Does your dog whimper during urination? Do you often see them licking frequently licking their genitals? Or perhaps your dog attempts to urinate frequently during your outing. All these are potential symptom that your dog suffers from UTI. In this blog post, I'll share my tips on curing UTI the natural ways. But first, let's start to understand a bit more on what UTI is, really.
What is a UTI?
A UTI is basically an infection of the urinary tract which usually occurs in dogs. Bacteria is the common cause of most of the UTIs. Bacterial urinary tract infections are most common in dogs. UTI occurs when bacteria of normal skin and gastrointestinal tract passes through the urinary tract. These bacteria make colonies in the urinary tract that cause infection in the urinary tract.
Moreover, there are some other bacteria and fungi present that can cause urinary tract infections. Bacterial infections can cause UTI in 14% of dogs (Reference: NCBI). UTIs are more common in female dogs than male dogs. It is due to male dogs having large urethra, so bacteria take a longer time to travel upward.
Alright, let's move ahead and to understand what causes uti in dogs.
Common causes of UTI
The most common cause of UTI is E. coli bacteria. They can migrate from the dog's urethra to the urinary bladder. In this case, the urinary bladder becomes inflamed and called cystitis. If a dog does not urinate on time, there is a chance that these bacteria can migrate back into the urinary bladder and develop more colonies. It causes urinary tract infections in dogs.
Some dogs are suspected to have UTIs but they can also develop UTIs again. The other conditions that can lead to UTI are:
- Bladder cancer
- Prostate disease
- Trauma
- Stones in bladder or urethra
- Bladder inflammation
Now that you understood what causes this problem, let's see how to tell if your dog has a UTI infection.
Signs and symptoms
To really confirm if your dog has a UTI infection, a diagnostic by your vet is necessary. However, through observing your dog for the following signs, you could more or less guess whether or not to bring them to see a vet:
- Bloody urine
- Cloudy urine
- Fever
- Licking the genitals
- Straining during urination
- Strong urine odor
- Weight loss
If you notice signs above, you may want to improve your dog's health and you may consider the following UTI treatment over the counter or at home.
Natural ways to treat UTI in dogs
There are some natural ways that can treat urinary tract infections in your dogs.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C has an acidic nature, so it is effective to acidify your dog's urinary bladder. It helps to prevent the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract. In an acidic environment, it is difficult for bacteria to develop more colonies inside the urinary bladder.
Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant that reduces free radicals from your dog's body. It can support your dog's immune system that reduces the inflammation and treats urinary tract infections.
But vitamin C can also produce calcium oxalate crystals, therefore a moderate amount of vitamin C. You can consult your dog's veterinarian for the exact dosage of vitamin C. However, vitamin C can help to remove the bacteria and prevent UTI.
The supplements Nutrition-strength-Vitamin-C-for-dogs are available on Amazon. These supplements are chewable tablets that are helpful for your dogs to treat urinary tract infections and also maintain collagen amount in the body.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a natural ingredient that can help to lower the pH of your dog's urine. It removes the bacteria from the urinary tract and helps relieve the dog from the urinary tract infection. It helps to reduce the pain due to urinary tract infection.
You can add one tablespoon for small dogs and two tablespoons for large dogs in the water bowl or food. You should give twice a day for 7-10 days. It depends upon the severity of the urinary tract infection. Additionally, you have to make sure that there is a bowl of food or water present without apple cider vinegar, if your dog does not like the taste. (Check Amazon Price here)
Cranberries
Cranberries are very common for the treatment of urinary tract infections. It helps your dog by removing the bacteria from the urinary tract. Cranberries can change the pH of your dog's urine that helps to kill those infection-causing bacteria. There is a sugar present in the cranberries called D-mannose, that can be effective against bacteria.
D-mannose stops the attachment of E. coli bacteria into the urinary bladder. Therefore, D-mannose is considered a great natural remedy against bacterial growth. It can also improve the symptoms of UTI. So, it works better than many antibiotics. There is another ingredient present in the cranberries called flavonoids. It activates the dog's immune system to fight against the bacterial infection.
