Bacterial urinary infections (UTIs) are one of the most common ailments of dogs. Unlike human patients, veterinary patients are often asymptomatic, and the issue is an incidental finding. UTIs can occur in the bladder or become more serious and involve the kidneys.
The more common symptoms of UTIs could be blood in the urine, straining to urinate, having to urinate frequently, accidents in the house. Because females have shorter urethras, they are more prone to develop UTIs. The first step in diagnosing a UTI is a urinalysis.
The treatment for UTIs is antibiotics, usually given for 10-14 days. If there is also a kidney infection, treatment could be for 6-8 weeks. If the pet has recurrent infections, the veterinarian may consider running additional tests to determine better what is going on. Urinary tract infections are not contagious from pet to pet or pets to people.
Learn more:
Bacterial Urinary Tract Infections [Internet] Merck Veterinary Manual. Patricia M. Dowling, DVM, MSc, DACVIM, DACVCP, Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan. Available from https://www.merckvetmanual.com/pharmacology/systemic-pharmacotherapeutics-of-the-urinary-system/bacterial-urinary-tract-infections
Urinary Tract (Bladder) Infection in Dogs and Cats [Internet] Veterinary Partner. Wendy Brooks, DVM, DABVP, Date Published: 12/26/2006, Date Reviewed/Revised: 07/28/2021. Available from https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952574
Print
PDF
