Excessive Drinking & Urinating Side Effect of Antibiotic?

Could be a urinary tract infection. When on antibiotics... it can kill the good bacteria causing infections in other areas of the body. But usually UTI's have urine that can smell stronger versus being water-like.

It could be a LOT of different things. What do you feed him? Is he lethargic? Is he eating normally?

I'd call the vet first thing in the AM. Honestly, this could be indicative of much larger problems.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed it's nothing.. but error on the safe side!

Goodluck and let us know.

I want to touch again on what you are feeding him.

This is a symptom of kidney failure. Please go to www.menufoods.com/recall if you see your food on that list get your dog to the vet ASAP!! Is he vomiting? ... lethargic? I don't want to panic you... but, I thinking calling the vet again maybe a good idea. Why the vet didn't try to help you figure out the problem rather than just saying it could be a seperate propblem is beyond me[:@]

It could be something pretty minor, but with the food recall going on, I think it's safe to error on the side of caution.

Best of luck and please let me know what happens.

They didn't by any chance give him a steroid shot or pills, did they (i.e., Prednisone)?  I've never had my dogs drink excessively or have trouble holding their urine from antibiotics, but I sure have from Pred and what you're describing sounds exactly what it's like.  I agree that giving your vet a call is the best place to start though.

Hi thanks cakana and Sera_J for your responses. Yes, cakana I think you are right as the antibiotic he is on (Delta Albaplex 3x) is a "broad spectrum" combo drug: two types of antibiotic plus Prednisone. I had no idea that Pred was a steroid till I spoke to a vet tech today and she informed me that the increase drinking and urinating is typical. On top of all that he was running and jumping and hungry like I've never seen him before so it all made sense. On hindsight, I should have had the vet explain to me exactly what the drug was the first day he prescribed it and what to anticipate but I didn't. I did however ask the vet tech the following day if his strange behavior was a possible side effect and he's the one that told me no, it may be a completely separate issue, like a UTI. One more thing for me to worry about! So I think he just wasn't familiar with the drug obviously or he would have told me that there was a steroid present. I wish he would've said, "I don't know or let me find out." I've found that with doctors in general for animals and people that you the patient or you the owner really need to be agressive with asking as many questions as possible, be as informed as possible because it is your health and the health of your pet at stake and you can't trust that doctors will tell you everything you need to know without asking.

So it took me a few days before I got concerned enough to call the vet again and wouldn't you know their office was closed on this particular Mon. So I called a different vet and another technician (finally!) had the right information. She had never heard of the drug but I told her what was in it (after searching online for thr drug's info) and after I mentioned Prednisone, she enlightened me on the typical side effects. After several unsuccessful attempts to speak to a vet directly and three techs later, I now won't worry myself with the possibility (not yet) of a UTI. I am still however wondering whether the dosage is too high for my little guy since it's affecting him so dramatically. With his high energy and constant urinating I can tell that it's exhausting for him as he's always panting even though he drinks and drinks. He pees so many times in one hour and so randomly that I've had to put a diaper on him because he'll pee in the house and once he starts he won't stop! By the way, instead of buying a $20 doggie diaper at the store, I just wrapped a long wide sock around him, secured with a safety pin and tucked a maxi pad in there to catch any accidents. So far it works but I check it regularly to keep it in place.

I decided not to give him his dose today as he's already been on it for four days and I'm afraid of giving him his remaining three days worth. If his body gets too stressed out he will have seizures and he's already had two this month. Just want him to return to normal. Thanks everyone for your posts.

I agree that that particular anti-biotic sounds bad for him.  The heavy panting and constant drinking......I am wondering if he is panting b/c he is hot, or if it has increased his heart rate.  Constant peeing after 4 days.....

Sometimes a "good" anti-biotic can just be "wrong" for a particular dog / person. He had enough reactions to it that I understand your concern about this particular antibiotic.

HOWEVER,  it is not a good idea to just quit taking an anti-biotic.  There will be enough bacteria left in the body and this bacteria will multiiply and the new bacteria will likely be resistent to the strength of the antibiotic you just gave.  So, he can get sick again, only this time the bacteria will be more drug - resistance.  That is a bad thing.

He can end up more sick than he was and it be more difficult to treat.

