Bladder Infection in Dogs and Cats

Cystitis in Dogs and Cats

               Cystitis is the medical term for a bladder infection. Dogs, cats and other animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs are sometimes prone to infection of the bladder.

               Female dogs and cats have a higher incidence of infection due to their anatomy. A wider urethra allows for bacteria to more easily travel into the bladder.  Females also sometimes have a fold of skin around the vulva which may trap bacteria and increase the likelihood of infection.

               Symptoms usually include increased frequency of urination, urinating only small amounts and sometimes the urine will look visibly bloody.  Fever and lethargy are rare, but may occur if the infection reaches the kidneys.  Cats may urinate in areas outside the litter box and some dogs have accidents in the house.

               Cats (and sometimes dogs) can also develop inflammation of the bladder with no bacteria or infection present.  Symptoms can be quite similar to a bladder infection with straining, blood in the urine and urinating small, frequent amounts, but antibiotics do not help since it is not a true infection.

               Bladder infection is diagnosed by analyzing a sample of urine.  This may be collected by collecting a voiding sample into a clean container, or, if difficult to obtain a voiding sample or if a sterile sample is needed, a needle may be inserted through the body wall into the bladder to obtain a sample of urine directly from the bladder. This is known as cystocentesis.  Sometimes, a urinary catheter is inserted into the bladder to get a sample, but this procedure is difficult to perform in female cats and dogs.

               In most cases, a true bacterial urinary tract infection will resolve with a ten to fourteen day course of antibiotics.  If an infection does not resolve, or, if a pet has frequent bladder infections, a urine culture and radiographs or an ultrasound scan of the bladder may be necessary to rule out other causes of urinary tract signs such as stones or bladder tumors.  A culture of the urine to identify specific bacteria may be helpful in cases of chronic bladder infection to rule out or identify resistant strains of bacteria and to aid in choosing an appropriate antibiotic for treatment.

               Once in a while, the infection can spread into the kidneys causing a more severe illness requiring hospitalization and maybe intravenous antibiotics.

               If your pet is experiencing signs of urinary tract infection, contact your veterinarian today so your pet can receive treatment.

               This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding communities.