The reluctant “guru” and Number 5

From: Dr Andrew Jones
Author: Veterinary Secrets Revealed
Website: shop.veterinarysecrets.com

Re: The reluctant “guru” and Number 5

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It’s Friday fellow readers

First, a quick note in response to me being some type
of “guru”

And how you need to “follow me” in learning every way
to heal your pet at home.

This couldn’t be farther from the truth. I didn’t set out
to become famous on the internet. In fact most of what I teach
is plain old common sense that seems to have been lost in the
veterinary world.

I was living a pretty quiet life in a quaint little mountain
town when my dog died suddenly at the age of eight from a
spleen and liver tumor.

I went on a quest for answers

I found that some of what I practiced and did to him
contributed to his death.

Too many vaccines
Poor quality “Veterinary Only” Food
Toxic Anti-inflammatories.

This led me to write Veterinary Secrets Revealed and to be here
today writing you a daily email.
( At least while I can until you know who tries to shut me down)

Everything I teach is common sense wisdom that you can
do at home to easily and effectively heal your pet.

Now on to the BIG problems..

We are in the process of revealing the Top 10 reasons
why dogs and cats visit the Vet.

Problem Number 5 is…

Urinary Tract Infection Infections.

It’s actually even more common in cats.

The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, ureters (tubes that carry
urine to the bladder for storage), the urinary bladder, and the urethra
that conducts urine outside the body. A urinary tract infection could
involve any of these areas, though most commonly when we speak of a
urinary tract infection we mean bladder infection.

Bladder Infection

The kidneys make urine every moment of the day. The urine is moved down
the ureters and into the bladder. The urinary bladder is a muscular
little bag that stores the urine until we are ready to get rid of it.
The bladder must be able to expand for filling and contract down for
emptying and respond to voluntary control.

The bladder is a sterile area of the body, which means that bacteria
do not normally reside there. When bacteria (or any other organisms
for that matter) gain entry and establish growth in the bladder,
infection has occurred and symptoms can result. People with bladder i
nfections typically report a burning sensation during urination.
With pets with UTIs, we see some of the following signs:

* Excessive water consumption
* Urinating only small amounts at a time
* Urinating frequently and in multiple spots
* Inability to hold urine the normal amount of time/apparent incontinence
* Bloody urine (though an infection must either involve a special
organism, a bladder stone, a bladder tumor, or be particularly severe
to make urine red to the naked eye)

It is especially important to realize that many animals do not show
any externally visible signs of their bladder infections and, since
they cannot talk, screening tests are the only route to discovering
the infection.

It is also important to realize that it is the inflammation associated
with infection that causes these symptoms. There can be infection without
much inflammation
Because bladder infections are localized to the bladder, there are
rarely signs of infection in other body systems: no fever, no appetite loss,
and no change in the blood tests.

The external genital area where urine is expelled is teeming with bacteria.
Bladder infection results when bacteria from the lower tract climb into the
bladder, defeating the natural defense mechanisms of the system (forward
urine flow, the bladder lining, inhospitable urine chemicals etc.).
Bladder infections are not contagious.

* Bladder infection is somewhat unusual in cats under age 10 years.
* Bladder infection is somewhat unusual in neutered male dogs.

Treatment For Simple Infection

A simple bladder infection is usually easily treated with 10 to 14 days of
antibiotics. The patient?????s symptoms usually resolve quickly, within the first
2 days of treatment, though the entire course of treatment should be given.

There are of course other options documented in my book and Home Study Course at:

shop.veterinarysecrets.com/veterinary-secrets-revealed-second-edition-e-book.html

www.theonlinevet.com
Not So Simple Infections

There are several special situations concerning urinary tract infections:

Kidney Infection (Pyelonephritis)

If the patient?????s immune system is not ideal, the infection in the bladder
may go up into the kidneys, where it can cause kidney failure and a more
serious infection. There is currently no good test to determine whether or
not a kidney is infected, although there might be hints on the lab work
(urinary tract infection in combination with fever, elevated white blood
cell count, pain in the area of the kidneys). Ultrasound can help and
there are specific radiographic studies that can help as well. If
infection in the kidney is suspected, the length of the antibiotic course
increases to 4 to 6 weeks.