SO, you need to go back to the vet.  I am hoping you have a vet you like and trust.  If not, then you may need to get a second opinion.  Either way, he's got to be seen today and put back on some type of  antibiotic.  The length of time to stay on an anti-bitoic varies by drug, but is usually 7 days, and can easily be 10 days.   I'm sorry, but you just can't stop anti-biotic meds before the prescription is finished  w/o risk of a drug resistent strain.

I also am sorry he is having seizures - that really is something else to consider and plays an important role.  Please either see your current vet, or find another one today that will work with you on getting him on an antibiotic that does not cause bad side effects.   I don't want him to re-bound and be sicker b/c you stopped the meds too soon.. 

Edited: there are some good epiletic sites and a k9 epi yahoo group that would be good support, if you are not already aware of them.

Also want to say that I don't blame you for taking him off of this drug - I'm not saying you should have kept him on this particular anti-biotic.  It does sound like it could be causing negative side effects.  I'm not saying put him back on this one --- just saying that a vet does need to recheck him and switch him to something that isn't causing these symptoms.
 
Edited again:  Also, you want to give a good pro-biotic.  I use Culturelle, found at Target pharmacy or online, because it is proven to work.  But, it is only one strain, and it was suggested recently that I also do a second probiotic with a multi strain variety.  These need to be found in the health food store and will be found in a refridgerator.  My guys weigh 30-50 pounds, and I use about 4 -5 BILLION per dose.    Give these whenever you can, 2 hours after the anti-biotic is given.  When you are thru with the meds, continue giving the probiotics at or after mealtimes for about a month.  You want to get the good bacteria back into the gut system otherwise the bad bacteria can take over since the anti-biotic medication will wipe out the good gut flora along with the bad.

I know it wasn't a good idea to just stop giving him the antibiotic-several people have said the same thing. Perhaps I should have given him half a dose instead....The last thing I want is for him to get sick again, the coughing he experienced was so severe and scary. I try to be a good mom and do all the right things and most of all, especially for his seizures, try to be as informed as possible by asking other dog owners about their experiences and advice. I tell you I've learned more about his seizure condition and the variety of ways to treat it from websites like Epil-K9, Epi Guardian Angels, Canine-Epilepsy.net and dog forums like this one than from the vets in the clinics themselves. In the year and a half I've had my little bear, I've taken him to five different clinics (one was a holistic vet) seen by 8 different vets and only found one or two with actual expereince and worthy insight dealing with canine epilepsy (instead of just the textbook type theories). I'm now in the Palm Springs area and after dealing with 3 different vets, I have to say that I'm still looking for the "perfect" vet-is there one out there or do they just exist in the internet?

I will discuss with my vet the option of a different antibiotic. I will also look into feeding him the "good" bacteria you wrote about. Another person in the forum mentioned giving a plain yogurt. Thanks for your reply.

Sorry, I did a pretty quick read, but didn't you say that he's been on Pred along with the antibiotics?  Have you looked up the antibiotic to see what the side-affects are?  The description of the panting, excessive thirst and urinary incontinence are classic symptoms for Pred.  Trust me on this, my dog's taking it too, for the 2nd time and within 2 days, I could see the panting, thirst and with each round, she's had an accident in the house. This girl has never, ever peed in the house in 5 years, except when on Pred.  So, first off, it is extremely important to taper Pred down and not stop it suddenly.  In our case, I gave a pill in the AM & PM for 3 days, now I'm giving her 1/2 in the AM and 1 in the PM for 3 days, and then 1 every other day for 3 days.  See, how it just decreases slowly over a matter of days?  The antibiotic may not be culprit in any of this, and it is very important to finish out the dosing on it, otherwise you might end up back at square one.  If you've got concerns, by all means, call and ask to talk to a vet (not a technician).  I drive my vet (and staff) nuts, but they like me, so they don't seem to mind.  I just called yesterday to say "ok, so it says to give her 1 and 1/2 for the next 3 days.  Is it okay to give her 1/2 in the AM and 1 whole at night, or ..?"  and they said that was fine.  I just wanted to make sure the doses didn't have to be equal (i.e., 3/4 at each dose).  So, you really have to be proactive, especially when it comes to meds and don't be afraid to ask lots and lots of questions. 

@Butterbear

Why is my dog drinking so much water and urinating so strangely?Possible side effect of the antibiotic?

