Uti "ordeal" Question

[mandym]

As some of you may know from my post about 2 weeks ago, my Daisy was diagnosed as having a severe UTI, along with being in heat. I was given clavamox (375mg) - antibiotics- for 2 weeks after the urinalysis with ultrasound guided cystocentesis was done. Her need to go out drastically decreased but after her re-check yesterday she still has some infection and crystals in her urine. I was given another week for clavamox 375mg and some cranberry supplements to help lower the ph. Unfortunately I am using a vet that I am not so fond of so I just want some of my "friends" opinion on what the deal is. Does it usually take this long to clear a UTI? The vet didn't seem confident that only one more week of antibiotics would clear it up. I know things can get expensive but I just feel like this is a little excessive. They didn't increase the strength of the antibiotics or change anything and they act like it's no big deal to keep bringing her back in for a "re-check" , aka $150-200 a pop. Am I just being sensitive or is this normal? At first I was the one that suggested they test her for UTI because they were just going to send me on my way thinking that I was just over reacting due to her being in heat. Is there something else I need to be watching out for or asking about?

 

[Gelcoater]

As some of you may know from my post about 2 weeks ago, my Daisy was diagnosed as having a severe UTI, along with being in heat. I was given clavamox (375mg) - antibiotics- for 2 weeks after the urinalysis with ultrasound guided cystocentesis was done. Her need to go out drastically decreased but after her re-check yesterday she still has some infection and crystals in her urine. I was given another week for clavamox 375mg and some cranberry supplements to help lower the ph. Unfortunately I am using a vet that I am not so fond of so I just want some of my "friends" opinion on what the deal is. Does it usually take this long to clear a UTI? The vet didn't seem confident that only one more week of antibiotics would clear it up. I know things can get expensive but I just feel like this is a little excessive. They didn't increase the strength of the antibiotics or change anything and they act like it's no big deal to keep bringing her back in for a "re-check" , aka $150-200 a pop. Am I just being sensitive or is this normal? At first I was the one that suggested they test her for UTI because they were just going to send me on my way thinking that I was just over reacting due to her being in heat. Is there something else I need to be watching out for or asking about?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with seeking out advise.Mine would be to seek out a new vet

 

[ariegel]

If the Clavamox didn't totally clear it it's fine to go a little longer on it but you may need to have the urine cultured. A culture will tell you exactly what antibiotic is needed. I'm a little surprised that they started with Clavamox it's a great antibiotic but it is also very expensive. I second the finding a new vet.

 

[mandym]

it is also very expensive

YES IT IS! I was blown away at how expensive it is! They told me they could put me on a cheaper antibiotic but it probably wouldn't work..now why would I want to use something they know won't work??? And they charged me more for only 1 week vs 2. I just can't seem to win

 

[Archer]

I agree that it is not abnormal to try another round of Clavamox, even on the same dose. My guess is to why they used it initially instead of a less potent one is that they probably threw their biggest gun at it first if it was a significant infection. Simplicef is another great antibiotic they could have used, but is pricier than the Clavamox (which is a great antibiotic btw). Aria was on the SImplicef for her UTI and it worked well. I agree that they should have cultured this go around as you really want to know exactly what you are treating rather than just playing Russian roulette with antibiotics.

Personally, what I would ask for are your medical records and find another vet. They should have explained WHY this is happening and the possibility as to why it is lingering around even if it is a simple reason such as not being on antibiotics long enough to combat the infection. They should also be supportive of your concerns and questions, But it seems as though this place just prefers to treat their clients like idiots and keep you in the dark. Medicine (human and veterinary) is as much about education as it is therapy and treatment. Your vet should be explaining all this to you. I am sorry they are not

You are an awesome, diligent Dobermom Sorry you are going through all of this with your girl. I hope she finds some relief soon!

 

[JanS]

They should also be supportive of your concerns and questions, But it seems as though this place just prefers to treat their clients like idiots and keep you in the dark. Medicine (human and veterinary) is as much about education as it is therapy and treatment. Your vet should be explaining all this to you. I am sorry they are not
You are an awesome, diligent Dobermom Sorry you are going through all of this with your girl. I hope she finds some relief soon!

Ditto to all of the above! Our vet will come in the waiting room and sit down with me to thoroughly explain what all of the test results were, what they mean and the best form of treatment is. Then he asks if I have any more questions. You deserve the same when you're paying good money for her care.

 

[MelissaP.]

I agree that even if your current vet's motives are in the right place, if you aren't happy and don't feel 100% satisfied, you should find another vet. Find one that you feel like has your pet's best interest at heart. Good luck and I hope your pup feels better soon.

