My dog is peeing blood and straining. What are my treatment options?

This condition can be very uncomfortable for your dog. If left untreated she will be in constant, chronic pain and discomfort. If you are unable to give the proper treatment to keep her healthy and comfortable you may want to consider finding someone else that can care for her medical needs.

The symptoms Patti is suffering from indicates she is probably suffering from a urinary tract infection. The only treatment that can give her any relief is an antibiotic treatment, which will also solve the problem, but you will need to take her to a veterinary clinic or ER in order to get this treatment.

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!

I'm so sorry to hear that. Bloody urine can have a number of different causes. It can be due to a problem in the urinary tract-- such as a severe urinary tract infection, bladder stones, or a bladder tumor. Those things may also cause her to urinate frequently in small amounts and/or strain to urinate (but not necessarily). It could also be a problem higher up in her urinary tract--in her ureters (tube from kidney to bladder) or in her kidneys-- again an infection, stone or tumor. The other potential cause of seeing blood in the urine is if she isn't able to form a blood clot properly. If her blood platelets or clotting factors are low or are not working correctly, bleeding can occur within the bladder (or anywhere in the body--bruising under the skin, bleeding around the gums, blood in the stool, bloody nose, blood in the eyes). We can also sometimes see the urine look bloody when its actually a different thing causing the pigment (color). For instance, if she's destroying her red blood cells and the pigment (color) from the red blood cells which is the hemoglobin is ending up in her urine. Also myoglobin (which occurs with massive muscle damage) can result in dark reddish brown urine. Some types of toxic ingestions can also result in reddish brown urine. The seizure on Sunday makes me more concerned that something very serious is going on with her. If she's unable to clot her blood properly she could have a bleed in her brain. Or the seizures may be completely unrelated to the urine. I wish I could offer you a suggestion to treat her at home, but it sounds like you need to have her seen by a veterinarian as soon as you can.

Blood in the urine is never normal, even if it only occurs intermittently. Likewise, it’s unusual for Tilly to experience so much inconsistency in her urination habits. Some young female dogs can have recessed or hooded vulvas, which can make them more prone to developing urinary tract infections. However, since Tilly’s urine has twice not shown evidence of infection, it sounds as though it’s time to look in a different direction. I would start by asking your vet if they can take x-rays of her abdomen to check for evidence of bladder stones. The crystals associated with bladder stones often show up on a urinalysis (I’m assuming that’s what was done with her urine samples), but not always. If the X-rays are clear, your next step may be an ultrasound of her bladder with a veterinary radiologist to check for any other abnormalities. Bladder tumors can also cause similar signs, although that would be highly unlikely given how young Tilly is. I hope this helps and that you can find some answers soon!

Oh no, I'm sorry Winter isn't doing well at the moment! Unfortunately there is nothing you can do at home for her symptoms, she has to see a vet. She could be suffering from a UTI or bladder stones causing the bloody urine and trouble controlling her bladder, and the medications needed to treat either are available by prescription only from the vet. I can, however, give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ God's Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help.
 The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information.
 Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay. IMOM is dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged. Winter has to see a vet as soon as possible, so I hope one of these resources helps you!

If Lily is peeing blood, I would be concerned that she has a UTI, bladder stones, or even bladder cancer. Unfortunately there is nothing you can give her at home, she has to see a vet for this problem. If she appears lethargic, ill or distressed, or if the urine appears very bloody, then she should be seen by a vet ASAP. In this case, please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. If she is otherwise healthy and happy, eats and drinks plenty, you can wait until Monday morning. Feed her wet/canned food, add water to it, and make sure she drinks a lot of water to help flush the bladder.