My senior dog with a UTI won't take meds and isn't eating. What to do?

Question

My dog was diagnosed with a uti a month ago. He had a bad reaction to the 1st round of medicine but is now on a different med. He does not want to take the med anymore and he is not eating as much. He just looks sad. There is still some blood in his urine occasionally. He has never been sick before and he is 10. He is a Scottish terrier. What should I do? How can I get him to take the med? Is this really serious? Pet's info: Dog | Scottish Terrier | Male | unneutered | 25 lbs

Sarah Derksen, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi. I am sorry Thor has a UTI and had an infection. I am glad he is responding better to the next round of meds. His appetite and attitude can be affected by the antibitoics. It can be very difficult to give oral medications. A helpful strategy for administering medication to pets is using foods that are highly appealing. things like butter, peanut butter, cream cheese, deli meats (e.g., salami, liverwurst), and spreadable cheese or cheese in a can will help to hide medications. Commercial treats called pill pocets can be molded around a pill are available in a variety of flavors and are even formulated for pets with food allergies. It is important to disguise the pill in a small amount of tempting food so it will not be too bulky and require chewing. In many instances, even using delectable treats does not guarantee success. Keep trying. Another ruse that is particularly helpful when it comes to food-motivated pets is to offer a primer treat, then the disguised pill followed by a “chaser” treat. Making a fuss to build excitement over the impending treat is helpful in assuring the hidden pill will be ingested. I would not say this is serious per say, but UTI can cause problems untreated. If there is still blood, I recommend having your veterinarian take an x-ray of the bladder to make sure there are no stones in the bladder.

My senior dog with a UTI won't take meds and isn't eating. What to do?

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