What can I do to prevent my puppy's recurrent UTIs naturally?

Question

My 11 month old puppy was getting frequent uti"s. Since her last treatment a couple of months ago she hasn't had one. Is there something I can do to help prevent them from coming back? She had been taking heart worm medicine, and flea and tick tablets monthly. It seemed like she would develope a uti soon after taking these two medicines so I didn't give them to her after her last uti treatment. Is it a coincidence that she hasn't developed a uti? I'd rather treat her holistically if possible. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | 10 months and 27 days old | 48 lbs

Jeffrey Milner · Accepted Answer

In dogs, recurrent urinary tract infections are often caused by persistent bacterial infections that can alter the pH of the urine. Sometimes the result of this can be the formation of urinary crystals, and ultimately larger urinary bladder stones. If Ashlynn hasn't had an x-ray ever, I would recommend getting at least one just to make sure nothing has formed or is in the process of forming. As to your question regarding prevention of future UTIs, it would depend upon what bacteria is the culprit in her previous infections (as this would likely be the culprit in future ones as well). There is some evidence both scientific and anecdotal that indicates that cranberry juice or cranberry supplements can help prevent certain strains of e. coli bacteria from sticking to the bladder's wall. There are many different supplements available, I do not have a preference as to one in particular. If the kidneys and bladder are producing / storing urine at an inappropriate pH, there are special diets that can be fed (both long term or short term) that chance the bladder's pH back to the appropriate level. To confirm if this is a problem, a urinalysis can be ran by your primary veterinarian. With regards to the HW and flea medications, it is unlikely that one of these predisposed her to a UTI. This is not a typical side effect of most medications in that class, and they are not known to lower the immune system enough to cause a secondary urinary tract infection. Hope this makes sense.

What can I do to prevent my puppy's recurrent UTIs naturally?

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