Constant UTIs

[BoxerDan]

Hello All,

A quick question for everyone out there in Boxer Land. My Izzie girl has been having constant UTIs over the last year, seems like she gets one every 3 months on the button. So this last time we took her in the vet said she had crystals in her urine and a very high PH. They prescribed us the same medicine she was on the last few times that clears it up pretty quick, a probiotic, some very expensive cranberry tablets and Hills urinary tract health food. Well we got it home and that hills food is complete garbage, 1st ingredient is whole grain corn and some other BS. She is normally on TOTW salmon. My question is should we go with the crazy expensive Hills corn food to make her Ph go down or is there something else out there we can do to get her Ph down. Here is a pic of the crazy girl after going crazy and presenting she wasn't.

Thanks Dan

 

[Gatorblu]

Take the Hills food back. As for the cranberry tablets. When I was dealing with this issue with my boy, I just went to the Vitamin Shoppe and bought the ones for people and threw it in with his food. Once he was on the cranberry supplements we never had another issue. If you do continue to have an issue, or if you want to be a bit more proactive, you can give bottled water, especially if you have hard water where you are.

Izzie is a beautiful girl!

 

[Linda/NJ]

I don't have any advice, just wanted to say Izzie is so pretty. Pam gave some great advice. I wonder why all these vets when dogs have different issues they have them buy Hills??? I know someone their dog has bladder stones put their dog on Hills too and someone mentioned it is not a good quality food. I have a relative her mini schnauzer constantly has UTI's poor thing,always on antibiotics and Hills food too

Fingers and paws crossed here Izzie feels better soon and no more UTI's.

 

[luvmyboy]

Izzie is a beauty! Although I have no advice to offer based on experience, I wouldn't give corn-based kibble... Hill's SD by whatever ailment name is pretty much in every vet's office, including my own. I believe that company also has a major "in" with veterinary schools. I'd try it as Gatorblu has suggested.

 

[whiskers]

The foods do work, however they are not the ONLY thing that works.

My cat had a high pH + crystals in his urine a month ago. No symptoms and no infection, just something we found in his annual labwork. Crystals can be a big deal in male cats, so despite the lack of symptoms I wanted to fix it, but he can't be on the urinary foods because he also has IBD and gets sick on most things. I started him on a supplement called Berry Balance, made by Solid Gold. Checked his urine a couple weeks later... no crystals.

Berry Balance is cranberry and blueberry extracts so I'd imagine your cranberry tablets would work about the same.

 

[brodieboxer]

Good advice to get the cranberry supplement at a health food store instead of at the vet's office - cheaper, I'm sure. Also, does your dog drink enough water? I have to add water to my poodle's food b/c he rarely drinks water.

 

[TwoDogs]

Ask your vet if it is possible that she might have an antibiotic resistant uti and whether it would be advisable to give a different antibiotic or administer the current antibiotic for a longer time. Also ask if an ultrasound may be warranted. I have encountered 2 unrelated female dogs who, after battling recurring UTIs, were determined to have irregularities with their urethras that didn't allow for complete emptying of the bladder.

 

[johann]

Have you done a urine culture on her to make sure that the antibiotic being used is effective, or done post treatment urine tests to make sure the infection has cleared? We went thru a spell this winter with on and off UTIs for Johann. Finally, I paid the money for a culture and we ended up doing 14 days of Clavamox. *knock on wood* He's been fine since then. No more crystals or UTIs.
Another thought, how long does she go without potty breaks during times you're out of the house? We had to start paying someone to come let Johann out at lunchtime on days we're both at work. Holding urine can lead to UTIs sometimes.