Seanna and vulvitis...need help.

We are back to having urinary issues with Seanna again. She had lots of urinary tract infections when she was a puppy. High pH and struvite crystals.

About a month ago she was licking alot, so I took her to the vet and we did a urine that showed a pH of 8, with struvites. Her vulva was literally "raw". We did a round of antibiotics that cleared the struvites- but still high pH, and vulvitis. We are on our second round of antibiotics, and I've started giving her cranberry tablets. I took her in yesterday for a recheck, but her vulvitis is no better. We couldn't get a pee, she's getting a little gun-shy from me chasing after her with the pan. The vet thinks that she's raw in her vulva from the high pH. If she's not better next week, he wants to put her on a special diet. I'm not happy about that, since I try to stay away from the food with by-products and lots of meal. I currently feed Wellness Healthy Weight.

She does have a little extra fold of skin that sets her up for her infections, but do you guys have any other ideas besides what we're doing already? We haven't done a culture, that's next, but do you guys know of any good food I can maybe put her on that would help? Any ideas on the vulvitis?

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Markley on July 24, 2011 at 12:48pm

I had a long talk with the vet Friday. He doesn't think she has an infection, since there hasn't been any blood or white cells in her urine every time we've checked it. So he doesn't think we need a culture. We are still finishing the antibiotics anyway, and she started the Royal Canin SO with cranberry juice twice daily on Wednesday (I think). Wow, is she drinking more water! She even went out in the rain yesterday to pee...which never would have happened before. The vet said in three weeks when they recheck a urine, if the pH isn't down, then he's going to XR her to look for bladder stones. He said that in his experience, with no blood in the urine or WBC that it's usually diet related. Does this sound right to you guys?

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on July 24, 2011 at 1:47pm

yep. Increased white blood cells would indicate infection and he would likely see bacteria as well. Blood my or may not occur if there are crystals. Diet is an easy fix. May be worth doing some research on some of the brands you like to feed and asking him which one he recommends. Also, we have SEVERAL dogs and cats who are fed Royal Canin SO who do very well on the diet for their entire lives and it helps prevent bladder stones and surgery. Good luck!