Need to vent

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jksjkc

jksjkc

Super Boxer
Hi Everyone,

I have posted before about my Butch and how on Thanksgiving he started to drink massive amounts of water and have accidents, even in the crate. Well, I went back to the vet today because it continues and I'm getting really worried. The first time they said he had a UTI, put him on 7 days of antibiotics with no change. After that course of AB I return another sample to make sure it was eraticated and they told me that his urine analysis was normal. So then, why the excessive thirst and urination???
Today, they took him in to have a Urine culture, Cystocentisis, CBC and ultrasound. I wasn't there during the testing because they took him without me but the lab technician said he did notice that his urine was very diluted but he didn't see anything alarming on the ultrasound. I've also noticed that his urine was like water and massive amounts of it. Also, he even pees when we stop giving him water. His last CBC on November 30 was normal so I don't know why the retested him. Perhaps to make an extra $100? I don't know.
I am really worried. I've been searching the Net and I keep coming up with JRD which is so scary. We love our little guy so much and it really scares me that something serious can be wrong.
I've gone through $600 in 4 weeks with no change or solution. Sorry for my complaining, I'm just at my wits end. I need to know what's going on and the wait is torture.
Can it still just be a UTI?? I'm hoping.
Why would the urine be so diluted?
 
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K

KonaKoffe

Boxer Pal
In my experience, the antibiotics for a UTI are minimum 14 days and sometimes longer. KOKO was on them for a month before it finally cleared up. The vet should culture the urine to see if the type of antibiotics he/she prescribes actually kills the specific bacteria strain in the urine. At least that it what our vet, did both times. The urine is dilute because he is drinking so much water which dilutes the urine. KOKO never drank excessively when she had a UTI tho.

You can always get a second opinion too.
 
S

sgbtab

Banned
maybe it's time for a second opinion. any good vet would not mind it. after all we are talking about our babies and it sounds like you need someone elses opinion. 2 heads are better then 1 good luck and keep us posted.
 
jksjkc

jksjkc

Super Boxer
sgbtab said:
maybe it's time for a second opinion. any good vet would not mind it. after all we are talking about our babies and it sounds like you need someone elses opinion. 2 heads are better then 1 good luck and keep us posted.
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I was told by this doctor that sometimes a urinanalysis can come out negative but a urine culture will come out positive so I went back. Am I a sucker or can this really happen????
I can't believe I paid $250 to be told he had a UTI and now another $218 to retest him for the same thing. Is it always this expensive or is this rape?? I didn't even have an appointment today, just the quick lab test visit with a lab tech, no doctor.
I argued with them about doing another CBC. I told them to just do the urine culture because it's probably just the UTI that's not gone but she insisted that they do all this other testing. What was the big deal to do the culture and if negative then order the other testing.
On the other hand, the other testing may prove to be sufficient if in fact there is a major problem. I pray it's not.
If this doesn't solve anything then I guess I have to find a new vet. UGH!!!
I wish I never went back today, I was desperate and I thought a new vet would only complicate things being they don't have all of his history.

I'm giving myself a headache.
 
DannyB

DannyB

Super Boxer
Long response

Take a few deep breaths...... You aren't being gouged by your vet - the lab work is expensive. They are probably as perplexed as you are which is why they are repeating some of the tests - to see if there has been change over the course of his illness.

Some of the things I can think of:
Urinary tract infection - need a culture to confirm, but usually excessive drinking is not one of the signs seen
Kidney failure - not too likely because the chemistry panel was normal
Congenital/inherited kidney diseases - but *usually* there are chemistry panel abnormalities. Sometimes you need to run chemistries on the urine to confirm
Diabetes - ruled out by your vet
Adrenal gland disease
A condition called psychogenic polydipsia - the dog basically gets addicted to drinking too much and loses the ability to concentrate its urine, leading to the continued need to drink. This needs to be diagnosed and treated by a vet because you basically have to dehydrate the dog and if the dog has any other conditions this is risky. If your dog is high energy or nervous or separation anxiety-prone I would lean toward this one.....

If you feel you need to change vets make sure you request your records be transferred so you don't have to start all over at the new vet. You can also ask your vet for a referral to an internal medicine specialist - this will be expensive but they may be able to get to the answer faster.

Keeping my fingers crossed for your guy.
 
jksjkc

jksjkc

Super Boxer
DannyB said:
Take a few deep breaths...... You aren't being gouged by your vet - the lab work is expensive. They are probably as perplexed as you are which is why they are repeating some of the tests - to see if there has been change over the course of his illness.

Some of the things I can think of:
Urinary tract infection - need a culture to confirm, but usually excessive drinking is not one of the signs seen
Kidney failure - not too likely because the chemistry panel was normal
Congenital/inherited kidney diseases - but *usually* there are chemistry panel abnormalities. Sometimes you need to run chemistries on the urine to confirm
Diabetes - ruled out by your vet
Adrenal gland disease
A condition called psychogenic polydipsia - the dog basically gets addicted to drinking too much and loses the ability to concentrate its urine, leading to the continued need to drink. This needs to be diagnosed and treated by a vet because you basically have to dehydrate the dog and if the dog has any other conditions this is risky. If your dog is high energy or nervous or separation anxiety-prone I would lean toward this one.....

If you feel you need to change vets make sure you request your records be transferred so you don't have to start all over at the new vet. You can also ask your vet for a referral to an internal medicine specialist - this will be expensive but they may be able to get to the answer faster.

Keeping my fingers crossed for your guy.
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Thanks Mattie

I know I need to chill out. I was emotional yesterday and not thinking clearly.
I'm much better today. This was not my only issue yesterday, it was just one so I was freaking out. Not to mention, worried for Butch.
So now, I'm just waiting for the results.
I'll let you all know ASAP
 
L

ldyjulia

Boxer Booster
KonaKoffe said:
In my experience, the antibiotics for a UTI are minimum 14 days and sometimes longer. KOKO was on them for a month before it finally cleared up. The vet should culture the urine to see if the type of antibiotics he/she prescribes actually kills the specific bacteria strain in the urine. At least that it what our vet, did both times. The urine is dilute because he is drinking so much water which dilutes the urine. KOKO never drank excessively when she had a UTI tho.

You can always get a second opinion too.
Click to expand...

I would agree that 7 days is too short for antibiotics to eradicate a UTI. We are having a problem where Trixie's infection keeps coming back. I would say minimum 2 weeks, but even that wouldn't work for us. We're now on meds for 6 weeks. Hopefully this works (fingers crossed). I'm not sure how helpful this is. Good luck and if you're not happy with your vet definitely look somewhere else. We're probably going to do the same thing. :(
 
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