Dog has blood in urine, thick bladder, culture negative. Is it infection or cancer?

Well this is quite strange. I don't know why the difference of 15 to 17 cells will make much a difference in the diagnosis. I would call them and try to get a more thorough explanation as to why they like to find the specific number of abnormal cells. If the urine does have an infection, I would have the UTi treated with antibiotics and then have the ultrasound repeated to see if the mass is still present. If so, I would probably just treat for transitional cell carcinoma which is the most common bladder tumor. You can visit an oncologist for chemo/radiation options. A lot of people just choose to put the dog on piroxicam which is an anti-inflammatory which helps to decrease the inflammation in the tumor but it isn't going to cure the cancer. Also I would put him on a joint supplement like dasuquin to help increase the mucus in the bladder wall which is also a natural anti-inflammatory. I hope this helps!

Hello, I’m so sorry about your pup. It’s a bit unusual for them to develop cancer unless it’s a venereal disease. We would need more specific information about a urineanalysis, cytology, surgery report and bloodwork to give you a better idea as to what may be going on. However it sounds like what you really need to determine exactly what is going on and what type of cancer she has if any would be to pursue further care with an internist or an oncologist. Speak to your veterinarian about a referral to see an internist. Again it’s a bit unusual for a dog this young to develop cancer in the bladder. A very bad UTI may indeed cause some cysts vs cancer will typically cause more solid tumors. We hope you can get further answers soon, best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It becomes concerning when an older dog develops blood urine that is non-responsive to antibiotics. Having blood in the urine with out bacteria can mean a bladder stone or a bladder tumor. Tests I would consider next would be a urine culture, one belly X-ray to look for a bladder stone and full blood work. If the culture is negative and the X-ray doesn't show a stone then I would worry about a bladder tumor. An ultrasound of her bladder would help diagnose if she has a bladder tumor. Another option before doing more testing is to try a more powerful antibiotic for 3 weeks. But if the blood is still present with out the presence of bacteria then I would go forward. I hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. I agree that he requires a further work up. It is not common for male dogs to develop urinary tract infections given their anatomy. I would recommend that he has bloodwork and x-rays of his abdomen. You need to rule out any metabolic disorder and uroliths (bladder stones or kidney stones). Then I would proceed with the abdominal ultrasound. Occasionally prostate disease can cause recurrent urinary signs. This is uncommon in such a young dog though. It may be easiest to pursue a consult with an internal medicine specialist. I hope you are able to get an answer and his problems resolved. Good luck!

If you are not seeing symptoms of frequent urination or straining to urinate, then you could always culture the urine to see if there is actually a urinary tract infection before you start antibiotics. You might also discuss a cranberry supplement with your veterinarian to help improve urinary tract health, however with very sensitive dogs, anything has the potential to throw off the balance in the GI tract. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21560

Hi, and thanks for your question. These signs are definitively compatible with a urinary tract infection/inflammation. Stress related (idiopathic type of inflammation) infection and presence of crystals are the most common causes of it. Another clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Ultrasound or x rays of the abdomen may be needed as there may be stones inside the bladder (which does not show up on urine analysis). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

I would highly recommend having an x-ray taken of your pets abdomens to rule out any potential bladder or kidney stones. If a stone is present this could explain the repeat infections. Also I find it very unusual to have pus in the urine but a negative culture. If Reagan was currently on antibiotics when the urine culture samples were taken this can lead to a false negative. I also would recommend bloodwork analysis to rule out a potential kidney involvement here. Pyonephritis can cause pus in the urine as well. In the meantime get Reagan on daily probiotics (Cultutelle over the counter works well, or Fortilfora) and fish oils (from your local pet store) which both have been proven helpful for repeat urinate issues.