Peeing Probs

[Ripley509]

Long time, no post!

Ripley is now 11 months old and we've had a relatively easy ride *knock on wood* except a few little things here and there.

In the last two weeks, Ripley has started peeing in her crate during the day again, and a few times on the floor. She's peed in the create about four times (two days in row now, and then a few last week), and three times on the floor - once right in front of us (and admittedly, we have have not taken her out in time), twice by the back door so we could've missed her cue. Because I'm a worrier, and I know that can mean UTI, I took her to the vet. They said the pH of her urine was a little high, and there a few white blood cells, but no crystals so they didn't suspect a UTI. I asked if I should be worried about kidneys, but they said her urine was really concentrated and they weren't worried.

She's in her crate 7:30-12/12:30, then 1-4:30/5. The crate peeing is happening in the morning. She's sleeping through the night (not waking up to pee - she sleeps in bed with us), and when we're home we take her out every hour and a half/two hours ish and she's fine. She'll also snooze on the couch after supper for 2-3 hours at least and not have to go out. She's otherwise acting completely normal, good energy, playful, appetite is fine. The vet gave did give us antibiotics to give her to treat her as if she had a really early UTI (because of the pH, etc.). I hadn't given it to her because she had a few days without an accident but I think I'll start today.

Any thoughts on what might be causing this if not a UTI or kidney issues?

*editing to add - her crate is about 24 inches long. I don't think it's too big?*

 

[Tgirl]

She is still young. Sometimes they will have a period where there potty training seems to just lapse. Maybe that's all it is. I would just see what happens after you finish the antibiotics.

 

[Alice Kable]

I agree with [MENTION=179]Tgirl[/MENTION], she may be having a relapse to her puppyhood. She should be able to hold it both mornings and afternoons!

 

[Honeys Owners]

Sounds like she could have a UTI. Too bad they didn't do a urine culture as well. Positive urinalysis ( ie. white blood cells in urine ) doesn't need to be treated if urine culture is negative. Make sure you give her lots of fluid, eg. bone broth, adding water to her food etc. Also give her some probiotics during course of antibiotics and after course is finished for at least a week after . You can buy a doggie probiotic such as Proviable DC, or give her live sauerkraut from refrigerator section of health food store, milk kefir, raw goats milk etc. Also keep the urine pH between 6 and 7, which you can do by feeding your dog a frozen raw food diet ( or at least a grain free, potato free low carb dog kibble ). You could also give DL-methionine to lower pH of urine, but a raw food diet is more natural. You may want to start dog on d-mannose powder if she gets repeated infections to help prevent e.coli u.t.i's ( it prevents e. coli from sticking to walls of bladder ).

 

[GraciesMom]

I agree with Honeys Owners about the culture. Upon urinalysis at the vet's office, Gracie's sample had cells but no crystals or bacteria. But she was peeing so frequently he sent the sample for a culture and it came back positive for a UTI. He had also put her on an antibiotic in the meantime and the culture also revealed that the strain of bacteria in the urine was resistant to the antibiotic he prescribed. He put her on another and the symptoms finally resolved. Throughout all this, Gracie never urinated in her crate, but when she was up and active, she might go 3-4 times in a 90 minute period. Anyway, if the symptoms don't resolve on the antibiotic you were given, you might want to ask your vet to order a culture.