Urinary tract infection (UTI) is found to be common women without excluding your female English bulldog. Male bulldogs can also suffer from UTI yet with lesser chances. Early detection of a urinary tract infection is most beneficial for you and your dog. It is helpful to understand the signs and symptoms of UTIs so early treatments can be done before it develops into a problem that only a vet can solve.
One of the first signs of UTI in dogs is dehydration. When you observe that your dog is dehydrated such as drinking an unusually large amount of water then you may want to have it checked for UTI. Your dog may be gulping more water than usual even without having exercises. As a preventive measure, supply an accessible supply of fresh and clean water so your bulldog can always drink when it needs to.
Observe the normal urinating patterns of your dog. When it does urinate more or less than usual then it could be a sign of UTI. Dogs with UTI can cause frequent urination or scanty amount of urine. Your dog may appear bothered by the pain from the infection. A dog that is straining to urinate means there is an inflammation that prevents your dog form being able to urinate easily. When blood is seen in its urine, then your dog is in a lot of pain as the infection has reached its kidneys. In such case, a vet should be consulted for further discussion of treatments.
Most of all, any severe form of infection is accompanied with fever. Thus, UTI in its worse state causes fever and lethargy. Such discomfort can place your dog into silence or lost vitality. Take your English bulldog to your trusted vet immediately for any signs and symptoms noticed.
Causes of Female bulldog urinary tract infection
The problem of UTI is a product of many issues involved. The most common reason, however, comes with age. When a dog matures into a specific age, it will have more chances of UTI to set in. An aging English bulldog would develop few age-related changes such as weakening of the urinary muscles, bladder damage, and the formation of stones.
Female English bulldogs often develop bladder stones due to the anatomy of its tract. Both sexes of dogs do not develop bladder stones overnight. These stones form over time starting as crystals in the bladder. By the time these crystals become bigger then they clump tighter forming a solid mass known as a bladder stone. Bladder stones can be treated in a many ways depending on the size of the stone. The most severe cases of UTI can be surgically removed. Mild cases can be treated with medications and diet changes.
Dehydration can also lead to problems. Again, this can occur in both sexes of dogs. Supply your dog with clean, fresh water to let it quench its thirst. You should make sure that the drinking water of your pet is free of harmful bacteria, excessive mineral content or other organisms.
Poor hygiene is another cause for a female dog urinary tract infection to build up. Your female bulldog should have its genital area cleaned routinely. Bacteria can accumulate and move along in the urinary tract going up to your dog’s urethra and into the bladder. It is a good habit to bathe your dog often to maintain a clean genital area as a part of a good hygiene.
Female dog urinary tract infection: Treatment Options
A simple test like a urinalysis will determine if your English bulldog is suffering from UTI. You may also need to bring your pet to a vet to help assess the underlying cause and treatment of the infection. Your dog may only need to modify its diet in some cases. In moderate cases, medications may need to be prescribed such as antibiotics to treat the infection. Your dog may need to go under surgery such in a case with larger bladder stones that is impossible to melt through oral treatments.
You may also explore home treatment options that will help your bulldog with mild infection or acts as a preventive measure for UTI to occur again. Cranberry juice, for example, helps people from having UTI recurring again. This is the same case for dogs but the only hindrance is if your pet is not keen on drinking juice products. For example, you may have heard that cranberry juice can help humans with the problem. This is true for dogs as well. The only problem would be if your dog refuses to drink juice products.
Homeopathic remedies for female dog urinary tract infection may also be helpful. This therapy involves the use of certain natural ingredients namely Cantharis (for urine flow) and Berberis vulgaris (helps the bladder). These are safe to use and may be worth a try to help bring back the urine’s proper PH. Fluid excreted as urine is a natural way to clean the urinary tract.
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