[DobermanMom88899]

Hello! I am new to the forum, but have spent many hours reviewing posts and getting help from everyone regarding ear posting (THANK YOU!!). I have a young Doberman, eight months old, who has had constant UTIs for pretty much four months now (since a few days after I brought her home). She goes off the antibiotic, and two days later she starts displaying symptoms of the UTI again (appears to not feel well, urinates every 5 to 10 minutes).

She does not have any incontinence issues, and can hold it several hours without any issues as long as she remains on the antibiotic. She has constant access to water, and does not sleep in a kennel anymore at night so I don't even take it away at bedtime anymore. The vet has now referred me to a specialist, and I am just concerned this is something which will shorten her life or an expensive surgery. Does anyone here have any experience with this type of issue and a Doberman? She is a very happy and sweet puppy when she is healthy on the antibiotics, I just know she can't live on antibiotics and I am so worried about her.

 

[ECIN]

She has constant access to water,

The question is -- Is she drinking the water ???

We had a girl that would get them once in a while - BUT - we also noticed that she was NOT drinking much water - the water we were giving her was soft water - we took her off that and brought her bottled water and she started drinking us out of house and home -- She Never had another UTI after that .

Guess she didn't like the salt in the water .

This is just what we found -

Good Idea to take her to a specialist -

...Ken

 

[dobebug]

Are they finding crystals in her urine? Or bacteria?

Has she been in season yet?

Is the specialist a urologist?

 

[DogsR4Life]

Was she spayed before she had her first heat, or has she had a heat yet?

Hooded vulvas are common and are almost always the route cause of juvenile UTIs in females. The cure? Let her go into heat, then follow up with a urinalysis and if she still has bacteria, one more round of antibiotics will clear it up and she shouldnt have any more afterwards.

If she was spayed before her first heat, it gets a little tricky. She will have to undergo surgery to pull back the hood.

 

[DobermanMom88899]

She has constant access to water, but she goes long periods without drinking and then drinks a TON of water at once. I clean out the bowls several times a day so it is fresh water, but I have not tried any bottled or filtered water yet.

She had vaginitis, and the vet thought this was reinfecting her and causing the chronic infections. He recommended spaying her, so I spayed her at six months and gave her FortiFlora for a month. The vaginitis cleared a few weeks after the spaying and starting the FortiFlora. However, a month of antibiotics later she got an infection yet again.

She did not have crystals in her urine, but did have one type of bacteria and then later that one cleared and she had E Coli bacteria. The vet mentioned she had somewhat of a hooded vulva, but not enough so that he believe it would contribute to her UTIs. I am not quite certain how to post a picture on the thread, but will try to get one posted tomorrow.

Thank you for replies and information!

 

[DobermanMom88899]

Here is the image I promised...

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah162/Samantha888999/IMG_4944_zpseuebo0de.jpg

 

[DogsR4Life]

She has constant access to water, but she goes long periods without drinking and then drinks a TON of water at once. I clean out the bowls several times a day so it is fresh water, but I have not tried any bottled or filtered water yet.

She had vaginitis, and the vet thought this was reinfecting her and causing the chronic infections. He recommended spaying her, so I spayed her at six months and gave her FortiFlora for a month. The vaginitis cleared a few weeks after the spaying and starting the FortiFlora. However, a month of antibiotics later she got an infection yet again.

She did not have crystals in her urine, but did have one type of bacteria and then later that one cleared and she had E Coli bacteria. The vet mentioned she had somewhat of a hooded vulva, but not enough so that he believe it would contribute to her UTIs. I am not quite certain how to post a picture on the thread, but will try to get one posted tomorrow.

Thank you for replies and information!

My girl had a hooded vulva, it was actually completely covered, and she had a few UTI's because of it. Yours doesnt looks so bad at all. I think it may be time to see a specialist. It sounds like you, and your current vet have tried everything so far. Best of luck!

 

[dobebug]

My girl had a hooded vulva, it was actually completely covered, and she had a few UTI's because of it. Yours doesnt looks so bad at all. I think it may be time to see a specialist. It sounds like you, and your current vet have tried everything so far. Best of luck!

I agree--sometimes vet urologists aren't available in locations that don't have fairly big specialty clinics. A reproduction specialist is probably your next best bet.

E coli can be a problem to clear up--there are a number of strains that are antibiotic resistant. Did your vet do a culture and sensitivity yet? What antibiotic is she being treated with?

 

[DobermanMom88899]

She had a culture sent to the hospital with the E coli and they recommended Ciprofloxin. She was on that for 28 days, infection came back, and now she is on another round for 28 days. It is a university veterinary hospital, and I'm not sure the specialist is a urologist but I know she has written articles on various urinary tract issues. Pretty worried, because if the ultrasound doesn't find anything then they have to use a scope to determine the source of the problem.

I did try the filtered water today, unfortunately she decided the water from the sink in the other bowl tasted better. Willing to try about anything at this point though, so am open to any other suggestions.

 

[Hummingbird]

Wondering if this could be the issue - reinfecting herself by licking/cleaning the area.

1. After 28 days of antibiotics, she probably needs to replace her HEALTHY bacteria which will protect her from getting other infections.
2. Is there a way she could wear an E-collar for a while to keep her from licking, plus give her pro-biotics like Forti-flora and yogurt?
3. Also, could it be a reaction (like itching around the back end) to a food allergy such as wheat/gluten....which makes my Dobie shake her ears?
4. Have her anal glands been checked - which could harbor some bad bacteria?
5. Could it be behavioral - like maybe there was an irritation that she cleaned/licked, but now that the irritation is gone, she keeps excessively licking the area?
6. Fungus/yeast can also cause UTIs but would NOT respond to antibiotics...in fact antibiotics would make the situation worse.

Good luck!

 

[dobegal]

My lastest girl was also not a great water drinker and would not drink from her water bowl even though I too changed the water several times a day. She also got a UTI I bought her one of those water fountain ceramic bowls that flows constant water. She loves drinking out of that. Yes it is a pain because she brings dirt from the outside and her slobber has clogged it up. IMO that is a small price to pay if she drinks the water. I also give her "Cranberry Relief" and will not be without it. I wish you the best