A canine urinary tract infection is a painful and potentially very dangerous condition. Urinary tract infection symptoms, though easy to recognize if you are aware of them, may go by unnoticed, particularly if you do not monitor your dog while he urinates. These infections are caused by a spread of bacteria into a part of your pet's urinary tract, such as the bladder or urethra. While there, the bacteria spreads and causes inflammation, which inhibits the normal function of the urinary tract. If the infection is left untreated, it may cause severe damage to your dog's urinary function, and it may also spread to other parts of your dog's body and become very serious.
Learn to recognize the symptoms of a urinary tract infection in your pet. Fortunately, this condition is easily treated with antibiotics.
Pain While Urinating
A pet that has a urinary tract infection will experience pain and discomfort when trying to urinate. As a result, he may spend very little time actually urinating, and he may appear strained or uncomfortable while doing so. In some cases, dogs may even cry out or yelp during urination as a result of pain.
Frequent Urination
Because dogs that have urinary tract infections have a hard time urinating, they typically do not fully evacuate their bladder during this process. This is dangerous because backed up urine that collects in their system may cause bladder stones or other toxic effects. Additionally, because they do not completely evacuate their bladder, dogs with urinary tract infections typically display signs of needing to urinate more frequently than they normally would.
Licking and Chewing
In an attempt to address the pain and discomfort that they experience while urinating, many dogs with urinary tract infections spend an unusual amount of time licking at or chewing on their genital areas. There may even be signs of inflammation and irritation in these areas, if your pet has paid particular attention to them.
Increased Number of Accidents
Dogs with urinary tract infections may experience a certain loss of control over their bladder functions. In most cases, this is not to be contributed to any sort of incontinence, but is rather because your dog has a difficult time passing all of his urine at once. He may need to urinate but be stuck inside the house, and the result is often dribbling or other messes indoors.
Foul Smelling Urine
Your pet's urine does not typically have a strong smell. However, a dog that has a urinary tract infection may pass urine with an unusually fetid or sour smell. Particularly take note of this if your dog has urinated inside of the house, as it may be easier to determine whether there is a foul odor in these cases.
Canine urinary tract infections are unpleasant and painful for your dog. Familiarize yourself with these symptoms and take note of your pet's condition. If you observe one or more of these warning signs, take him to a veterinarian for an analysis and treatment immediately.