Took dog to vet for frequent urination and found a bunch of health problems

[pugnodei]

My 10 year old female, spayed Chihuahua was having accidents in the house frequently and straining to pee. I took her to the vet and they found bacteria in her urine, so they put her on antibiotics for 10 days.

We noticed she was still acting the same, so we took her back and an X-ray was done. During the X-ray, they found 3 concerning things:

1. Bladder and kidney stones
2. small amount of fluid around her heart
3. a partially collapsed trachea.

They did surgery to remove the bladder stones and put her on antibiotics for 14 days. They put her on meds for her heart and gave her antihistamines for the trachea issue.

It has been 2 weeks since her surgery, and I noticed she is peeing blood. Took her to the vet today and there is still blood in her urine. The vet wants to give her an antibiotic shot now. I’m worried about her having THREE courses of antibiotics.

Also, the antihistamines didn’t help with her snorting and reverse sneezing (which hopefully is from her trachea and not her heart) so she prescribed some kind of cough suppressant elixir.

She is also on a prescription diet to break down the kidney stones, but the vet said there’s only a 50% chance because of the type of stone.

I’m not sure what I’m even asking, but it just seems like such a lot for my tiny little girl. Is it bad to give that much antibiotic treatment?

 

[jeffreyg]

@pugnodei Chihuahuas have a longer than average lifespan but 10 is still old. Poor thing. Are you giving her probiotics too? I’d have the vet give the antibiotic shot. Sometimes it’s just better to have a high dose to kickstart the battle against the bacteria. Make sure she’s drinking enough fluids too. She may be reluctant because of the persistent problem.

 

[pugnodei]

@jeffreyg I haven’t given a probiotic, but I can try. She is the pickiest dog I’m all the world lol. It’s a miracle she eats the prescription food!

 

[jeffreyg]

@pugnodei We started using them after our vet recommended one for our picky poodle. It has really really helped him. It’s like it activates his hunger and he isn’t as picky.

 

[pugnodei]

@jeffreyg Can you share where I can purchase, please?

 

[jeffreyg]

@pugnodei

https://imgur.com/ZUzplUF

I use Herbsmith Microflora Plus because it was recommended by the vet. I buy it at the pet food store.

 

[pugnodei]

@jeffreyg Thank you. I will look for this.

 

[philosopher8659]

@pugnodei No harm in taking her to a different vet for a second opinion. Do you have pet insurance? Is she in a lot of pain or discomfort? How is her quality of life? Is her treatment financially viable? Lots to consider here.

 

[pugnodei]

@philosopher8659 Her quality of life is great actually. She doesn’t act like she is in any pain. She eats, drinks, plays, and generally acts normal. I do not have pet insurance but should seriously consider. I’ve spent almost $2000 in the past month.

 

[philosopher8659]

@pugnodei I’d strongly recommend pet insurance prior to finding a new vet who may have a different diagnosis.

 

[legend28]

@philosopher8659 Insurance for a 10 year old dog is probably not worth it. It'd be pretty expensive.

 

[madkingthesinner]

@philosopher8659 And it would most likely be considered pre-existing conditions now

 

[maxi00]

@pugnodei Sorry you’re going through this. You may also want to post this in /r/askvet and get medical opinions.

 

[pugnodei]

@maxi00 Thank you. I posted there also!

 

[legend28]

@pugnodei Are you giving probiotics too? I always give them when I give antibiotics. Sending love to your girl!

And... I hope you're not feeling bad about her health issues. Dogs develop health issues and we don't know until we know. When there was a persistent issue, you took her in. You did exactly what you needed to do to take care of her. I see your comment that her quality of life is great and she's acting normal, so just keep taking care of her and doing everything you reasonably can. Finances are always unfortunately a factor. Just do everything you can, talk to your vet about options, and it's ok to get second opinions for anything big.

 

[pugnodei]

@legend28 I am going to start probiotics today. She’s so picky so I will have to try crunching one up into her food.

Thank you for your kind words.

 

[legend28]

@pugnodei I use Fortiflora, can get it off Chewy, it's a powder you can sprinkle on dry food or mix in to canned. Most dogs seem to like the way it tastes.

 

[needgd]

@pugnodei The thing about antibiotics is that there are different families which vary in how effective they are in dealing with various types of bacteria. In most cases it is generally safe to take different families of antibiotics or extended courses when treating a stubborn (resistant) infection. The injectable antibiotic you mentioned is most like Convenia, a very common and widely used treatment option for urinary infections for its effectiveness and convenience. After the first round of antibiotics was not shown to be effective, the vet should have offered a culture and sensitivity test to know exactly which bacteria are present and what type of antibiotics they are sensitive vs resistant to in order to prescribe the correct medication(s) sooner than later. The culture and sensitivity test can be a bit pricey especially after paying for a non-routine and challenging surgery. Your vet may have been trying to help you out and save you some money by trying an antibiotic that, in their experience, has been the most likely to treat a urinary infection.

