How long for piroxicam to ease dog's frequent urination from cancer?

Poor Sheba. If she has a bladder tumor then she will likely continue to have blood in her urine; although treatment with an anti-inflammatory (Piroxicam) can help. This medication can also slow the progression of the tumor. However to answer your question, antibiotics (if effective) will reduce bacterial numbers and show clinical improvement within 48-72 hrs after use. It is highly likely that if a tumor was seen in her bladder, that it is cancer. We often see transitional cell carcinoma affect the bladder. Ask your vet about palliative care options for Sheba if she seems to be in pain or in any discomfort. I wish you and Sheba all the best in the days to come.

I'm sorry Pooh Bear has cancer. It sounds like your vet is doing a good job of trying to treat as best as possible, and I'm assuming the type of cancer diagnosed was transitional cell carcinoma since piroxicam has been prescribed. If that is the case, I have seen these dogs get many more months of good quality life, as long as clinical signs are controlled. If the type of cancer hasn't been determined and the diagnosis has been made on just the fact that he has an enlarged prostate, then I would caution that dogs can have adenocarcinoma of the prostate, another type of cancer which metastasizes readily and is quite aggressive, and ultimately difficult to treat. It typically does not respond to piroxicam. Straining to defecate and pain on defecation with prostatic cancers is usually due to the colon becoming trapped between the enlarged prostate and the enlarged sublumbar lymph nodes. If the cancer is a TCC, it should respond to piroxicam, and the prostate should shrink a bit, which will hopefully improve the symptoms. If the cancer is another type of cancer, unfortunately it's unlikely that the current treatment plan is going to help. Stool softeners such as lactulose may help to improve the consistency of the stool, and make it easier to pass. Your vet might also consider adding on gabapentin as an additional pain reliever to the current regimen, as that may add some additional relief.

Hi there. Typically, with PPA we see results very quickly, within the first couple of days of starting the meds - so if your pup is still having urinary incontinence issues after 8 days, I would recommend talking to your veterinarian about changing her dose or trying a different medication.

Usually at least 48hours are needed to see a substantial improvement with the treatment that was given. As far as you are reporting there is already an improvement though, so resolution of the signs it is expected.

If there is no improvement and Fitz is still having these symptoms, I would recommend having the veterinarian take xrays of the bladder to see if there are any abnormalities such as a bladder stone. If the pain is not under control, I would recommend a different pain medication such as Methadone, which works quite well at relieving pain. If he is not improving and is worse, I would get him seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Gabapentin is a human medication but often prescribed to dogs. Urine incontinence is a reported side effect in people but not in dogs. However, as the mechanism of action in dogs and human is the same, I assume that the side effects are also the same. It takes at least a few days (if no longer) of administering gabapentin to achieve a good pain control. I would suggest to stop gabapentin as it most likely is causing urine incontinence. Clarabell can be prescribed a different pain relief, which hopefully will not produce any side effects.

Good on you for taking Zero into the vet when you noticed the symptoms he was having! It will take a couple of days for him to return to normal after having a UTI, and that would be why you notice him still in some discomfort. It's good that his urine appears to be back to normal, which does suggest the medication is working. He should continue to improve as you give the medication, and be very sure to give it as prescribed. If you notice that the blood returns to his urine and/or he continues to appear painful over the next three to four days, then I would take him back into the vet. Good luck, I hope this helps!