recurrent UTIs....

Jessrof · 03-21-2008, 07:43 PM

OK....Im having a really hard time deciding what to do. I have two wonderful Vets at the same practice that have different opinions and am looking for someone that has had the same problem. Here goes....
Tilly 2 year old pit bull mix. I have had her since a puppy. Last october she developed a UTI, put her on antibiotics, UTI went away. We were very good about checking urine during the course of antibiotics to make sure it was treating UTI. Everything looked great. 2 days off of abx, UTI is back and in full force. Did culture and MIC of urine by doing a cyst. Culture came back as e.coli, sensitive to all abx. Put her on Clavamox. UTIs keep coming back after being off of abx about 2 -5days. She has had a hooded vulva since puppyhood, thought maybe that was the issue. Did Vulvoplasty, did not have UTI for one month, then came back. Culture and MIC again came back as e coli, sensitive to everything. 1 Vet recs having Tilly on Amoxicillin for 8 weeks straight, the other vet thinks is an anatomical problem and wants me to go to Vet school. My problem with the anatomical theory is wouldnt this have shown up sooner? Also we have put her on Proin thinking it is an incontinence issue where urine is pooling in her vulva.
I have triend cranberry supplements to acidify her urine. I have tried wiping her vulva after any pottys. We have ultrasounded her kidneys and bladder and everything looked normal. No calculi. She has had some struvite and calcium oxalte crystals on sediment, but I think that is due to the high pH (around 8). Any ideas? Has anyone else had this battle with uti'S and won?
Please...I am looking for any ideas...thanks

Also....when we did her vulvaplasty, the doctor tried to place a urinary catheter while she was under anesthesia and said she had a very small vaginal canal and had her membrane still intact..... She was spayed before he first heat. PLEASE HELP! Thanks again!

borzoimom · 03-21-2008, 07:58 PM

I would add cranberry capsules to her diet. This helps to break up the retained in the bladder. For a 50 pound dog I would give half a capsule ( half of 405 mg) twice a day. You can get the capsules at even walmart.

Jessrof · 03-21-2008, 08:03 PM

Thanks for the advice....but I already have tried those when all this began. im sorry I didnt add that in my huge paragraph. hehe But thanks again. I might reintroduce it just to give it a go. Thanks again

Annamarie · 03-21-2008, 09:40 PM

poor thing!! I had recurrant UIT's every month for about 2 years and let me tell you, it's not fun!! what finally helped me was a doctor put me on a high dose of antibiotics for an entire month. I don't know if that would help your pup

as for wiping her when she potties, this may be too graphic for some readers but make sure you wipe towards the anus. if you wipe from the anus you could be introducing fecal bacteria into the vaginal area.

also if her PH is high that should help the bacterial problem if anything. the more acidic the urine is the less likely bacteria is to survive in the UT. that's why cranberry and vitamin c tablets help, they raise the acidity of the urine.