at the end of my rope...

[TilliesMom]

sub-q fluids!? How do you know he needs them?
Tillie hasn't been drinking straight water for weeks, I am watering her food down SOOOO much, she is basically drinking her meals. lol It's the only way I can keep her hydrated, but her face is a MESS...

[motherslittlehelper]

Originally Posted by TilliesMom

sub-q fluids!? How do you know he needs them?
Tillie hasn't been drinking straight water for weeks, I am watering her food down SOOOO much, she is basically drinking her meals. lol It's the only way I can keep her hydrated, but her face is a MESS...

Tammy, I don't know if he NEEDS them or not. It was just part of the treatment plan last year and he got over his UTI then. And he is not drinking much at all, or eating today. And Finn is going nuts - I know he smells something amiss. I am hoping the extra fluid will help flush Augie out. I am about ready to smear Vicks Vapo Rub all over Finn's nose to keep him from smelling anything. He is getting on my last nerve today.

[davetgabby]

yeah Tammy I emailed Sabine days ago on how to help get more water into her. Still waiting for a reply. She's still on holidays. The nerve of the woman. lol

[TilliesMom]

awwww, thanks so much Dave! I'm thinking we might need to adjust her diet if this continues to be a problem.. but both Sabine and her vet say that's not the case...?
But, I can't for the life of me figure out why she will NOT drink. I've tried everything I can think of, she flat out refuses. It's really odd. Thus the 1/2 a cup of water added to her am and pm meals. it may not SEEM like a lot of water. But try it. add 1/2 a cup of water to your havs food for a meal... lol. she literally laps up her food...
Hey, it's keeping her hydrated for the time being!!

[davetgabby]

she's probably getting enough water then. Wait and see what the tests show.

[Suzi]

Originally Posted by The Laughing Magpie

Linda, Yogi had the UTI from hell, we had his urine sent out and cultured after the second bout of antibiotics to see what antibiotic it reacted to, we went through two rounds of Clavamox (may have not spelled it right), and then the Vet put him on Baytrial (in the dog world it is the big gun), after the test came back, he was put back on Clavamox...less side effects...as the bacteria reacted to it, he was on this for a long time a month or more. Two weeks after we finished the Vet did a culture, six weeks another, all were clean. He is due for another after six months from the last date...just to be sure. Yogi's probably had his UTI for a long while, it is harder to notice in males, it is also less common. I was also told I needed to get him moving...that was really miserable for me! He just wanted to lay in a ball and sleep...we would walk five steps, he would stop, five more same thing, a 15 min. walk took 1.5 hours of lureing him along, he also was surly with the other dogs in class and at home. We did x rays, and ultra sound when I first took him is as he was in so much pain, also he had two rectal exams from two different Vets (same practice) looking for growths, stones and growths were ruled out early on.

Augie may just need to be on the antibiotic longer. The getting them moving makes them thirsty, maybe you could practice healing in the garage. The special food is formulated to desolve certain types of crystals quickly, also dogs who form crystals can get sand like crystals they are too small to see in an xray the food really helps. I hope Augie is back to his old self soon...even after Yogi was clear it took him a few weeks to get back to his old self...and here I thought he had finally calmed down!

I find it interesting that most vets put them on special dog food and sabin and your vet don't think its food related? Do you know how to check for dehydration ? I was also wondering about the treats you give her? do you think they are easy to digest?
I hope both Augie and Tillie get better soon.

[Suzi]

Originally Posted by motherslittlehelper

Tammy, I don't know if he NEEDS them or not. It was just part of the treatment plan last year and he got over his UTI then. And he is not drinking much at all, or eating today. And Finn is going nuts - I know he smells something amiss. I am hoping the extra fluid will help flush Augie out. I am about ready to smear Vicks Vapo Rub all over Finn's nose to keep him from smelling anything. He is getting on my last nerve today.

What about a bellie band? is that what their called?

[TilliesMom]

Originally Posted by Suzi

I find it interesting that most vets put them on special dog food and sabin and your vet don't think its food related? Do you know how to check for dehydration ? I was also wondering about the treats you give her? do you think they are easy to digest?
I hope both Augie and Tillie get better soon.

ya, I know, I really wonder about this also...
nope, not the treats, she really doesn't get many treats cause we aren't training in anyway right now. She gets rewards after bath/combing/taking her medicine, but they are either small peices of cheese or the little frozen squares of sweet potato I make for her. sigh.

[motherslittlehelper]

Originally Posted by Suzi

What about a bellie band? is that what their called?

Suzi, I do have a belly band here, that I may have to put on him, just to keep noses and tongues out. The special diets may be an effort to alter the pH. Last year, Augie's pH was too alkaline, our vet said, in the range where crystals and bact. could grow.

[TilliesMom]

yes, Tillie was super Alkaline also... but nothing has ever been said about changing her food....? odd.