In this article...
- Signs That Your Dog May Have a UTI;
- Causes of UTI;
- Natural, Herbal, Homeopathic Treatments for UTIs
If
you catch the infection early you can treat your dog’s urinary tract infection
(UTI) - also known as bladder infection, using natural, fresh food, herbal and
homeopathic remedies.
Signs
That Your Dog May Have a UTI
While
not all dogs will show outward signs of UTI, many dogs will exhibit one or more
of the following indicators…
- Sudden onset of frequent urination…every 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes and/or the ongoing need to frequently urinate;
- Urination in inappropriate and not-in-character/non-typical places, i.e. your bed, his/her bed, the couch, the stairs, etc.
- Drinking more water than usual;
- Fever
- Lethargy;
- Traces of blood in the urine
- Painful urination – dog is crying or straining when attempting to urinate.
Causes
of UTI
An
overgrowth of bacteria in the urinary tract is the most common cause of UTI...
- Bacteria thrive in an alkaline environment;
- The urine passed by a healthy dog normally has a slightly pH level;
- A healthy pH level for most dogs is pH 6 to 6.5 if the dog is on a well-balanced species appropriate diet;
- Meat makes urine slightly acidic thus creating an environment that is not friendly for the overgrowth of bacteria.
Species
inappropriate diets are a very common cause of UTI…
- A grain-based diet, or;
- A diet that is not well-balanced;
- A vegan diet that is not supplemented with enough vitamin C.
If
your dog suffers from chronic UTI you need to change your dog’s diet…
For example:
- Get rid of the grain;
- Use only good source protein – organic is best: meat, eggs, dairy, legumes, etc.
- Use carbohydrates from nutritionally dense foods such as sweet potatoes and squash,
- Add nutrient rich whole foods such as steamed or frozen/thawed veggies (i.e. carrots, broccoli, cauliflower) and fresh fruit high in vitamin C as discussed in this article.
A
predisposition for UTI can be further enabled by...
- An acquired habit of holding urine – i.e. dog does not get enough and regular opportunities to urinate;
- Insufficient access to fresh, clean drinking water;
- Some medications, prolonged use of specific medications;
- Transfer of bacteria from the anus to the urethra;
- Transfer of bacteria from lying down on a contaminated surface, and;
- UTIs are often caused when bacteria, fungi or parasites find their way into the bladder or uretha. As female dogs have shorter urethras they are more vulnerable to infection via surface contaminates.
- A toxic load.
When
a dog’s urine becomes more alkaline the following conditions may occur...
- Bacteria overgrowth;
- Cystitus (inflammation of the bladder due to bacteria overgrowth);
- Urinary Crystals and Stones:
- Alkalinity can cause minerals that should be flushed out of the bladder to instead settle in the bladder;
- The mineral molecules may then form crystals;
- The mineral-based crystals are sharp particles that move around in the bladder scrapping the bladder lining which may result in inflammation of the bladder;
- In addition the crystals can bond together to form bladder stones.
UTIs
can occur...
- In the lower urinary tract;
- In the bladder, or;
- In the kidneys.
Left
untreated UTI can be a very serious condition which can cause serious and life
threatening problems. Your veterinarian can perform a urinary analysis test,
x-ray etc. to verify the issue is UTI and not bladder stones.
The
conventional allopathic treatment for UTI is antibiotics or antimicrobial
drugs.
- Overuse of antibiotics is a health risk for your dog;
- When your dog is on antibiotics his/her immune system is suppressed leaving your dog vulnerable to a host of other issues;
- As well, the more times a dog is on antibiotic the greater chance of the dog’s system acquiring an immunity to antibiotics – a potentially life-threatening situation.
If you catch the UTI in its early
stages and/or the infection is not extremely severe you can use natural DIY
remedies to treat the infection...
Natural, Herbal, Homeopathic Treatments for UTIs
Step
1 - Topical Treatment
Bath your dog using the following rinse
- this will help to flush out bacteria that might otherwise invade your dog’s
urinary tract.