 

[Marinegeekswife]

I don't necessarily say you need to find a new vet but I will say it never hurts to get a second opinion. A new set of eyes or new approaches can be very helpful.

 

[mandym]

NEW UPDATE:
I took Daisy back to the vet Friday for her 2nd re-check after completing another week of clavamox. Urinalysis came back with no crystles in her urine (so the worry of kidney stones is gone), HOWEVER, her infection is worse. They said her white blood count was extremely high and she still had a small amount of blood in her urine. She was not running a fever and has been acting normal though. Pretty much the vet isn't sure what is going on. He thinks that it may have something to do with her STILL being in heat. He said that there was a milky substance in the urine sample so his thoughts were that it could possibly be pyometra but it's too early to tell. They could do a urine culture and a blood test but he doesn't think anything would show up this early. SO...he told me to just hang in there for another round of antibiotics (2 weeks of Enrofloaxcin 136mg) and keep an eye on her for any thick discharge or her acting lethargic or not eating - which would indicate pyometra since usually it shows up once it's full blown. So after this round she will have taken 5 straight weeks of antibiotics! What the heck is going on?! Plus on top of it he asked me why I let her go into heat and I told him that my thought process was it was good for her to go into season to get her hormones straightened out and I know with males if you neuter them too early it can make them lankey and not grow right so I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to stunt her growth or mess her up somehow..or so I thought. Well he informed me that i was right about the males but that didn't apply to females and pretty much that by letting her go into heat that I increased her risk of developing mammory cancer. Great. Of course I am trying to do everything right and nothing seems to be going right. I can tell that her infection is bad again because the "smell" is back, she is licking herself a lot again, and she is waking up to go out more at night. I just feel uneasy at the fact that I just have to wait and see what happens. And he didn't seem to concerned about the pyometra since I planned on getting her spayed anyway. Maybe I'm just being sensitive but all of this just has me worried. He said that he didn't suggest spaying her right away but definitely before her next heat. Is there something I'm missing here?

 

[JanS]

Aww the poor girl has been through so much and you're doing a geat job with her.

Well he informed me that i was right about the males but that didn't apply to females and pretty much that by letting her go into heat that I increased her risk of developing mammory cancer. Great. Of course I am trying to do everything right and nothing seems to be going right

There are so many different opinions out there on that subject and you can get conflicting advice from even vets. I'd go with what you think is best and the chance isn't that great of mammory cancer, even though many of those things "could" be possible regardless of what you do.

Hang in there and thanks for the update.

 

[Dobs4ever]

A clear indication that they should have run a culture. I would first ask why 1 week of antibiotic cost more than 2 weeks and then I would run to a new vet for their opinion.

 

[mandym]

I would first ask why 1 week of antibiotic cost more than 2 weeks

They told me that they tack on a "dispensing fee". Doesn't make sense but whatever..I didn't have much choice. The only good thing about this last visit is they didn't charge me for the "exam". I guess they felt guilty that they STILL don't know whats going on so they figured after all the money I have already spent and what I'm going to spend until we get this resolved they could spare me $30. How nice of them (sarcastially).

 

[ariegel]

I would get a second opinion. They need to do a culture and maybe x-rays and or ultrasound. Did they get the urine by catching it in a bowl or did they get it by sticking a needle in her bladder to get it. Most of the time if we are not sure if its a vaginal infectin or a bladder infection we will get the sample with a needle so it's sterile and does not pass though the vagina and pick up anything on the way out. If she still is heat they should check the urine this way, so the can tell if it's from the being in heat. If they truly think it might be the beginning of a pyomitra the definitely need to run a CBC at the least and take x-rays. There are two types of pyo, one is called open- visible discharge, the other is called closed- no discharge. Both are life threatening conditions and should not be something to wait and see. I don't want to scare you or anything, but just want to make sure you understand some of your options. I personally don't think your vet is doing right by you or your dog. Good Luck and keep us posted.

 

[ariegel]

I forgot to add that if you are worried about a pyo keep an eye on her temp. 101.5-102.5 is normal for a dog. I just use a cheap digital thermometer.

 

[mandym]

I was able to find her vet records and I'll copy and paste it here. Maybe this will give better detail than my rambling lol
3/18/2014:
Daisy presented for strong odor. O reports p has
been in heat since this past Thursday (blood
coming from vulva). Vulva has been swelling slowly
over the past 2-3 weeks. E/d normally. No v/d/c/s.
Diet: Taste of the Wild.
O reports p still e/d normally. No v/d/c/s. P still waking up
o at night to urinate. O taking water up at night.
URINALYSIS W/ SEDIMENT (IN HOUSE) ; Qty: 1.
Rx013236: CLAVAMOX TABS 375MG / strip of 14
Str-strip Qty-2.00 Refill-0 Expire-
Rx: Give 1 tablet by mouth TWICE daily
Rx: for 2 weeks.
Rx: *antibiotic*
Rx: ck...

