Blood In Urine ~ Need Help Quick

 That's great! I'll have to look at them. I bet my girls would enjoy them, too.

Does she not potty on a leash? Most dogs figure out, quickly, that you aren't going to do anything. The few that don't, have to have the sample taken the sharp way (which isn't horrible, but not the funnest thing, they use an ultrasound, and hit the bladder the first time). 

 Sorry, I don't have any advice, but I wanted to say I hope it's nothing serious, and that Rupert LOVES it when Willa throws her Gerber baby meat sticks on the floor!

Sunshinegirl

How in the world do you get drops of urine from your dog??? I don't think Layla would let me go near her rear while she's pottying! :)

Too funny! It is just easy for us, but we have had several animals that have had kidney issues so maybe we are just used to it. One morning I did not get a sample from Skylla before her vet appointment so when I got there I asked the vet tech for a bowl to catch some urine in.  So he brought me one then proceeded to tell me that he would go help me because it is hard to do by yourself. Well that just made me laugh because I do it so often with no help....LOL. I just put Skylla on a leash and carry one of those disposable tupperware containers, when she squats to pee I slip it under her!

On a different note for a dog you really want to see what color their urine is and say you are just not successful in being able to catch a urine sample, just slide a white paper paper under them when they pee...it will help you determine they color (like yellow or amber, as well as show signs of blood.

Good luck tomorrow!

 April had blood in her urine, took her right to the vet at that time, she had a UTI and crystals, happened to her twice.  I'd take her to the vet to be safe.

The vet gave Layla a shot, Clavamox and something for the discomfort, but did not do a urinalysis. He wants to see how treatment goes, but I want one and will catch some urine when all her meds are gone and take up to him immediately. I just can't take the chance of her having crystals. I've not seen anymore blood in her urine and she seems fine, but sometimes it's hard to tell with dogs. She's such a little trooper. 

Thank you all for your help. I really appreciate it!

 I am surprised your vet did not do a urinalysis! My Teddi is prone to UTI's and instead of treating her first, he always wants to be sure he is treating the right thing. Then we do another after the antibiotics round to be sure the infection is gone.

Because you use the wee wee pads they could "encourage" UTI's. Female dogs are more prone to UTI's than males because of how they urinate. They pick the bacteria up from the exterior, and carry it into the system. My Teddi is  LOW ground squatter, with a lot of hair in that region. If we keep her trimmed, and wipe her at least daily with baby wipes, we seem to keep the UTI's at bay. If we let her hair go and don't clean her, here they come again. Wearing the pad could be keeping bacteria against her. I would discuss this with your vet and get their impression. 

UTI's are not fun. Some dogs like mine have a tendency, some grow out and some never ever get one. We used Clavamox for the Teddster and it worked fine for her. The last time my vet did me a favor and wrote a script for cephalexin, he told me to go to Meijer's pharmacy because that is on their list of free antibiotics, even to a dog! Trust me we can use any break we can get on the vet bills. It too worked to clear up her infection. 

I'll have to keep the Caphalexin in mind for future. I think it's free at Publix here in Florida. Thanks!

Since we're talking about it -- Cephalexin really isn't a typical drug to use for a dog's UTI (or a human's).  typically they use something in the penecillin family (like Amoxyl) or even a broad spectrum like Baytril. 

It USED to be they always used sulpha (which is now something called "sulfa tri" because it's bonded w/another drug) -- which is very effective

****BUT****

sulfa is one of the drugs on the short list of drugs they KNOW can trigger auto-immune diseases (like cytopenia like Willow and Pirate had and IMHA like Sandra Slayton's Hunter had, and Billy and GratefulDawg's dog, Cooper, Cerberus's dog, and so many others in that huge thread).

Cephalexyn is a lesser drug -- a **very** good drug and commonly used for skin infections, but used a bit longer term (usually at least two full weeks) it works well on UTI's and it is easier on the dog to have a less complicated/less strong drug than jumping right to a bigger guns drug.  It's also a cheaper drug and is on many pharmacies "freebie" list (not the brand name Keflex but the generic cephalexyn). 

Just wanted to explain a bit -- because a few years ago it was unheard of to USE cephalexyn for a uti under normal circumstances.

 I agree Callie, it is not the first drug of choice. However in my case, I think there were two things going on 1-My vet wanted to try a different drug than Clavamox because he did not want to build up a resistance to it (Teddi has had 3 or 4 UTI's this year) and 2- Seriously trying to help us out financially as he is WELL aware how much our vet bills have been. In our case the keflex worked, and Teddi's UTI cleared up with one round of antibiotics. I love my vet, and I am going to be so sad to see him retire in September. He has done his best to keep my dogs healthy, and cut costs where he can. He knows we do not want to scrimp on their care, but he has charged us at cost where he can too. I don't think a month goes by we don't spend a few hundred at his clinic. I do also like the two vets who bought the practice, just like Dr S better!

Usually we get the keflex for hot spots. 

Yeah, I wasn't complaining or speaking badly of it -- mostly I was trying to 'prevent' things from happening.

So often you see people try to "save" the last bit of a drug thinking "OH, I can use that LATER" -- and NO, that's dangerous for many reasons.

Mostly because most bacteria is either "gram positive" or "gram negative" (difference is more complicated than *I* can explain) and it's either anaerobic or aerobic -- meaning it's either NOT fed by oxygen or IS fed by oxygen (i.e., that's why they usually specifically give a tooth abscess a penicillin drug -- b/c it is for anaerobic infections).  Some drugs are specifically for "gram positive" or "gram negative" OR they are for aerobic or anaerobic  OR **SOME** fall under that "broad-spectrum" category.

But in particular -- if an infection isn't gone by the time an antibiotic is gone and a few days pass with there the bacteria or virus "survives" the antibiotic, it is then said to have developed a "resistance" to that infection and no longer works on it. 

The point being -- Clavamox is a darned good drug and usually VERY well tolerated (it's in the penicillin family with something in it to make it easier on the tummy apparently) so the vet is saying it is TOO valuable a drug to let any resistance build.  So cephalexyn is a darned good switch off drug that isn't expensive but is also likely going to go a good job but not debilitate the body.

The more I learn from vets the more I respect them -- this is where the term "the medical arts" comes in to play -- it's that subject form of "judgment call" that enables a medical practitioner (animal or human) to weigh the pros and cons of a particular course of treatment to suit the situation.

I wish you much luck in your transition from the retiring vet to the new team.  Hope it goes well!