Canine Urinary Tract Infection - Is Your Dog at Risk?

By Laura Ramirez

It's unbelievable to me that a canine urinary tract infection (UTI for short) -the most common health problem for dogs-is not something that most pet owners are taught to prevent. Since a bad infection can cause the kidneys to fail and your faithful, furry friend to die, it's one of those measures, like brushing your dog's teeth that you should consider part of your routine. In this article, you'll learn why all breeds are at risk for dog urinary tract infection, what causes it and what you can do to prevent it.

What Causes Canine Urinary Tract Infection

Although an infection can start in any number of ways, the primary cause is bacteria in the bladder tube which can build up, especially in dogs who are left inside the house all day with no access to the yard. Since the urinary tract is made up of the kidneys, bladder and urethra, an infection in one area can quickly spread to other organs. If you've ever had an infection in this area yourself, you know how painful and life-threatening it can be.

Treating Dog Urinary Tract Infection

If you take your dog to a veterinarian, you will be given a prescription for antibiotics. However, just like in humans, antibiotics can have detrimental side effects. Obviously, if the antibiotics are worsening the symptoms or causing other problems, your dog cannot tell you.

As more and more human beings start taking their health into their own hands and seek natural treatments that have no side effects, increasingly, they want to do the same for beloved Fido. When looking for a remedy that will speed healing, look for one that can also be used for prevention. In herbal remedies, the following ingredients have been proven effective:

• Arctostaphylos uva ursi - this is a tonic for the urinary tract which regulates pH levels.
  
• Berberis vulgaris - restores the bladder.
  
• Canthasris - helps soothe the bladder and promote healthy urine flow
  
• Staphsagris - this remedy supports urogenital function (and is also a tonic for the prostate)

As mentioned above, make sure your supplement supports prevention and treatment. Since this is the most common problem in dogs, giving a daily dose to your dog could help extend his life.

If your dog has been diagnosed with a UTI and prescribed antibiotics, check with your vet before adding a supplement to ensure there will be no interactions. Of course, if you use a supplement to prevent dog urinary tract infection in the first place, you won't have to be concerned about this.

Dogs are our loyal friends and are even more accepting of our flaws than people. There is a saying that beautifully expresses the adoration with which our dogs love us, "God, please make me into the person my dog thinks I am." Although dogs never judge us, they do look to us to take care of them.

Now that you know that a canine urinary tract infection is preventable, take the steps to show how much you care.

Copyright 2008 by pet-ut-health.com.

Learn more about preventing and treating canine urinary tract infection by going to http://www.pet-ut-health.com. Laura Ramirez is the author of the award-winning parenting book, Keepers of the Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting. She is the publisher of Family Matters Parenting Magazine and has been a pet lover all her life.