Bladder Issues - Any Suggestions Appreciated

[~Anne~]

It seems it is an infection after all then? I am so glad to hear she is improving and was only wondering about her the other day.

PS - Guc's Dad - nice free plug... I gather it is your business?

[Pugmum]

It seems it is an infection after all then? I am so glad to hear she is improving and was only wondering about her the other day.

PS - Guc's Dad - nice free plug... I gather it is your business?

round and round and round we go.....

apparently Maggie has a proteus infection - which I'm told is a round shape - different to the previous infection she had which was a long shape. The proteus infection is apparently also sensitive to many ab's and would not have gone past the previous ab's. Ergo it is a new infection.

The vet says that recurrent infections would indicate an underlying cause -normally stones or polyps (I think those are the two he mentioned) both of which have been ruled out with Maggie.

We are keeping her on the current ab's for a longer period (longer than he wanted, but I'm learning to be very pushy ) and then he says we'll need to have a cystoscopy doen to have a look if another infection appears.

If he is correct, then she should at some stage have gotten better with the ab's she has had, but this has not been the case through any of the treatments. Only this last one has made some improvement.

It just does not sound right.

My big question for today is - can i take her to the herbal place while she is on the ab's ? would starting her on a natural remedy interfere withthe ab's do you think?

I'm not going to ask the vet as they will undoubtably say dont do it - but they are not exactly inspiring confidence at the moment.

Would you go with natural treatment at the same time as ab's ?

[~Anne~]

Pugmum, Olivia had the same thing. Recurrent infections but she also had stones. I firmly believe, and to this day it seems our theory is correct as we now haven't any infections, the the infection is what causes the stones and not the other way round.

She should be put on long term anitibiotics to ensure the infection is totally gone. I have spoken to so many people who have also come to the same conclusion. People always seem to concetrate on the stones and think it is the stones that cause the infections when I (and my Vets) now seriously doubt that theory. However, it is very much the chicken and egg debate.

Is the ph of her urine normal or out of balance as well?? This can be tested even by yourself by buying the dipt sticks from a chemist and catching her urine to test. Simply stick the 'stick' under her bum when she wees is enough. If the ph balance is out, you may need to talk to the Vet about prescription dog food. We still have Olivia on Prescriptives CD and she will stay on this for life.

[Pugmum]

Thanks,

Maggie does not have kidney or baldder stones - both were checked with xray and ultrasound. She has been on the Hills cd becaue of a few rogue struvite crystals - but that too has cleared.

The PH was up around 7 last time it was checked, they expected 6.5 due tot he Hills cd diet, but said that the blood in her urine would have brought up the PH a bit.

along with the ab's she is also on anti-infammatory - the dose for this was set for 5 days then reduced. as soon as I reduced the anti-inflammatory she seemed less comfortable and began to squat a bit more.

Initially I thought this ab was doing well, but now I think that it got rid of the new infection,but its the Anti-inflammatory that is making the difference to the original bladder problems we had. At present she is back to where we were nearly 3 months ago when we started toget her bladder checked. SHe had gotten steadily worse (always plateau-ing when on ab's of any sort, then deteriorating again when off them) but never getting better than the orginal problem.

She's still weeing only small amounts, and seems to have difficulty getting going when she has not gone for a while. The whole squat position is not the same as before she began troubles - she almost looks like she is sitting.

I'm getting too stressed - planning to call the specialist and see if I can get her in for csytoscopy so they can hopefully see whatis going on in the bladder wall and urethra.

[Gallomph]

This may be a bit out of left field, but thought I would mention it... have a google and you will come up with quite a few research papers and articles.... there is a natural substance called Mannose (actually an ogliosaccharide) that has been trialled quite a bit in the US for use in both animals and humans. It apparently works by having a site in it's structure that bacteria dock into. But the mannose isn't broken down by digestion, and eventually gets flushed out of the body, carrying the bacteria with it.

The trials have shown it to be effective against both bladder and uterine infections, that have not responded to antibiotic treatment. (Both of these areas are notoriously difficult to get good levels of antibiotic into). The mannose is the ingredient that is present in cranberries, that makes them useful for UTIs. I think there are a few mannose products sold in health food stores.

Might be worth a try, and couldn't do any harm. You just dissolve it in the drinking water, or maybe could even sprinkle over food. Of course you should discuss with your vet before you tried it.

[Pugmum]

Thanks Gallowmph. I managed to get an appt with the specialist tomorrow - hows that for lucky, I thought it would be weeks, but they had a slot - I will see what he does and recommends, but will definitely mention this.

I believe there is an underlying problem causing the infections (they have not been the same bacteria each time) but regardless, poor Maggies bladder has been irritated for so long it needs all the help it can get.

Hopefully I can post an answer after our visit tomorrow (and that I wont by crying when I do)

Brigitte (pugmum)

[~Anne~]

Good luck for tomorrow.

[Pugmum]

Yesterday Maggie had an endoscopy. They found Polypoid thickening of the urethra and bladder neck. They took biopsies and we get the results mid next week. Seems that the foregone conclusion is that it is almost certainly bladder cancer and inoperable.

Apparently this area was not easy to see in the previous ultrasound as it is hidden/protected by bones in the area.

Will have to move my next questions to the pallative care section.

thanks for all your previous suggestions.

[~Anne~]

I am so sorry to hear the news. How awful for you both.

[Boronia]

That's bad news Pugmum.

I am not a pushy-natural-remedies-type-person all the time and I am pretty pro antibiotics/cortisone/modern drugs when required but it maybe worth your time to Google the words "Herb Robert for bladder cancer".

It may help.

[OSoSwift]

Have just read all of this thread and I am so sorry to hear of the prognosis you are facing.

I guess you do have an answer, but not the one anyone would like to get.

I hope the results come back as something not sinister. Good Luck and lots of positive thoughs and Whippet kisses from us.