[Dailydrool] Recurrent UTIs

[Pat Dill]

Having had lots of bassets over the years, we have also had a number of 
cases of back-to-back UTIs.  It is more frequent in girls than boys, but 
we've had some boys with the problem, too.  I guess the girls are more prone 
because the distance from the outside to the bladder is much shorter for 
them than the boys.

Has your vet drawn a sterile urine sample and had it cultured?  It is 
possible that the initial UTI was never cleared up, and what seems to be 4 
separate infections is instead the same one which retreats for a while with 
the antibiotic but then flourishes again once it is removed.  By determining 
exactly what bacteria are causing the infection, the vet can select exactly 
the right antibiotic to kill it off once and for all.

Recently, our vet suggested that we try a daily 100 mg dose of 
nitrofurantoin for Rosie, our 14-yr-old hound with recurrent bladder 
infections.  His explanation was that it works somehow to prevent infection 
as opposed to killing a pre-existent one.  She's been on it now for about 6 
months, and we haven't had any more infections.  Your hound is so young, 
though, and perhaps something like the suggested surgery would make sense.

I would be interested to hear others' experiences with recurrent UTIs 
because we think over the years we've had more than our fair share even 
though I never read that bassets are more prone to them than other breeds.

Pat Dill
Proud to be loved by Rosie, Bailey, Sampson, Lucy and Buddy.