Heart issues are pretty common in small breed dogs like Chihuahua's. This usually occurs later in life and can go undetected for a while until symptoms start to show. Symptoms can include: coughing, drinking more water (which is also a symptom of urinary infections and bladder/kidney stones), exercise intolerance, excessive panting while resting, abdominal bloating, fluid retention, and even feinting (Syncopy).

Narrowing of the trachea is also common in Chihuahua's and other small breed dogs. The antihistamine and cough syrup (likely a codeine solution with anti-inflammatory properties i.e. prescription grade Robitussin). These medications will only help alleviate symptoms and not fix the condition. The only treatment for a narrowing trachea is a corrective surgery that will need to be performed by a specialist veterinary surgeon. This can be a very risky surgery, even more so for an older pet with a heart condition.

Urinary stones are also a tricky thing to manage. Prescribing a specialized food is really important but knowing what types of stones were present is even more important. An analysis can be performed on the excised stones to determine their makeup and which urinary formulation food is best to prevent the recurrence of stone development. I know for a fact that Royal Canin has multiple prescription diets determined by what type of urinary stone is present in the pet. Ask your vet if a analysis was sent out, and if not if it is still possible to do so. Some vets will keep the excised stones for a period of time in case they need to analyzed at a later date.

I know this is a lot, but, the take away from this is to talk to your vet, ask questions for clarification on anything you don't understand no matter how silly you may think it is. Also, if your vet is not offering multiple treatment options you need to ask for it. Many owners are not aware there are multiple routes of treatment and that they have a voice in the discussion and which treatment method is used. Half the job of a Vet and their team should be to educate the owners on what is happening with their pets and how treatment will benefit not only the pet but the owner as well. This way an owner can make a fully informed decision on the welfare of their furry friend.

Now that you know what conditions are occurring do some research on the disease, the diagnosing and treatment options, and impact to long term health. If your vet is not already discussing these things then it is up to you to advocate for your pet's health and what would be best for them. Alternatively, you always always always have the option to seek a second opinion or find a vet that is more forthcoming and provides you with options for treatments without asking for it.

I hope your little girl makes a full recovery and brings you happiness for as long as possible.

 

[pugnodei]

@needgd Thank you for this very extensive reply.

She doesn’t have any of the symptoms of heart disease that you mentioned other than a reverse sneeze/snort thing she does, which could be her trachea. It happens sometimes after eating, and I noticed it happened when I gave her the first dose of the cough elixir. So maybe something irritates her throat.

I have been researching about the trachea and I set up a small vaporizer and an air purifier for allergens. The cough suppressant medicine prescribed is pictured below.

https://imgur.com/a/VTFcdXI

One of the side effects of it was rapid heart rate, which is a bit concerning. The vet said to use it as needed. A few days ago, she had a spell that lasted over ten minutes. It was as if she was stuck in a reverse sneeze and couldn’t get it to stop. It really freaked me out. I tried rubbing her neck and closing her nose holes for a sec to stop it. I gave her a dose tonight.

They did analyze the bladder stones and said unfortunately it was the worst kind. I can’t remember the exact name but believe it had “calcium” in the word. She is on a Royal Canin food, but the vet said there’s only a 50/50 chance the food will break down the stones currently in her kidneys.

Her appointment for the antibiotic injection is tomorrow. Really hoping it helps so I can focus on the other issues.

Doctor also prescribed some kind of compounded medicine for her heart. It has enalapril and pimobendan. They said she had a small amount of fluid around her heart and a very slight murmur.

 

[needgd]

@pugnodei Your welcome, and thank you for replying and providing more details.

It's good to hear she is not showing more advance symptoms of the heart disease, early detection and treatment are important. I hope the compounded meds are not too expensive as she will be on them for the remainder of her life. For sure only use the cough elixir as needed, if over used dependency on the meds may occur.

Also, good to hear the stones were analyzed but sucks she has Calcium Oxalate stones, the 50/50 prognosis on the food is pretty accurate for this type. Struvite stones are more common and easier to manage. Fingers crossed her diet will work or at least help.

During her appointment tomorrow inquire about the culture and sensitivity test. If possible, try not to let her urinate for a little while prior to the appointment in case you guys decide to send out urine for testing.

If you have not already, start scheduling her to get a wellness exam every 6 months. A deep dental cleaning at least once a year, periodontal disease is a significant cause of heart disease and is more prevalent in small dogs. As well as a plan for follow up exams and x-rays for the kidney stones and potential development of new bladder stones.

Best of luck to the both of you.