First UTI, and she's also getting over an ear infection...oi.

[Christen99]

We left Guinness at our vet for boarding last week, and today when I picked her up I was informed that she had a UTI while we were gone. She had been asking to go out to urinate more, and was really straining to go, so they collected a specimen and started her on antibiotics a few days ago and we will continue for a couple of weeks until she goes in for her recheck.

A few weeks ago, she was there for an ear infection and while we were in the parking lot she got really excited to see one of the vet techs and piddled all over the ground. There was quite a bit of mucous hanging from her vulva and so the vet wanted a specimen (which she promptly gave for a cookie), and it came back clean. I had never seen it before, but because there wasn't an infection the vet felt that it occasionally happened, and since she was symptom free we'd just watch it. She ended up having another incident of excessive discharge a couple of days before this most rent boarding, but she seemed fine.

So, we've never dealt with a UTI and I want to make sure we don't have to deal with it again, especially because she's a senior. I also want to start her on a probiotic because she's on oral antibiotics for her UTI and had an otipack antibiotic in her ear (3 week time release that was inserted in her ear).

She was having some issues with allergies prior to her ear infection, and it seems as if it's always tied to Spring (lots of licking her paws). I don't want to switch her food, as she is extremely sensitive to dietary changes but will do so if it will help with yeasty ears and UTI's...she's on TOTW Prairie. I'm also thinking cran caps (no clue as to how much and how often to give her), but I'm wondering if there's something better. Also, she should probably get some sort of probiotic since she's on antibiotics, but I'm not sure how much/often.

Currently, she gets coconut oil twice per day, Hylasport once per day, and her antibiotics twice per day but that's obviously short term.

[Candy and Spike's Dad]

Candy had UTIs when she was a puppy but since started getting a cran cap once a day, she hasn't had any UTIs.

[Trudy]

Our pup has a UTI and we've got her on antibiotics and two cran caps a day, plus probiotic powder in her dog food. Our puppy seems to be doing well so far but
it's only been a week since diagnosis. We'll see if we can keep her UTI free, that is my goal.

[windycanyon]

I'd get her on some good immune support supplements. Definitely a probiotic... fish oil, vit E, etc. There a product some folks in my lab club are raving about called Transfer Factor. Can buy thru Amazon. May be worth a look since immune systems are poor in the very young and very old. Anne

[doubledip1]

I really like Probios brand probiotics. I use these: Amazon.com : Vet Plus 180 Count Probios Digestive Dog Tablet : Pet Digestive Remedies : Pet Supplies
I like the tablets over the treats because the tablets are way cheaper, and Luna has no problems eating them. They're super easy to give because you give 1 tab per 25 pounds, so Luna gets one thrown in with her breakfast and her dinner. Luna will be on probiotics for the rest of her life... she and my horse actually get the same ones :-)

As for the UTIs, Luna had 2 before she was 10 months old because she had an RV. My vet recommended #1, making sure she was as slender as she could be and had no extra weight, because if she was heavier she would have extra folds around her vulva which gives the bacteria more room to stick around and cause problems. The other thing my vet recommended (she hasn't had any luck with cran caps, and she's pretty holistic) is to wipe Luna's vulva with an unscented baby wipe every time she comes inside. We've done it every day, and Luna hasn't had another UTI since. I really like the baby wipes thing. It's super easy and becomes routine.

[4Thelove]

Sorry to hear about her problems, no experience with UTIs-hope it clears up and never comes back. Ear infections we have had our share of, easily treated by flushing after swimming.