Canine Bladder Infection Complications | Dog Bladder Infection Complications

Medical complications stemming from canine bladder infection are usually associated with either inappropriate treatment or with complete lack of treatment. Possible complications include development of bladder or kidney stones, added stress to a dog’s weakened immune system, renal failure, prostate infection, septicemia (infection of the bloodstream and other body organs), and development of drug-resistant bacteria.

An acute case of suspected canine bladder infection must be referred to a veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment. In order to treat a dog with bladder infection symptoms appropriately, the veterinarian must obtain and analyze a sample of the dog’s urine. The presence of white blood cells or bacteria in the sample can indicate infection. The veterinarian should then culture the sample to conduct antibiotic sensitivity tests and prescribe an effective antibiotic course of treatment.

Veterinarians who prescribe medications for canine bladder infections without first analyzing the antibiotic sensitivity of the bacteria found in the urine culture risk contributing to the growth of drug-resistant bacteria. In addition, this trial-and-error approach to antibiotic medication can lead to such complications as the development of drug-resistant kidney infections or the development of weakened immune systems accompanied by secondary infection. At the very least, the four-legged patients of veterinarians who prescribe antibiotics for canine bladder infection without analyzing urine cultures can suffer unnecessary discomfort and an unnecessarily diminished quality of life.

Just as they can be helpful in diagnosis and in determining an appropriate course of treatment, urine cultures after treatment can also minimize the chances of complication by confirming the efficacy of the intervention. Follow-up testing of urine samples can be especially beneficial in treating resistant or recurrent cases of canine bladder infection.

Owners who prematurely discontinue appropriately prescribed courses of antibiotics also run risks of contributing to the proliferation of treatment-resistant strains of bacteria and contributing to the possibility of infection complications. In fact, the risks associated with inadequate or inappropriate treatment of canine bladder infection are similar to those associated with a complete lack of treatment. These include:

• Risk of prostrate infection;
• Risk of kidney infection (possibly fatal);
• Risk of drug-resistant infection and the development of chronic, hard-to-treat, recurrent urinary tract disease;
• Risk of compromised immune system functioning and a susceptibility to secondary infection;
• Risk of bladder crystal formation and bladder or kidney stone formation with an associated urinary obstruction;
• Risk of complete cessation of urination (a medical emergency);
• Risk of septicemia (a systemic infection caused by bacteria in the bloodstream and the subsequent bacterial invasion of various organs throughout the body, including the heart).

The bad news is that complications associated with canine bladder infection—a common ailment–can be painful, debilitating, and sometimes even fatal. The good news is that these complications are almost always preventable through proper care, close attention, and appropriate treatment.

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