Lemon can be used in combination with greet tea and organic apple cider vinegar as a highly effective cleansing and disinfecting rinse. An excellent
alternative to commercially made pet shampoos which can be full of toxins
and carcinogens. Just as you would with commercially made shampoos - make sure you
avoid getting the lemon juice cleansing rinse in your dog’s eyes.
To make the rinse:
- Steep two or three bags of green tea;
- Allow the tea to cool to room temperature;
- Add the juice of a fresh lemon to the cooled tea;
- Add the lemon-tea mixture to 4 litres/1 gallon of room temperature water;
- Add 2 tbs of organic, unfiltered, apple cider vinegar;
- Use the resulting liquid to bath your dog. You can choose to just cleanse your dog’s underside and under his/her tail, or bath your dog’s entire body;
Step
2 - Ingested Treatment, Choose One
of The Following Options
of The Following Options
Option One - Lemon,
Cranberry, Orange and ACV
Mix the following together in a bowl:
- Fresh lemon juice (you can also add some minced lemon pulp);
- Warm water to equal the amount of lemon juice;;
- Add the following to the lemon juice/warm water mixture:
- 1 tbs of frozen or fresh crushed cranberries;
- A few slices of orange (cut into small pieces or minced, don’t use whole uncut sections);
- 1 tsp of organic unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar;
- 1 tsp of raw, unpasteurized honey drizzled over top of the other ingredients;
- If your dog will not eat the mixture as is, you can mix-in a piece of fatty fish, chicken or meat.
- If your dog does not have kidney or gall bladder stones, liver problems and/or is not pregnant or lactating you can also add:
- 1 tbs of finely chopped fresh parsley, or:
- Parsley water (recipe and dosage as described in this article).
Give this treatment to your dog
twice a day until the infection clears. If the infection does not clear-up in
the space of a day or two get your dog to a veterinarian.
Option Two - Grapefruit
Seed Extract
The
benefits of Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) were first noted in 1972 by physicist
Dr. Jacob Harich who observed its broad spectrum use as an antibacterial and
antiviral remedy. You can read more about Dr. Jacob Harich and the history of
GSE here.
- Grapefruit seeds contain active ingredients that are:
- Anti-microbial;
- Anti-fungal;
- Anti-bacterial;
- Anti-inflammatory and more.
- Grapefruit seed extract is known to be excellent for treating internal diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, it is used topically to treat and remedy skin diseases, external injuries and fungal infections.
University
of Georgia researchers found that GSE is an effective antiviral, antifungal and
anti-parasitic agent for fighting many viral and bacterial infections,
including E. coli;
Additional
findings have proven that GSE is a highly effective treatment for:
- 800 bacterial and viral strains;
- 100 strains of fungi, and;
- A multitude of single and multi-celled parasites.
- GSE is also an immune system booster. It contains:
- Hesperidin (a bioflavonoid), well known for its potent immune system benefits;
- Vitamin C, Citric Acid, sterols and multiple additional antioxidants that aid the immune system’s ability to battle infections.
Grapefruit Seed Can be Administered Two Ways
- Pulverized seeds can be used as an ingested treatment sprinkled on top of food;
- Grapefruit seed extract (GSE) drops can be mixed into the food.
Dosage:
Liquid GSE:
- Minimum dosage - 0.5 drops per every kg (per every 2.2 lbs) of body weight;
- Maximum dosage - 10 to 15 drops per every 10 lbs of body weight 3 times a day;
Pulverized
GSE:
- 8 mg per every kg (per every 2.2 lbs) of body weight.
Give this treatment to your dog
twice a day until the infection clears. If the infection does not clear-up in
the space of a day or two get your dog to a veterinarian.
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Related Articles
For related and additional articles on dog and cat, care, health,
training, nutrition and animal advocacy go to this page.
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