Canine Cystitis and Golden Retriever Dogs

Canine cystitis is a common and troublesome problem for Golden Retriever dogs, but fortunately it can be cured.
The term "cystitis" literally means "inflammation of the urinary bladder." It applies to any disease that causes inflammation in that area.

Most of the time, the condition is caused by a bacterial infection. Canine cystitis is one of the most common infections among dogs. It usually occurs more frequently in females than males. Why?

Well, the ladies have a shorter urethra than the guys, so bacteria don't have to travel as far to get to the bladder.
The bacteria that cause bladder infections in dogs usually come from the dog's own intestinal tract.

The bacteria start out at the skin around the anus, and hitch a ride to the bladder by way of the urethra.
Besides bacteria, other possible causes of canine cystitis include:

•  Bladder stones
•  Tumors or polyps in the bladder
•  A diverticulum--a tiny pocket in the bladder wall that retains urine

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Symptoms of Canine Cystitis

Trust me, your dog will tell you she's unhappy. She'll exhibit restless behavior like pacing around the house and whining. She may want to go outside, even though she just came in. Don't get annoyed with her--get her to the vet!

Here are some specific canine cystitis symptoms to watch for:

• Blood in the urine (hematuria), the most common sign
• Foul-smelling urine
• Urinating more frequently
• Discomfort or pain when urinating
• Straining to urinate (dysuria), but producing only a little bit of urine
• Incontinence--urinating in the house when she's housebroken

Canine Cystitis Requires a Vet's Help

Any bladder infection can develop into canine cystitis or some other serious health problem if the infection spreads to the kidneys. That's why it's important to contact your vet right away for treatment of cystitis.

When you call your vet, you'll probably be asked to bring in a urine sample from your dog. How in the world do you do that?

The easiest way is to hold an old clean bowl under her as she pees. Hopefully, she won't be too shy to cooperate.
Then pour the sample into a clean bottle with a lid and take it to the vet, along with your dog. Don't let the sample sit for more than a couple of hours, or the test results may not be accurate. Your vet will first give your dog a thorough physical exam.

Canine bladder stones, a common cause of canine cystitis, can sometimes be felt within the bladder or the urethra during the exam. Then your vet will likely run a urinalysis. That will reveal any bacteria, blood, mineral crystals, cancer cells, protein, or inflammatory cells in the urine.

If bacteria are present, the vet will probably proceed with a urine culture and a sensitivity test. A urine culture is used to identify which bacteria are present. The sensitivity test then tells your vet which antibiotic will do the best job of killing this type of bacteria.

The vet may want to conduct additional tests to confirm or rule out cystitis, especially if no bacteria were found in the urine sample. These tests might include an ultrasound scan, an endoscopy or an x-ray. He's looking for any irregular cells, such as microscopic bladder stones or tumors.

Only after performing all of these tests and procedures can the vet analyze the condition correctly and suggest the best treatment for your dog.

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What's the Best Cure For Canine Cystitis?

Veterinarians determine the best treatment for cystitis in dogs based on the cause of the infection.

If the cystitis is caused by bacteria, your pooch will be back to normal in no time with a simple course of antibiotics.
If she develops any side effects from the antibiotics, contact your vet.

If she's diagnosed with one of the other causes of bladder infections in dogs, your vet will use the best possible treatment to help her. He can also help if it turns out that she has a urinary tract infection (UTI).

If you're tempted to stop the antibiotics as soon as your dog seems to be feeling better--keep giving them anyway!

If you stop the antibiotics too soon, the infection that's causing the canine cystitis may come right back. You don't want to put your buddy through that again, do you?

Plus, stopping the treatment early also encourages the growth of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. We already have too many of those hanging around.

If your dog comes down with another case of canine cystitis a short time later, it's possible that the original infection was never completely wiped out.

Perhaps you stopped the antibiotics too soon or your vet prescribed an antibiotic that wasn't quite strong enough.
Don't worry. Let your vet know, and you'll probably just need to bring in a fresh urine sample (here we go again!) for a urine culture and sensitivity test to determine a different antibiotic to try.

It's important to make sure your pup's case of canine cystitis is completely gone.

After treatment is over, the vet can see if it was successful by repeating these tests.

Meanwhile, you can practice good canine cystitis prevention by making sure your dog has plenty of fresh, clean water to drink.

If her urine gets too concentrated, she can end up with another round of infection. Keep those fluids moving!

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