Cystitis in dogs: symptoms, treatment and prevention

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

Causes of cystitis

In 70% of cases, the culprits of the disease are bacteria. They can get on the mucosa of the bladder in two ways – descending and ascending. In the first case, bacteria enter the bladder with the current of lymph from neighboring organs or with blood flow (from anywhere, even from inflamed gums and carious pulp).

With a downward path of penetration, treatment with antibiotics is not always effective, because first of all it is important to eliminate the main focus of infection.

The ascending path is penetration from the outside, through the urethra. In the urethra, there are always bacteria, but they are washed 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 suffer from cystitis more often. The urethra bitch is wider, shorter and is close to the anus, bacteria easier to penetrate into the bladder. In addition, bitches are subject to various “female” ailments that disrupt the flora (vaginitis and metritis).

Less commonly, cystitis develops against parasitic infestation, the intake of toxic drugs, allergies, and tumors. Cystitis as a symptom is observed in ICD, nephritis and other diseases of the genitourinary system. If the therapy of the underlying disease is not performed or is ineffective, chronic cystitis does not respond to treatment.

When is cystitis suspected?

It’s hard not to notice the sharp form: always a clean dog suddenly starts to leave puddles in the corners or demonstratively spoils furniture, sometimes suddenly starts to whine. After the toilet, the hind legs seem to be chained, movements careful, and when trying to touch the tummy the dog runs away or growls. The urine becomes turbid, it smells bad, and in severe cases contains mucus, incomprehensible clots, and blood stains. It is possible to increase temperature, sluggish appetite, thirst, general oppression.

In the chronic form of the ailment the pet seems healthy, but from time to time “durns”. Usually owners take this behavior for attempting to dominate or hooliganism (always tolerates, and then suddenly on the carpet!). While walking, the girl often sits down. The male also sits down, although usually paws up his paw. Sometimes at the end of the loop or penis you can see a drop of blood, sometimes spots appear on the litter (pinkish or yellow).

When the chronic form worsens, the symptoms of cystitis are brighter and similar to the acute form of the disease:

  • dog much sleeps, reluctantly moves, worse eats, drinks a lot;
  • pisses at home;
  • pissing strangely (the pose changes);
  • whimpers immediately after or during urination;
  • belly tight, the dog avoids touching the stomach;
  • unusual smell, color, consistency of urine. It is necessary urgently to address in clinic if in a urine clots, slime, a blood are appreciable.

Treatment

Before treating the investigation, the veterinarian must identify the cause of the disease. Do not trust a doctor who, after the first consultation, prescribes antibiotics of the standard regimen. 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 obtain the results of the following studies:

  • analysis of blood and urine (general, biochemistry);
  • bacteriological examination (urine);
  • a smear 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 the ICD and vice versa.

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, pleased with the improvement, stop further treatment, which leads to a deplorable result. So, to eliminate symptoms, the veterinarian can appoint:

  • An analgesic if the pet whimpers and does not allow to touch the stomach;
  • blood-resurfacing if there is blood in the urine (dicinone and analogues);
  • antispasmodic (usually it is no-shpa, intramuscularly);
  • complex preparation. As a rule, this is homeopathy or phytotherapy, something safe and harmless at the stage when the final diagnosis is unclear.

A competent doctor will give general advice on care and maintenance, which completely 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 small thing can become a cause of deterioration.

When the test results are obtained, the doctor will be able to develop targeted treatment. In the case of allergy prescribed antihistamines, exclude agent-provocateur (change feed, shampoo, etc.). If a chronic ailment of the genitourinary system is detected, complex treatment is performed. Along the way, continue the course of injections and pills for dogs from cystitis as from the symptom of the underlying disease. It is important to understand that treatment should be individual, aimed at eliminating the cause! It is pointless to treat cystitis, if the pet has rotten teeth, the intestine is clogged with worms or vaginitis is detected.

If it turned out that the inflammatory process is the result of the vital activity of bacteria, an additional analysis is made for sensitivity to antibiotics. This is necessary, because the wrong product:

  • will not yield any result;
  • provokes increased resistance of bacteria to antibiotics;
  • will give an unjustified strain on the liver and kidneys.

Any antibiotics for cystitis is prescribed only after a sensitivity test. Based on the results of such analysis, the veterinarian will be able to choose the most effective drug that acts against specific bacteria, and not against bacteria in general. This helps to avoid a lot of problems, but most importantly – prevents the transition of the ailment into a chronic form that is difficult and tedious to be treated (and sometimes not treatable at all). To reduce the harmful effects of antibiotics on the body of your pet, the doctor will prescribe a course of hepatoprotectors and / or sorbents. In some cases, a course of immunomodulators is required.

Prevention of cystitis

In tandem with a competent veterinarian and a caring attitude to cure cystitis in dogs can, however, it is better to prevent the disease. Nothing super complicated from the owner is required:

• The dog should drink a lot of only pure water (filtered, from the bottle).
• Walking with the dog three times a day or have to put a tray.
• You can not allow the dog to rest on a draft, at the fan, on the tiled floor.
• A dog should have healthy gums and teeth.
• Dogs should not be allowed to mate with untested bitches.
• Long-haired pets need to shear hair under the tail, so that the feces do not accumulate, and then do not fall into the mouth and the genitals (after licking).

But the main measure of preventing cyst in dogs is an annual visit to a veterinarian to monitor the general condition of your pet. It is enough to pass urine analysis to notice changes in the picture compared to previous results. And the financial expenses and the time spent on an annual preventive visit to the clinic are nonsense compared to how much money, time and mental energy will be spent on the treatment of the pet. In addition, the disease is always easier to win, if you catch the disease at an early stage – do not forget this simple truth.

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