If bacteria manage to enter through the urethra, a urinary tract infection can develop. This is noticeable because your dog keeps wanting to go out and has trouble urinating. Only a few drops may come out. Sometimes blood comes with urination and you notice that the dog is in pain. Urinary tract infections can be treated with medication. Furthermore, you can make his life a lot more pleasant as long as it bothers him.
What do you notice about your dog?
If your dog keeps wanting to go out, even though there is hardly any pee coming out, there is a chance that he has a urinary tract infection. The dog has to put in a lot of effort to hold his pee. Females are more susceptible to UTIs than males because they have a shorter urethra. This makes it easier for bacteria to get into the bladder. The male urethra is a few centimeters longer. Don’t punish your dog for wanting to go outside and be patient.
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The urinary tract
Many dogs will experience a urinary tract infection at some point in their lives. The urinary tract is intended to remove fluid-containing waste from the body. The two kidneys filter the blood, after which the excess fluid and waste are transported via the ureter to the bladder. A bladder is a storage place until it is full enough to empty. The dog will then feel the urge to urinate. During urination, the bladder contracts and the urine leaves the body through the urethra. Males have a prostate that surrounds the bladder. This leads seminal fluid out through the urethra.
How it arises
Most often, the infection is caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli. These are bacteria that normally occur around the dog’s buttocks. These always try to enter the urethra from the outside. Every time the dog urinates, the bacteria are washed away. If the dog does not urinate enough, the bacteria get a chance to enter, which can cause an infection.
The symptoms
If your dog is peeing blood or whining while urinating, it’s obvious that something is wrong. As the owner, make sure that you know your dog well to know when something is wrong. A urinary tract infection can be recognized in time by paying attention to the following symptoms:
Difficulty urinating
A dog with a urinary tract infection will feel the urge to urinate all the time, even though the bladder is almost empty. Peeing will be more difficult, with more effort and it will take longer than usual. Sometimes only a few drops come out.
Pain when urinating
The inside of the urethra is sensitive and can become irritated by the infection. This will become raw and may cause a burning sensation when urinating. This can be painful and cause the dog to wheeze or whine.
Dark or bloody urine
Pay attention to the color of your dog’s urine. Dogs with a urinary tract infection often have blood in their urine that can turn it red or rusty. To see the color well, you can let the dog pee on a cloth or paper. The urine often has a strong or unusually foul odor.
Make it easy for your dog
As soon as you suspect that something is wrong with your dog and you have been to the vet, you will receive treatment in case of a urinary tract infection. It usually takes about a week for your dog to heal. In the meantime, you can do several things to make your dog’s life a little more pleasant. For that you can do the following:
Give enough opportunity
If your dog feels a lot of urgencies, you should give him a chance to go outside. Be patient and let him out a lot. If you have to work or are away from home for a few hours for any other reason, hire someone else to go out with him. Even if your dog does not indicate it, you still have to take him for a walk a lot. Peeing removes bacteria in the urethra.
To drink water
Try to get your dog to drink a little more so that more bacteria are passed out. Your dog does not have to drink a lot at once, it can also be small amounts. Drinking water is also good to prevent a urinary tract infection.
Give him citrus juice
Citrus juice makes the urine more acidic, reducing the number of bacteria in the urine and the burning sensation. Because not every dog wants to drink this pure, you can mix it with his food.
To the vet
Don’t wait too long and go to the vet if you suspect that your dog has a urinary tract infection. It is better to start treatment as soon as possible. Usually, a urinary tract infection will be treated with antibiotics and the symptoms can increase greatly if treatment is delayed too long. Otherwise, bacteria may be able to infect the bladder and kidneys, making the dog very ill.
