here. I think it's safe to say our dogs can hang out together.

 

[tickle me elmo]

Oooocchhhh that must be painfull i know it sure is in humans,and we can speak.
your poor puppy i hope he/she gets better (sorry don't remember if you said male or female) sorry i have no advice but i feel for you. The other advice about the cranberries sounds good it might be a good idea i'll keep it in mind for my dog.........cause you never know any info might be good info.

 

[Flip195]

Well, Ruby's urinalysis is back, and our vet told me she had `horribly infected' bacterial cystitis. Plenty of crystals, and `maybe' some stones, but there were none on the x-ray so for now we are just going to treat her cystitis and incontinence.

He still doesn't know what the cause is, but said she needs long-term antibiotics (she has been resistant to the ones that ought to have killed it) and worst of all, when I asked if it would have been painful for her, he said `yes, very' but hastened to add that he thinks she's probably ok now because she's been on antibiotics for a couple of weeks already.

The good thing is that he said it's not a lifetime disease, just a bad, bad infection.

Does anyone have experience with this, and any advice they can offer me? My poor baby girl...

Try increasing the acidity in the diet, I add Cranberry power it's about $10.99us both the dogs and the cats get it, 2x1cc scoop 2x a day for one week up to 3 weeks for a dog over 51lbs, then 2 x weekly.
http://www.entirelypets.com/crre50gm.html

 

[dr2little]

I didn't read all of the responses but Sophie went through this exact same thing last year (about 15 months ago actually). I'll go take a look at her last antibiotic (the one that worked well) and post it later. In the mean while, here what I've been doing...

Sophie gets 1 500mg cranberry capsule in her food breakfast and dinner. I keep her vulva very clean (practically a Brazillian..hehe) and I also check the Ph of her urine periodically with ph sticks from the fish section of the pet store.

Don't be too worried....Sophie has been clear for over a year now and is doing great.. I was freaking out when she was having her UTI problems mainly because I had so many UTI's myself when I was younger and know how painful they are. Sophie had 4 infections over a period of about 4-6 months.....or maybe we never got the first 3 cleared up, which I kind of suspect...

Anyhoo..I'll post more details in a bit but I just wanted to try to ease your mind until I can get back here later..

 

[rij73]

Sounds like lots of us are sharing similar advice!

 

[Doberluv]

A-w-w-w...poor Ruby. I'm sure the vet will hit on a good antibiotic that will knock it out for good. Sometimes it takes a few tries with different ones. Hang in there and give Ruby a hug for me.

 

[krisykris]

I don't have any advice, but I hope Ruby's feeling better soon <3

 

[elegy]

have you guys cultured her urine? it sounds like you have, but if not, make sure you do.

i don't know if they use glucosamine in dogs for this kind of thing, but i know they do in cats sometimes. something to do with helping prevent bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall. it'd be something to ask your vet about at any rate.

best wishes to ruby. poor girl.