Bacterial cystitis in dogs. A delicate disease - cystitis in a dog: symptoms, home treatment

Cystitis is a serious inflammatory disease of the bladder and urethra. All pets are susceptible to this disease, regardless of breed and age. When the signs of cystitis in a dog are clearly visible, the owner turns to the doctor in time and the pet quickly recovers. Unfortunately, more often the symptoms are vague and unclear, and the owner does not even suspect for a long time that the dog is sick.

In 70% of cases, bacteria are the culprit. They can get to the bladder mucosa in two ways - descending and ascending. In the first case, bacteria enter the bladder with lymph flow from neighboring organs or with blood flow (from anywhere, even from inflamed gums and carious pulp). With a downward route of penetration, antibiotic treatment is not always effective, because. First of all, it is important to eliminate the main source of infection.

The ascending path is penetration from the outside, through the urethra. There are always bacteria in the urethra, but they are washed out with urine. If the pet suffers for a long time or its immunity is weakened (hypothermia, stress), the bacteria begin to multiply actively and rise higher, from the urethra to the bladder. Girls get sick with cystitis more often, because. the urethra of the bitch is wider, shorter and close to the anus - it is easier for bacteria to enter the bladder. In addition, bitches are prone to various "female" ailments that disrupt the flora (and metritis).

When is cystitis suspected?

It’s hard not to notice the sharp shape: an always clean dog suddenly starts to leave puddles in the corners or defiantly stains furniture, sometimes suddenly starts whining. After the toilet, the hind legs seem to be constrained, the movements are cautious, and when you try to feel the tummy, the dog runs away or growls. Urine becomes cloudy, smells bad, in severe cases contains mucus, incomprehensible clots, blood blotches. Possible rise in temperature, sluggish appetite, thirst, general depression.

In the chronic form of the disease, the pet seems to be healthy, but from time to time it “becomes stupid”. Usually the owners take this behavior as an attempt to dominate or hooliganism (always suffers, but then suddenly on the carpet!). During the walk, the girl often sits down. The male also sits down, although he usually raises his paw. Sometimes a drop of blood can be seen at the end of the loop or penis, sometimes spots appear on the bedding (pinkish or yellow).

Read also: Itchy Mange in Dogs: Symptoms and Treatment

With an exacerbation of the chronic form, the symptoms of cystitis are brighter and similar to the acute form of the disease. Favorite:

lies a lot, moves reluctantly, eats worse, drinks a lot;

pisses more often, soils houses;

pissing strange (posture changes);

whining immediately after or during urination;

the stomach is tight, the dog avoids touching the stomach;

unusual smell, color, consistency of urine. It is urgent to contact the clinic if clots, mucus, blood are visible in the urine.

Treatment of cystitis

Before treating the consequence, the veterinarian must identify the cause of the disease. You should not trust a doctor who, after the first consultation, prescribes standard antibiotics. Perhaps they will help. But this is a temporary effect associated with the inhibition of the growth of the number of bacteria. To properly develop a scheme, you need to get the results of the following studies:

blood and urine analysis (general, biochemistry);

bacteriological examination (urine);

swab for genital infections;

ultrasound. On the monitor, the doctor will see stones and sand, if any. This is extremely important, because cystitis is often confused with KSD and vice versa. In addition, it would be useful to assess the condition of the kidneys and bladder.

Symptomatic treatment of cystitis in a dog is carried out immediately, without waiting for the results of the tests. It is important to understand that this is only the elimination of symptoms to alleviate the condition of the pet! Many owners, rejoicing at the improvement, stop further treatment, which leads to a deplorable result. So, to eliminate the symptoms, the veterinarian may prescribe:

analgesic, if the pet whines and does not allow touching the stomach;

hemostatic if there is blood in the urine (dicynone and analogues);

antispasmodic (usually no-shpa, intramuscularly);

soft compound. As a rule, this is homeopathy or herbal medicine, something safe and harmless at the stage when the final diagnosis is unclear: stop cystitis (tablets or suspension), furagin, urolex, etc.

A competent doctor will give general recommendations for care and maintenance, which fully coincide with preventive measures. Do not neglect the advice of a veterinarian! Perhaps something will seem like a trifle, but in the case of cystitis, any trifle can cause deterioration.

When the results of the tests are received, the doctor will be able to develop a targeted treatment. In case of allergies, antihistamines are prescribed, the agent provocateur is excluded (the food, shampoo, etc. are changed). If a chronic ailment of the genitourinary system is detected, complex treatment is carried out. Along the way, they continue the course of injections and tablets for dogs from cystitis as a symptom of the underlying disease. It is important to understand that treatment should be individual, aimed at eliminating the cause! It makes no sense to treat cystitis if the pet has rotten teeth, the intestines are clogged with worms or are detected.

