Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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UGH! I am soooo angry right now. Mattie has had a urinary tract infection since I picked her up on Aug 3. I drove a total of 700 miles in one day to pick this pup up in Anchorage. When I finally had her in my arms, I realized that she was extremely underweight. It was lifting up a cat. Every bone was protruding and I could easily feel the spaces in between each rib. Angry that the breeder would send an eight week old pup on a nine hour flight in that condition.
Took her to vet; massive UTI. The vet prescribed Clavamox. First in liquid form and now in pills. UTI still ongoing. Sent sample for culture; came back that clavamox was the right antibiotick, but she has been on it for four weeks and they prescribed another week. Because Mattie was not eating the recommended (by the breeder, who I lost faith in) kibble (Solid Gold Puppy), the vet recommended Science Diet. Only today did I look at ingredients. Angry at myself for not looking sooner. Angry at the vet for recommending what looks to me to be a downright crappy, grain-based, by-product ridden food.
Considering going to a holistic vet.
Anyway, does anyone have any experience with UTI in their dog? Poor Mattie. I can't get her housebroken because of the UTI. I don't want to make her stay in her kennel because I think if she holds her pee that will only worsen the situation.
Gotta go search the net for answers, but wanted to ask my tripawd buddies if you have any advice.
Nancy (Opie's mom)....Mattie's too.
I don't have experience with UTI's in dogs, but my mom used to get them all the time as a kid. She told me that cranberry products helped the most. She drank a lot of cranberry juice as a kid and then when she got older, she found there were cranberry pills. She takes the pills on a regular basis because she is still prone to UTIs . Maybe there are cranberry based products for dogs?
I am sure it is unlikely that an animal would drink enough cranberry juice to help, since I am sure they would not like the taste. All I know is that cranberries stop bacteria from adhering to the surface of the bladder and it acidifies the urine. Bacteria don't thrive in an acidic environment. Like I said earlier, I am sure there are products for dogs out there…or maybe you could modify a human supplement dose for your dog?
I looked online and a UTI dog website referred to a solution with Cranberry Fruit Extract Capsules. They said 1 pill for every 20 lbs of dog. I would look into this further before giving your dog any old human cranberry supplement. Want to make sure she gets better not worse!
Hope her UTI goes away soon!! From what I hear, they are NO NO NO fun!!! And can be very painful…
-Chloe's mom
Chloe became a rear amp tripawd on 7-29-10. Another tumor was removed on front leg 2-20-14. Found 3rd tumor on neck 2-2015, but she's still kicking cancer's butt at age 14. Chloe's blog
I'd move the post so that Dr. Pam could see it better but I don't want to muck up Chloe's response. If there is a way to move both, I'm not sure how.
So sorry to hear about poor Mattie! Poor baby!
Anyhoo - I hate Clavamox. There I said it. It's expensive. It makes Comet sick to her stomach.
Why not Cipro (or even Bactrim)? First, it's dirt cheap. Second, I know from my brother who had kidney infections on-going - that it is what the doctor put him on daily for life. Ironically Comet is on Cipro for life because of the neck disc infection a year ago.
When I got Comet from the pound 12 years ago (or when I was skinny) - she got kennel cough. It took 3 different antibiotics to finally kill the bacteria. It was full blown pneumonia with her lung collapsed before we got to an antibiotic that would work. I thought she wouldn't live. It's took 3 months! But once the right antibiotic got in her, she was getting better in 3 days! I'd ask for something else.
Do dogs get kidney stones? That can keep a urinary tract infection going, I believe?
Lots of hugs and kisses for Mattie!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Trouble has issues with UTI every once in a while. I'm not crazy about Clavamox for it, it seems to take multiple rounds to get it under control. We've had much better luck with Baytril.
And for the Cranberry capsules. I have started using them at the onset of an infection and it has (knock on wood) kept me from having to give her antibiotics. I would give them a try, they aren't going to hurt her.
Trouble almost always develops a UTI when taking prednisone, don't know why, but she does. If I catch her just when she starts the excessive urination, and give her the cranberry twice a day, it will stop the symptoms. I discovered this in July when I had her on the prednisone.