Since my 3 year old terrier mix has been on an antibiotic Delta Albaplex 3x for the last three days to treat his tracheal bronchitis (was severely coughing prior to treatment) he's been drinking water excessively and urinating abnormally. He drinks large amounts each time and urinates several times in an hour. He can't seem to control his bladder, wakes up two to three times a night to go outside and has been peeing all over the house even after relieving himself outside for long periods. I've found puddles on the tile around the house that I've dismissed as puddles of water because they are clear and don't have the typical urine smell but I caught him in the act several times and it was his urine. Another abnormality is the way that he stands when he pees. He stands in one place for a long time perhaps a minute or longer and the urine comes out in drips and spurts instead of in a steady stream which is the reason why he takes so long to relieve himself. He stands there for so long that from afar he looks as if he's standing there watching something but he's not. I'm really concerned about this since I don't know if this is just a side effect from the antibiotic-is this drug making him really thirsty but even if it is why is the pee coming out in drips the way it does? He's never been on antibiotics before so I have nothing to compare this experience with. Could this be a sign of a urinary tract infection or is it temporary? I asked the vet tech if there are any known side effects to this drug but he said there wasn't and that his abnormal urination could be a whole separate issue.

Is there anyone who has had experience with this drug and noticed the same/similar behavior?

My dog is 6 years old and is on Cephalexin and is also drinking lots of water has never been one to have accidents in my house is peeing all over my house I also have a 2 year old dog and thought it was him till I cought him in the act and today he decided to pee right at my feet I seen on side effects of antibiotics in animals is dehydration and that could explain the drinking large amounts of water and also bad breath witch hevseems to have but I dont understand why hes peeing in my house and dont have any idea how to correct it any help would greatly be appreciated Ive made sure to let him out more than normal but during the day I have to work ans has never been an issue before now

@DawnStewart

@Butterbear

Why is my dog drinking so much water and urinating so strangely?Possible side effect of the antibiotic?

Since my 3 year old terrier mix has been on an antibiotic Delta Albaplex 3x for the last three days to treat his tracheal bronchitis (was severely coughing prior to treatment) he's been drinking water excessively and urinating abnormally. He drinks large amounts each time and urinates several times in an hour. He can't seem to control his bladder, wakes up two to three times a night to go outside and has been peeing all over the house even after relieving himself outside for long periods. I've found puddles on the tile around the house that I've dismissed as puddles of water because they are clear and don't have the typical urine smell but I caught him in the act several times and it was his urine. Another abnormality is the way that he stands when he pees. He stands in one place for a long time perhaps a minute or longer and the urine comes out in drips and spurts instead of in a steady stream which is the reason why he takes so long to relieve himself. He stands there for so long that from afar he looks as if he's standing there watching something but he's not. I'm really concerned about this since I don't know if this is just a side effect from the antibiotic-is this drug making him really thirsty but even if it is why is the pee coming out in drips the way it does? He's never been on antibiotics before so I have nothing to compare this experience with. Could this be a sign of a urinary tract infection or is it temporary? I asked the vet tech if there are any known side effects to this drug but he said there wasn't and that his abnormal urination could be a whole separate issue.

Is there anyone who has had experience with this drug and noticed the same/similar behavior?

My dog is 6 years old and is on Cephalexin and is also drinking lots of water has never been one to have accidents in my house is peeing all over my house I also have a 2 year old dog and thought it was him till I cought him in the act and today he decided to pee right at my feet I seen on side effects of antibiotics in animals is dehydration and that could explain the drinking large amounts of water and also bad breath witch hevseems to have but I dont understand why hes peeing in my house and dont have any idea how to correct it any help would greatly be appreciated Ive made sure to let him out more than normal but during the day I have to work ans has never been an issue before now

And As I was readingthe other comments he is also on prednisone also so that kind of explains tge hyper bladder and makes me feel a little better bout the situation but once he is done with the steroids does his bladder return to normal?

@DawnStewart

@DawnStewart

@Butterbear

And As I was readingthe other comments he is also on prednisone also so that kind of explains tge hyper bladder and makes me feel a little better bout the situation but once he is done with the steroids does his bladder return to normal?

Pred messes with the brain's communication with the muscles -- he can't make himself pee less nor more- it is the drug.  Pred makes them fiercely thirsty and you must not deny him water (the body is attempting to flush out the toxins.

I think you need to call the vet first thing tomorrow and discuss this.  Even for pred this may be exacerbated by the antibiotic and the vet needs to be aware of this.

If it is pred-induced it will go away after the pred is discontinued -- but remember you must NOT just "stop" prednisone -- it must be weaned off.