4/2/2014:
URINALYSIS W/ SEDIMENT (IN HOUSE) ; Qty: 1.
UTI still present. A/O to continue Clavamox for 1 week and cranberry comfort for e
Rx013225: CLAVAMOX TABS 375MG / strip of 14
Str-strip Qty-1.00 Refill-0 Expire-
.Rx013225Rx013225: CLAVAMOX TABS 375MG / strip
of14 Cranberry Comfort Soft Chew 65 ct

4/11/2014:
URINALYSIS W/ SEDIMENT (IN HOUSE) ; Qty: 1.
uti strip read manually from 4/11/14
ph 6
pro 3+
glu neg
ket neg
ubc norm
bil neg
blood 4+
sh
Rx013302: Enrofloxacin Tabs 136 mg Str-tablet
Qty-14.00 Refill-0 Expire-07/01/15
Rx: Give 1 tablet by mouth ONCE daily for 14 days

 

[ariegel]

I don't remember how old your girl is but I would be careful with using Enrofloxacin in a dog that is not done growing as it can affect their joints.

 

[Judith]

So sorry about Daisy's ordeal you must be worried sick, I have never heard a vet say "wait and see" with what could be a life threatening illness and is just throwing antibiotics willy nilly without really getting to the problem, also pushing the spaying with you would really get mad, arm yourself with the information out there as he does not seem to know squat, I would get my records and find another vet, I have copied some information written by a vet about spaying and neutering dogs too early, hope Daisy feels better soon and everything clears up.


The suggestion that dogs and cats should be spayed and neutered over time has evolved into the suggestion that they should be spayed and neutered because it is healthier. We at Angryvet disagree. There is a lot of evidence to support the logical claim that your pets may actually be healthier if left intact.

Think rationally. How would removing a child’s reproductive organs before puberty affect their growth, maturation, and development? Puberty and sexual maturation is imperative for bone, brain and organ development. The same is true for your dogs and cats.

The go to argument that veterinarians tell their clients is that neutering eliminates testicular cancer and prostatitis. Spaying eliminates breast, ovarian and uterine cancer. What they don’t tell people is that at least one study shows that intact animals live LONGER. Spaying and neutering not only potentially shortens the lifespan but also has been correlated with various illnesses. Obesity (sometimes not even responsive to extreme calorie restriction), osteoarthritis, Anterior Cruciate Rupture, diabetes, hypothyroidism, prostatic cancer, hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma, urinary incontinence, urinary tract infection, juvenile vulva are just a few conditions that are overly represented in spayed and neutered pets. We will discuss some of these correlations and published findings in our blogs.

In our opinion the healthiest pet is one that keeps its reproductive tract. This does pose challenges. Male cats mark and spray. It can be burdensome to have a non-spayed female dog bleeding in the house. Female cats, when they are in heat, will drive you nuts! Male dogs can become dog aggressive and mark their territory or the house.

The best compromise, if any of these things is too much to deal with, would be to spay and neuter at a minimum of one year if not two years of age. Allow your pet to reach full maturation and reach adulthood before considering surgery. We have seen shelters that spay and neuter at 6 weeks of age! Clearly, this aggressive a surgery at such an early stage of development is not warranted.

Understand that there are options. Educate yourself and take the approach that best suits you and your pet. Use this website (and others) as a resource to ask and answer questions.

- See more at: http://www.angryvet.com/spaying-and-neutering/#sthash.8jCJOcjo.dpuf

 

[mandym]

I don't remember how old your girl is but I would be careful with using Enrofloxacin in a dog that is not done growing as it can affect their joints.

Great..she is 9 months old. I'm calling another vet today

I have copied some information written by a vet about spaying and neutering dogs too early, hope Daisy feels better soon and everything clears up.

Thanks Judith! This is the exact reason I didn't spay her right away. I figured I would let her go through at least 1 heat cycle (and before the vet told me I needed to spay her before her second, I had decided I would let her have another one).

I do have a question about taking her to a new vet..should I bring her in and just tell them her symptoms and see how they would handle it or should I go in telling them everything that has happened?

 

[ariegel]

I would bring all your record with you so they can see what has been done so they hopfully don't have to repeat things. Good luck! I'll be thinking about you.

 

[JanS]

Let us know how it goes with a different vet.