She is now on another round, and I started the cranberry the day I started the prednisone. She has done much better. The urge isn't nearly as frequent and she hasn't had any incontinent episodes when she sleeps.
I know how frustrating UTI can be. Sending good thoughts for both of you!
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
I am going to make a suggestion that you need to check with your vet first before trying. In the cow world, sometimes we need to get something down them in a liquid form, it is called drenching, we put the liquid in a bottle, stick it in their mouth and they are able to get the needed medication. Ask your vet if you could take a syringe and maybe slowly squirt cranberry juice down her, but I emphasize checking with your vet first. If that is a possibility you might be able to get the needed amount of cranberry in her to be effective. Paws up, Spirit Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
What bacteria did your vet culture from the urine? If the infection is sensitive to Clavamox then the dog should have improved within 5-7 days. Any crystals in the urine? I agree that cranberry tablets can help. Solid Gold makes a cranberry/blueberry supplement and so do many other companies. I usually have clients pick up the Nature Made cranberry capsules for big dogs but I think they only come in 400 mg caps and a small puppy only needs 100 to 200 mg daily. I would check with your vet first.
Was the urine obtained in a sterile manner (cystocentesis)? If not I would run the culture again on a sterile sample.
Pam
Pam did you roll your eyes at all our comments!??!! 
No medical license needed when you get this advice:
My friend's neighbor's cousin's dog got an UTI and took [fill in the blanks]! It worked! 
I was wondering if Dan's advice was his sense of humor at first and didn't want to fall for his shenanigans! "Drenching" ??!!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
No shenanigans this time, that is the real deal with cows.
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
Oh Nancy,
No words of wisdom from me but I wanted to tell you I'm thinking of you and Mattie!!! Poor little girl 
I know my sister's workplace(holistic vet) does use the cranberry capsules in dogs too ...
Hugs to you,
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
We always have had excellent results with Baytril, although it costs an arm and a leg. Maybe it's because my girls are so big, we pay by the pound. Nova's sister Emmy has recurrent UTIs every few months and Baytril is the only thing that knocks it out.
Sue
Dane Mom Sue at nova.tripawds.com and Mom to Beautiful Great Dane Queen Nova, a Blind Tripawd, who kicked cancer's butt from 11/08-03/13. The Queen is Spirit Nova now, but her legacy lives on here at Tripawds!
A cultured sample should be accurate on what antibiotic to use. But, you should have seen quicker results. My senior bulldog Betty deals with several UTI's a year. She's prone to them because of her arthritis, she pees ON the ground, touches it and contracts bacteria. The only thing that works for hers is Baytril (expensive) or ciprofloxacin (similar, but much cheaper if available). If it doesn't knock it out within a week (but stay on the abx longer, symptoms improve very quickly though), then we test for crystals.
I hope your baby finds some relief soon!
Dawn
Rottie Raven, osteosarcoma at 8-1/2 years old, amputation in October '09 and in February '10 due to liver mets he went back to heaven where he came from. raven.tripawds.com
Now I have Miles, rottie mix amputee from a shelter and traveled 1500 miles to find his way here through the Rescue Railroad thanks to tripawds.com. miles.tripawds.com
Thanks to all of you for the great advice. The culture came back saying that Clavamox does kill the bacteria that she has. I took her to vet today and they are going to grow another culture. I like the idea of the cranberry juice and will, as urged, ask the vet first.
They said that she could have a stone or that she is pooling and not completely emptying her bladder. She could also have vaginosis and that keeps reinfecting her.
I will keep you all posted as to what the vet says. I am hoping the culture comes back clean, because I do not like what they are recommending as the next step which is to anesthetize her and give her a vaginal exam, x-rays, MRI, etc., to find out if the urinary tract hooks up to the vagina (or visa-versa I can never remember which tube connects to which tube) too high up in the system. I will get a second opinion before allowing her to be put under anesthesia.
Thanks tripawd-buddies!
Oh poor thing! Eat lots of cranberries, drink lots of juice, and feel better soon.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
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