If it turns out that the inflammatory process is the result of the vital activity of bacteria, an additional analysis is carried out for sensitivity to antibiotics. This is necessary, since an incorrectly selected drug:

will not give any result;

provoke increased resistance of bacteria to antibiotics;

will give an unjustified burden on the liver and kidneys (zero sense, and health is undermined!).

Cystitis is an inflammation of the urinary system. The signs of this disease are hard to miss, but many owners do not attach importance to the fact that the pet began to ask to go to the toilet more often. What you need to know about cystitis in dogs, symptoms and home treatment?

Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder. The disease affects the mucous membrane. There are two courses of cystitis: chronic and acute. In the first case, the disease cannot be completely cured, so it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the dog. Acute cystitis is treated for a long time, but almost always ends in recovery.

Dogs with a weakened immune system (after surgery or recent illnesses) get sick more often. Females are more prone to cystitis than males, as their urethra is wider and located closer to the anus. Thanks to this structure, the infection is easier to penetrate into the cavity of the bladder.

Cystitis in dogs: symptoms

Symptoms of cystitis in dogs can be pronounced, but sometimes the disease proceeds without any signs. The animal may worry, ask for a walk more often, sometimes refuses to eat.

Here are the main signs of cystitis in a dog:

increased urge to urinate (the animal may leave small puddles throughout the house, although this has not been observed before);
pain when emptying the bladder (the dog whines and worries during urination);
in the urine impurities of blood or pus are noticeable;
the dog's stomach becomes painful and hard (when touched, the animal is worried, may show aggression);
males do not raise their paw during urination, but sit down;
the smell of urine changes;
the dog drinks a lot, but the amount of urine excreted does not increase.

Important! In acute cystitis, the animal may have a fever. The dog refuses food, but continues to drink water in large quantities. In severe cases, vomiting is observed. An active and cheerful pet suddenly becomes apathetic and indifferent.

Treatment of cystitis in dogs

Treatment of the disease begins with an accurate diagnosis. If you notice symptoms of cystitis in your pet, show it to the veterinarian and take the dog's urine for analysis. The specialist will examine the animal, study the results of the study and prescribe medication and their exact dosage.

This chart describes how to treat cystitis in dogs:

Taking antibacterial drugs: Monural, Cobactan 2.5%. Together with taking antibiotics for the prevention of dysbacteriosis, probiotics and sorbents are prescribed (Linex, Bifidum, Zoonorm, Laktobifid, etc.).
Drinking diuretic infusions and decoctions. To prepare such a remedy at home, you need to heat 200 ml of water in a water bath, add 5 tablespoons of chopped parsley and boil a little. The decoction is drunk three times a day, 5-10 ml.
For pain, intramuscular injections of the drug No-shpa are prescribed, as well as taking Cyston tablets.
If there is blood in the urine, the animal is shown taking a hemostatic drug (Dicinon, Vikasol, etc.).
The bladder is washed with a catheter with warm saline with the addition of Miramistin, Chlorhexidine or Furacillin.
To strengthen the immune system, the course of treatment includes drugs: Gamavit, Roncoleukin, Fosprinil, Anandin, etc.
A good effect in the fight against the disease is given by the drugs Stop-cystitis, Cat Erwin and Phytoelita. These drugs are intended for the treatment of dogs.

An important role is played by the diet and watering of the animal while taking medication. It is necessary to ensure that the pet drinks a lot, and the water is slightly alkalized with sodium bicarbonate.

Attention! For the duration of treatment, dogs are excluded from the diet of the usual dry food (or replace it with a veterinary diet Urinary Royal Canin or Hills). The animal is offered dairy products, cereals and lean meat.

Possible Complications

The acute form of cystitis often becomes chronic, which means that the disease will return after each hypothermia of the body or a decrease in immunity. Without treatment, the disease can lead to the development of serious inflammation of the kidneys, so this ailment should not be left unattended.

Disease prevention

Prevention of cystitis is simple:

exclude the possibility of hypothermia of the pet (reduce walks on cold rainy days, do not allow the dog to bathe in unheated reservoirs);
watch the bedding: it should not be wet;
feed the animal fully and balanced.

Cystitis is a disease that often goes unnoticed, but it is necessary to treat it, because it can lead to inflammation of the kidneys. Take good care of your dog's health and take him to the veterinarian regularly.

Cystitis in dogs is an inflammation of the lining of the bladder. The disease occurs in a chronic or acute form and can lead to urethritis - inflammation of the urethra.

