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UTI in an elderly dog

Posted : 6/1/2006 4:15:25 PM

My 17 y.o. dobX has developed a chronic urinary infection. She has also survived 2 bouts of autoimmune hemolytic anemia and is on prednisone as an immune system suppressant. It also plays havoc with her stomach, so we have to be careful about what she eats and we give her pepsid.

The doctor put her on Baytril, but after a week, she wouldn't eat and she developed a bad case of the runs, so therefore, besides not getting the antibiotic, she also didn't get her prednisone.

I took her back to the vet who did a urinalysis and a CBC. The infection is still there and, to top it off, her red blood count has slipped. He wants to have her 4 times the pred that she usually gets to allow her blood count to regain ground and he put her on Clavamox for two weeks.

I don't see how I'm going to be able to give her more pred on top of another antibiotic without tearing up her stomach even worse. I give her Pepsid and yoghurt, but it is not very much of an arsinal against the pred and the antibiotic.

I'm at a loss. Has anyone has a similar experience?

dvet

Posted : 6/1/2006 5:11:28 PM

the pred, when dosed right will stimulate the appetite fgreatly..if you get excess thirst and urination, then the dose is too high...Ask about just givineg it to her twice a day rather than 4 x a day...it can even be successful at once a day...but that depends on the dog and the vet

dvet

Posted : 6/1/2006 5:13:21 PM

missed a coupel things..the pred can be given once a day and it should not at all upset her appetite...the worst it will do is excess thirst and excess appetite, which is a good thing...don;t worry about the pred but you may have to change the antibiotic

calliecritturs

Posted : 6/1/2006 10:53:04 PM

Hang on -- when pred has been given for a while, or if it's given in larger doses it CAN FOR SURE hurt the stomach.

I've got a dog battling IMHA right now too -- and I'm watching all the same signs.

Why not try cranberry for the UTI and see if it will at least help somewhat. All cranberry does is make the infectious cells not 'stick' to the urinary tract so readily so it can help clear it up faster.

And how about milk thistle to lessen the load on the liver (my holistic vet always has me give an adult human 'dose' of milk thistle to combat the side effects of the pred)?

Chammomile tea is a very low dose NSAID, but it is helpful for the stomach. It shouldn't cause a problem with the pred and it might help soothe the stomach. Slippery elm also will help coat the stomach and avoid the discomfort. Very benign -- shouldn't cause a problem with any of the above.

diane303

Posted : 6/2/2006 8:51:31 AM

I will try the cranberry. I think that I can find the capsules at our health food store in town. I do give her milk thistle. I found out that, when her alk phos went sky high, that it contains the same ingredient that Marin, an expensive liver med, does. Good luck with your dogs IMHA!

Her appetite is good now and I guess that her drinking and urinating more is not a bad thing. Although she let loose with some powerful gas last night.

dvet - what antibiotic do your recommend?

Else Godkin

Posted : 6/4/2006 10:53:54 AM

I also use the cranberry when Sophie get a UTI. The antibiotics didn't help but 3000mg cranberry a day clears it up in 2 days. She's 73 lb. I also read on here earlier the Gold Alka Selzer will also clear up a UTI. I don't remember the dosage maybe someone else will remember it.

diane303

Posted : 6/5/2006 1:40:54 PM

I will definately try the cranberry tablets - if I can find them. If I can't I will try the Alka-Seltzer. I'm not sure that I can get Alka-Seltzer down my dog, though. [

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