[mmctaq]

When you are saying that your pup does not have a UTI, does this mean that a culture and sensitivity test has been run on a sterile urine sample? If not: upon what are you basing your statement?

This puppy belongs to you, and not your vet. By extension, her uterus belongs to you, as well. It can come out when you decide it should, or it can stay there forever if you decide. Your vet is hired help. Have you read the article "A Healtheir Respect for Ovaries"?

A big, fat, fresh, tasty raw beef knuckle bone will probably be helpful to removing those baby teeth.

Were I you, I would be most concerned to diagnose what is going on with your pup, and let the other stuff wait. If your vet does not share your concerns (or you have concerns about your vet), you might consider finding someone new.

 

[mmctaq]

The vet looked at her urine and said it was fine. I am guessing they just did a dipstick and spectrometer, though, as there certainly wasn't time for a culture.
The vet also felt it was unlikely since she has been on antibiotics every couple of weeks, it seems. (3 surgeries and 2 infections in the last 3 months)

think it would be wise to request a culture? My vet has NEVER offered this, but I know they do it at the human doctor.

thanks

Yeah, I would request this.

I am going to play the "Lazy Card" 'cause I don't have time to go hunt through your previous posts... for what has she had surgery, what infections has she had, which antibiotics has she been on and for how long?

 

[mmctaq]

Just saw your edit...

If you and your vet are friends and have discussed this, perhaps you should not only read GPMCF: Healthier Respect for Ovaries, but print it out and give it to him and ask if the two of you could maybe talk some more.

What is his rationale for wanting to yank reproductive organs out of puppygirls? Does he feel there are health advantages? Does he feel it is socially responsible? I assume that, since he is your friend, it is not that he has a boat payment due LOL!

 

[mmctaq]

Nope, no boat payment.. lol I happen to know he is still working on those darn student loans and keeps trying to convince me that I do not want to be a vet because I will be broke for the rest of my life.
I will certainly read that and show it to him. His arguments are these:
1. He claims that altered dogs are more active and playful then intact dogs and is not convinced that the potential of bone and ligament issues are not a result of having more fun with their lives then hormone issues.
2. He feels mammary tumors are far worse then ACL tears. He says, if you have ever tried to close the skin on a dog whom you have just removed a mammary tumor, then you would too.
3. We have a responsibility to set an example to others. Even though he knows I am responsible and I am not going to let her get knocked up, he still feels it is important to do it.
4. The clinic that he works at charges incrementally more money the larger the dog is, and he wants to save me money.

He is more of the tried and true kind of guy. it takes a lot to persuade him away from what he has been taught. You should hear the battles we get into over Science Diet.

Well, let's see...

1. I suppose one could support that argument with his logic. By extension, he is saying that speutered animals fail to mature and I am not sure that that is necessarily a good thing. An awful lot of working dogs who I would guess stress their bodies more than playing dogs are left intact. It would be interesting to know if there were statistics on CCL ruptures among these dogs.

2. He's right... the one is worse than the other. One would have to compare the statistical risk of mammary tumors to the statistical risk of ACL ruptures/tears. I don't know that this information has been gathered.

3. It is my belief that one's primary responsibility is to make the best medical decisions one can for one's animals. I will not sacrafice my animals' welfare to promote a social agenda. The other side of his coin is that maybe it might be a good thing to provide an example of responsible ownership and management of an intact animal.

4. That's friendly, I guess. Not spaying at all is cheaper still LOL!

There is only reason to have the first battle over Science Diet... after that, a smart person will just avoid the issue. It is like politics and religion... everybody is right, and nobody is going to change anybody else's mind LOL! My vet, whom I adore, sells Hill's Prescription Diets... one of the last true icons in Dobermans swore until the day she died that Pedigree was about the best kibble out there... sometimes, it pays to just keep yer yap shut!

 

[mmctaq]

1. He claims that altered dogs are more active and playful then intact dogs and

THIS would make me RUN not walk to another vet ASAP.

Why? I am sure that I have read credible research which supports this. I would run, too, but not 'cause he said this.

 

[mmctaq]

Ok,
Just a little update. I took another sample in, today and asked them to look at it, again. This time, there was a significant amount of red blood cells in the urine. We are going to put her on antibiotics and recheck in 10 days. If she still has tons of RBC, then he said there is a possibility of stones/crystals.

Poor little pumpkin has been through a lot, already. I feel terrible for her, she is such a trooper.

As for spaying her, I do plan to do it at some point, but I am thinking it would be better to let her mature into and adult dog, first. I feel like spaying her before puberty would be like going straight from childhood to menopause. However, if she could possibly need surgical correction of a ureter or her teeth or something else, then we would most likely do it at the same time. Maybe I shouldn't stress so much, over it. I just don't want to cause her any more health issues.

They say ignorance is bliss...Sometimes I wish I didn't read so much so I wouldn't have to worry about every little thing

On the topic of altered dogs being more active/playful, this is based off of credible research. if I can find the article I will try and post it.

While it is possible that if a re-check finds RBC still in her urine this could indicate stones (crystals one would actually find in the urine sample), it would be far more likely that either an inappropriate antibiotic was chosen or the length of treatment was inadequate. This is the purpose of the culture and sensitivity test... to determine which organism is causing the infection and which antibiotic is most effective against that organism.

Most often, crystals form in the alkaline urine which is caused by a bacterial infection (these are struvite crystals)... stones form from long-term presence of crystals. If she has struvite crystals, the actual problem is still infection.

Any puppy bitch which has had a UTI should be allowed to come into season at least once prior to being de-sexed. Frequently, the UTI is due to the structural immaturity of the genitalia. Coming into season will cause the genitalia to enlarge and change shape (i.e. mature), which will often correct a predisposition to UTI's. Pediatric de-sexing will frequently predispose bitches to UTI's for their entire lives since genital maturation never is allowed to happen.

If it turns out that your girl has repeated issues with this, I would suggest a daily capsule of Solaray CranActin. This will often keep the issue under control, although (in my experience) if you begin using this daily, stopping it will sometimes result in a UTI occurring.

I would like to see the article on early speutering resulting in more playful and puppy-like behavior. I KNOW I've seen it, but was unable to locate it when I looked. It is only since I have stopped speutering dogs that I have had the experience of living with truly mature animals... they are different, and I like them better.

Not that you asked, but I have to point out that it is possible for the same person to be a very good friend and not be a very good vet. Go to the movies or invite your friend over for dinner, but find better medical care for your dog.

 

[mmctaq]

6.0 is a normal, acidic pH reading for dog urine. This makes things out of my pay grade LOL! Hopefully, she is in the earliest stages of an infection... too early for the urine to shift to an alkaline pH. The single incidence of incontinence my girl has had was the result of an incredibly minor infection, so hopefully your girl's circumstances will be the same.

Oh... the 6.0 was today, or when you first had her checked?