It must be remembered that lead to cystitis:

inflammatory processes in the genitals (endometritis, vaginitis and others);
swimming in cold reservoirs, walking in frosty and damp weather, being in drafts for a long time;
kidney disease (nephritis, pyelonephritis and others);
entry into the bladder of an animal of pathogenic microflora (chlamydia, viruses, E. coli, etc.);
tumors, allergies and the use of certain groups of medicines are the rarest causes of the development of the disease.

The disease is more common in females than in males. This is due to the peculiarities of the physiological structure of females. Their urethra is wider, shorter and located near the anus.

The disease can occur due to weak immunity. Owners often skimp on the nutrition of their dogs, believing that the animal can eat the same food that people eat. The pet needs a special balanced diet, which should contain not only meat, but also vegetables and fruits. A sedentary lifestyle also often becomes an indirect cause of some diseases. Dogs, especially young dogs, need an active lifestyle.

Symptoms of the disease

Identifying the symptoms of cystitis is easy. It is enough to observe the behavior of your dog.

If a toilet-trained dog constantly urinates in the apartment, he is probably sick. Instead of punishing the pet, the owner should watch how he empties his bladder. In the acute form of the disease, the animal experiences severe pain. His movements are careful. Males do not stand in their characteristic posture when they urinate, but squat, like females, with their hind limbs widely apart. The pet has cloudy, foul-smelling urine, in which blood clots can be seen. Body temperature rises. The animal loses its appetite, feels thirsty, becomes passive. When the owner tries to take the dog in his arms, the pet runs away or growls. In this case, an acute form of the disease can be suspected.

Signs of cystitis in a dog with a chronic form will be somewhat different. Determining the disease in an animal is much more difficult, since outwardly it seems to be completely healthy. Oddities in behavior can be noticed during urination. The dog whines, changes positions. Some pets lose activity and appetite, experience intense thirst, as in the chronic form of the disease. Other dogs behave as usual. Behavior changes only in the later stages of cystitis. You can determine the presence of the disease by yellow and pink spots on the bedding or in the place where the dog usually sleeps. The owner should be alert to frequent urination of the pet.

Treatment of the disease

Cystitis can be treated at home. Even a person who does not have the appropriate education can cope with this task. However, the health of the pet should be entrusted to a professional veterinarian who knows exactly how to treat the disease.

Without the necessary equipment, the owner is not always able to correctly diagnose his pet. He may mistake another, more dangerous and intractable disease for cystitis in a puppy or an adult.

Treatment methods:

Since the disease in most cases has a bacterial etymology, it is necessary to treat cystitis in a dog with antibiotics: Ciftriaxone, Cefadroxil, Baytril and some others. The course lasts from 7 to 14 days. The treatment will have side effects. In the intestines of a pet, the microflora is disturbed, which can lead to dysbacteriosis. The animal will have problems with defecation. Antibiotics are harmful to the liver and cause disturbances in its work. That is why veterinarians prescribe maintenance therapy - Vestin, Ribotan, Gamavit, Essentiale.
Treatment of cystitis in a dog is usually not without painkillers. So that the animal does not experience discomfort during urination, he is prescribed drugs such as Cyston or No-shpa.
Your pet needs a bladder flush. It is strictly forbidden to carry out this procedure on your own. Washing can only be done in a veterinary clinic. With the help of a special catheter, the doctor removes fluid from the bladder, and then fills it with antiseptics. The procedure is carried out during the first visit to the doctor. With the help of washing, the body is freed from the products of inflammation - pus, inorganic accumulations and mucus. Manipulation is carried out in the first days of treatment of the animal.
At home, the dog can be given diuretic teas in accordance with the attached instructions. A large animal is given the same dose as a human. For small dogs, half of this portion is sufficient. The finished mixture, which is sold in pharmacies, can be replaced with horsetail and corn stigmas. These plants have a slight diuretic effect, help to cleanse the bladder from the infection located there and have a calming effect on the mucosa of the organ.

Prevention

The disease is much easier to prevent than to treat. The dog must not come into contact with sick animals in any way. The breeder needs to keep track of which individual the pet mates with. Stray dogs should not be allowed near a pet during a walk. Animal for mating must be vaccinated and have a medical certificate of the absence of diseases.

The dog must have healthy gums and teeth. Animals cleanse the genitals with their tongue. Any inflammation in the oral cavity can affect the occurrence of cystitis. Long-haired pets need to cut the hair around the anus and near the genitals. It is advisable that the dog drink clean water. During a walk, the owner should not allow the pet to lap from the puddle. A dog should not sleep under a fan or on a tiled floor, even in summer.

Every owner needs to know how to treat cystitis in dogs. The success of therapy is influenced not only by the preparations chosen by the veterinarian, but also by other procedures - the owner should ensure that his pet has complete rest and proper nutrition. Salty, spicy and fatty foods should be excluded from the diet. It is better to refuse feed for the duration of treatment and switch to natural products.