You should avoid cranberry juice for your dog because it contains a lot of sugar. Cranberry juice can increase your dog's weight. So, you should give cranberry supplements to your dog that contain D-mannose.
Couch grass
Couch grass, which is also known as quack grass, is a common weed in North America. It has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that help relieve the pain. It can remove the bacteria and help to reduce the urinary bladder inflammation. Couch grass is also diuretic that eliminates waste from the body.
You can chop the dried roots of couch grass and add it into water for 20 minutes. Then, cool it and strain the liquid. You can use a dropper to place 1-2 teaspoons of it into your dog's mouth. Moreover, you can also add the liquid material of couch grass into your dog's water bowl.
Marshmallow roots
Marshmallow is an effective herb for dogs. It is a natural remedy to treat UTI in dogs. It reduces the inflammation of tissues. Marshmallow root acts as the barrier between the lining of the urinary tract and the infectious bacteria. So, it protects the dog's urinary tract from harmful bacteria. Marshmallow roots also excretes excess water from the body that can take bacteria and other toxic substances with it. It helps to clean the kidney and urinary bladder of your dog. Marshmallow roots increase the acidity of the urine that stops the bacterial growth inside the urinary bladder.
You should add ½ tablespoon of marshmallow root powder into your dog's food.
Horsetail
Horsetail is an antimicrobial herb and used to kill infectious bacteria from the body. It is very helpful for your dog to treat urinary tract infections.
Horsetail contains silicawhich is a very effective anti-inflammatory agent. So, it helps to reduce inflammation of the urinary tract.
Horsetail also works as diuretics and reduces the water loss from the body. Excess amount of fluid in the body can help to relieve the swelling. It is better to use horsetail with marshmallows.
You should add a handful of horsetail herb into the bowl. Now add 1⁄2 tablespoon of sugar and water into it. You can use a simmer procedure to heat the ingredients for 20 minutes. Now, strain the liquid and add 1 tbsp into your dog's food. But it is important that you should not give horsetail for a long time because it can cause irritation.
Diet
Diet plays an important role in treating your dog's UTI. You have to ensure that your dog is taking proper nutrients in the diet.
A diet that has a high amount of moisture is always considered the best diet.
If your dog eats more moisture food, the dog's urinary tract stays hydrated. It helps to remove the bacteria from the urinary tract and reduces the risk of UTI. It also removes toxins from the body.
Dry kibbles are the worst diet for dogs who already experience urinary tract infections. Dry food decreases the amount of liquid in the body, so bacteria can easily grow in the urinary tract and cause infections. Additionally, homemade diet is best for dogs because there is high moisture content in the homemade foods. Canned food also is a good option to keep your dog hydrated.
Drink a lot of water
It is an easy tip! Giving a lot of water to your dog is very effective to treat your dog's urinary tract infections. When your dog drinks a lot of water, it can dilute the urine that can easily pass through the urinary tract. It provides relief to the dog. It can help to clean the urinary bladder because water takes all the bacteria with it from the body.
You can also use this tip for your healthy dogs to prevent the UTIs in future. A well hydrated dog has the strong immune system that can fight against the bacterial infection. Moreover, it is also effective against any other disease.
To keep your dog hydrated, you can also use self-watering-bowl which is easily available on Amazon. It helps to give your dog pure and clean water all the time.
Final words
There are many things that can cause urinary tract infection in dogs. The most common cause of UTI is bacterial infections. UTIs are more common in female dogs. This disease can become a very serious issue, so it is important to carefully monitor your dog. If the signs and symptoms are more severe, you should take your dog to the veterinarian. You can also use natural ways to cure UTIs. These natural remedies can be very effective and can treat your dog perfectly.
It is necessary to treat your dog's UTI on time, otherwise it can lead to serious problems such as kidney infection, kidney failure or infertility. Prevention is also helpful to avoid UTI in dogs. Therefore, avoid unhealthy carbohydrates and try to provide a raw diet to your dog. Moreover, if you notice the symptoms of UTI, you should start taking care of your dog and treat him or her with natural remedies before taking them to see a vet, which can easily prescribe antibiotics for your UTI dogs as well.
Last update on 2021-09-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API