Honest Answers About Antibiotics For Dog Uti Conditions

Antibiotics for dog UTI conditions such as bladder or kidney infections are widely used and widely prescribed by most veterinarians, creating a high probability that some pet owners will have a few tablets of amoxicillin, or some other antibiotic, stored away ready and waiting for their dogs next encounter with some sort of bacterial infection. But is it really a good idea to use those old antibiotics for dog UTI conditions?

The answer is no. There is an obvious problem with age and how they might have been stored but perhaps the biggest problem of all is missing the diagnostic mark and causing the infection to become chronic or recurring. The reason for this is there are a number of types of bacteria capable of infecting your dogs urinary tract, with each requiring a specific type of antibiotic to kill the infection. If the wrong type is used the bacteria will become at least partially resistant to other antibiotics thus creating a chronic condition requiring long term antibiotic use.

To make more sense of this it helps to know how antibiotics are made. Antibiotics are drugs made of bacterial cultures. So whatever bacteria is cultured is what this particular antibiotic will work best against. For this reason before your veterinarian pulls out his trusty prescription pen he should perform a urinalysis to make sure the right drug is being prescribed to eliminate the bacteria rather than making it more resistant.

Commonly used antibiotics for canine UTI and bacteria they are effective against.

*Amoxicillin: There are many name brands for amoxicillin. Not only is it one of the top antibiotics for dog UTI it is also used regularly for skin diseases and injuries, dental abscesses, breathing disorders, and gastrointestinal conditions. This drug is effective against four types of bacteria; staphylococci, streptococci, enterococci, and proteus.

*Cephalexin: This antibiotic works similarly to penicillin and is readily used for bacterial infections that occur from skin and bone wounds. Examples would be altercations with other animals, bites, and trauma injures such as getting hit by a car. Additionally, cephalexin can be used to treat infections of the respiratory tract, kidneys, and bladder. This drug is effective against five types of bacteria; staphylococci, streptococci, proteus, escherichia coli, and klebsiella.

*Gentamicin: This antibiotic probably will not be your veterinarians first choice of antibiotics for dog UTI due to the side effect risk when taken in pill form. On the other hand it may be his first choice when treating ear infections, eye infections, or open wound infections in the cream form. When using gentamicin it boils down to a risk reward equation that weighs the side effect risk with this drugs ability to kill more bacteria than either amoxicillin or cephalexin. The drug is effective against eight different types of bacteria; staphylococci, streptococci, some enterococci, escherichia coli, proteus, klebsiella, pseudomonas, and enterobacter.

On the road to recovery

If the prescribed antibiotic for dog UTI is on the mark, and all goes well, results should be seen in seven to ten days. That said, there are no guarantees that the condition will not become recurrent. For this reason many pets owners have implemented a number of at home steps to prevent recurring UTIs for occurring. This list would include plenty of fresh water spiked with cranberry or blueberry juice, only using age appropriate ph balancing dog food, regular bathroom breaks, regular exercise, and an all natural homeopathic urinary reconditioning supplement.

By: R.D. Hawkins

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R.D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of natural health products and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field. Learn more about natural remedies and natural health at Purchase Remedies.com