Bladder Stone
Stones in the bladder can cause infection and infection can cause stones.

Urachal Diverticulum
In embryonic life, urine is removed from the body via the umbilical cord.
A structure called the urachus exits at the top of the bladder and enters
the umbilical cord so that urine can be dumped into the mother?????s bloodstream
for removal by her kidneys. After birth, the urachus degenerates, but sometimes
a small nipple-like protrusion exists on the top of the bladder. This
section can protect a bladder infection, in which case recheck cultures will
reveal the same organism over and over until the urachal diverticulum is
surgically removed.

Bladder Tumor
Tumors growing in the neck of the bladder (most commonly the transitional
cell carcinoma) often become infected. Bladder tumors commonly create urine
with a bloody appearance whereas a common bladder infection usually does not.
It is important to consider a tumor if a urine sample is clearly bloody,
even if infection is documented as both conditions could easily be afoot.

Prostatitis
The unneutered male dog has a special risk: prostate infection. The prostate
gland is located at the neck of the bladder and, due to its glandular nature,
infection in the bladder readily spreads to the prostate where the special
crypts and crannies are particularly protective to the infection. It is nearly
impossible to clear the prostate of the infection without neutering.
This is more in relation to cats called FLUTD

Feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD, is the term that describes
the following group of clinical signs:

* bloody urine
* straining to urinate (can easily be mistaken for straining to defecate)
* urinating in unusual places
* urinary blockage (almost exclusively a male cat problem)
* licking the urinary opening (usually due to pain)

Some veterinarians may still be using the older term feline urologic syndrome,??
or FUS, or simply cystitis (meaning literally inflamed bladder).

What Causes FLUTD?

Central to treating a cat with FLUTD is determining which of many possible
causes is present. It turns out that different diseases are common in
different age groups of cats with this syndrome.

The average age of a cat with FLUTD is 4 years. Of all cats with FLUTD:

* 50% will not have a cause that can be determined despite extensive testing
* 20% will have bladder stones
* 20% will have a urethral blockage
* 1%-5% will have a true infection
* 1%-5% will have a urinary tract cancer
* 1%-5% will have had trauma to the urinary tract (i.e., have been hit by a
car etc.)
* 1%-5% will have a combination of a bladder stone and an infection

If one looks only at cats over age 10 years of age, the likely possibilities
are completely different. In this older group:

* 50% will have true urinary tract infections
* 10% will have bladder stones
* 17% will have a combination of infection and bladder stone
* 7% will have urethtral blockage
* 3% will have urinary tract cancer
* 5% will not have a cause tht can be determined despite extensive testing.

Further:

* 66% will be in some stage of kidney failure
* 5% will have urinary incontinence

How Can These Possible Causes Be Sorted Out?

In younger cats, there is a 50% chance that testing will be fruitless.
Given this, testing beyond an examination and urinalysis may not be
performed unless the syndrome is recurrent.

In older cats, it is more important to look for a diagnosis. A blood panel,
urinalysis and urine culture will detect the 50% of cats who have urinary
tract infections and the 66% that are in kidney failure. Radiographs will
pick up any bladder stones.

What Is a Reasonable Approach to Treatment?

Obviously, the approach depends on which diagnosis has been reached. The
following list shows areas regarding causes of FLUTD:

* If your cat has a documented urinary tract infection
* If your cat has bladder stones
* If your cat has a urethral blockage or partial blockage
* If your cat is in kidney failure
* If your cat seems to urinate in inappropriate locations for behaviorial
reasons
* If testing cannot reveal any specific cause
* If your cat is diagnosed with interstitial cystitis
* If your cat has struvite urinary crystals without urethral blockage
* If your cat has oxalate urinary crystals

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P.S. I spent a long night at the clinic last night
with a small dog who had an obstruction in his airway.

We tried every possible thing to do to save him,
and unforunately he died.

This was a complete surprise.

Cherish your pet- You just never know what could happen.

It’s Your Pet. Heal Them At Home!

Best Wishes,

Dr Andrew Jones, DVM

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