Bladder Infection - Dogs - Editor's Choice

Over the years, Earth Clinic readers have sent us many reports about their treatments for Bladder Infection - Dogs. The editors at Earth Clinic consider the below posts to be some of the most helpful and informative and have named them 'Editor's Choice'. We hope that you will find this useful.

Apple Cider Vinegar Mixed in Food

Posted by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 10/29/2017

Editor's Choice

Hey Juanita,

If your dog is unable to urinate you are dealing with a very serious problem and should take your dog to your vet. If you are dealing with a UTI, with frequent urination voiding very small amounts at a time, watch her closely on the ACV remedy and if she does not improve please call your vet and have a conversation about which tests are needed and what would be the most economical path forward for you and your dog.


Apple Cider Vinegar, Yogurt

Posted by Kathywithaktheonkyway (Angier, North Carolina ) on 05/24/2017 1 posts

Editor's Choice

My husband and I have been together for almost 19 years and we rescue and adopt out FURbabies. And because we couldn't have children it has become even more of a passion for us to continue this for as long as we can and we currently have 12, (We had 13, but one of our our dogs, Bambi Lynn, suddenly passed away overnight after I took her to the Vet on May 5, 2017!😥), of our own, of which 6 are dogs and 5 are cats and we're fostering 1 of the dogs named Caesar, since September 2015, since their owners had to move into a rental home where their landlord won't allow them to have their pets. Our FURbabies are our family and we love them with all of our hearts. Our FURbabie dog, Lucy Lu, has Degenerative Myelopathy since last Summer and it's slowly been getting worse with her not being able to walk on her back legs. She had to stop going on walks with me with our other seven dogs, so I bought a harness for her and also a wheelchair. She is on Glucosamine Chondroitin and Meloxicam for arthritis and miraculously on January 1, 2017, she jumped up on her back legs and ran so fast down the front steps that I didn't expect it and I fell. Lol😝

Well, on this past Sunday morning, May 21, 2017, I took her outside to go to the bathroom and I noticed she couldn't pee very much which concerned me. I looked it up online and it said that it's definitely a side effect of her Degenerative Myelopathy. So I googled what I could do to help her with her urinary problems since it was on a Sunday and that's where I found this recipe for Apple Cider Vinegar, Plain Yogurt and Water for hydration. My husband went to the grocery store to get the yogurt and I mixed 1.5 tablespoons of the Apple Cider Vinegar with the Yogurt and added a little water for hydration and mixed it all together. I taste tested it before I gave it to her before I mixed it and after I mixed it and it tasted the same and she loved it! And the best part is that it actually worked and she's been peeing just fine ever since. I give it to her 2 x a day and it's like a treat to her.

i can't thank you enough for this recipe! It truly has been a blessing to us! ❤🐾❤



Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Jj (Auberry, Ca) on 04/20/2016 1 posts
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Sunday afternoon noticed my 5 month old Border Collie was having a problem peeing, very little at a time. She was pacing around with a wild look in her eye and at time displaying pain when trying to urinate. I know she is due for her first heat cycle, but never have had any pup or adult dog act this way (heat cycle or not).

Our vet would not be in until the next day at 9 am, so I searched and found this site. Read the reviews and decided to try it quickly.

Sierra is around 23 pounds, healthy and normal. I gave her a heaping tablespoon of ACV with two tablespoons of yogurt with some chicken that I have canned myself.

Within an hour, she stopped pacing and looking wild eyed. Still had the other symptoms going on, but did rest from 10 to 12, peed some.

Took her out again at 3:30, peed some but still symptoms of dry pee etc, but no painfulness.

Monday morning gave her the same dose except added kibbles to it, then at noon and again at dinner time. Still had some symptoms, and also leaks on the floor and one puddle (out of nowhere). She also had loose stools by this time so I cut back on the yogurt to 1 tbs. By the time Monday evening came she still had a few times of dry pee. I gave it one more day before calling our vet. Tuesday morning all symptoms were gone and it is now Thursday. I have cut out the yogurt after Wed morning but have continued to give the ACV 3 xs a day and will do so until Sunday. After that it will be 1 teaspoon a day with her usual kibble and canned chicken.

Side note: that Sunday I noticed earlier that her stool had a lot of corn in it and straining to get it out. We live on a ranch and she must have scooped up some chicken scratch when I wasn't looking. Cannot say for sure but I think that might have been what brought this on.

Sorry for being long winded, but wanted to cover the bases for others. JJ

Pic of Sierra is at 3 months old.



Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Fran (East Riding Of Yorkshire) on 01/11/2016
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

My 12 year old westie had completed her anitbiotics and vet treatment 1 week ago after a previous cystitis onset. Then yesterday started again attempting urination very frequently, getting distressed, unable to settle or eat, going to the door to go out about 20 times in a 3 hour period. I could just see it all happening again and she was becoming more upset this time.

Read the comments and suggestions on this site and mixed 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar - (I use it in all cooking and salads) with 1 teaspoon of peanut butter and honey to a paste. I had to get her to lick it off my fingers as she was really off her food. She ate it all quite easily. Over the next hour I observed her and was amazed - I could see her start to settle after 30mins. Slept allnight, she has had one non-distressed wee this morning and eating again. We are both very happy(:

Thanks to all for sharing your experiences.


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Julie Evans (Mirfield, West Yorkshire, Uk) on 08/11/2015
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

My 14 week old Hungarian Vizsla had a Urine Infection, after 2 weeks of anti-biotics, I wanted to try to prevent this from happening again. I bought Organic Apple Cider Vinegar from my local Supermarket. Put 1 teaspoon in her wet meat mixed with biscuits in the morning and evening. Her lunch was left as normal mix. I tried putting the ACV in her water, but she wouldn't drink it - I think the smell was too strong. The smell of the meat hid the smell of the ACV when mixed with meat. After 2 days she was much better. I continued for 1 week and 'hey presto' she's fine - no more white blood cells in her urine.

I wish to thank everyone for all their information posted. I wouldn't have known about this remedy without reading it here. Thank you.


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Dr. G. Benton (Los Angeles, Ca) on 07/16/2015
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I've been a Vet for 37 years, and have seen medication continue to get better, but also fail miserably. Although I do prescribe medication, I also have (and still do) advise clients to administer Apple Cider Vinegar to their pets for quick fixes. Animals are much like humans in the sense that too much antibiotic can lead to a recurring infection, due to the fact that the body becomes immune to the antibiotics. If it is in the beginning, or mild stages of a UTI, I advise them to use ACV, but also prescribe some medication that I say to only use after giving the ACV a try.

My advice is to mix 1TSP in their morning food, and 1TSP at night. If you only feed your dog once per day, do 1TBSP with their food. Dairy does not sit very well in dogs stomachs, so mixing it with yogurt isn't advised. Try mixing it into some canned wet food. If your dog doesn't usually eat canned wet food, consider it a treat for them.

If you have just noticed your dog starting to exhibit the signs of a UTI, try the ACV fix. If your dog has had signs for a while, and is getting worse see a vet at your earliest convenience. If there is blood in the urine, see a Veterinary professional immediately.

Hope this helps.

Take care.


Cranberry Capsules

Posted by Monica (Reseda, California) on 03/01/2012
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I tried apple cider vinegar on my 2 1/2 year old male cat, Benzi and it worked for a while but it was a strugle to get him to swallow it and, the moment I stopped giving it to him the infection would come back in a couple days. I found this cranberry capsules that treat UTI's in humans and have been diluting 2 capsules in 1 oz of distilled water and have been giving it to him twice a day for 2 weeks now and no sign of UTI's! Not to mention he doesn't mind the taste of it at all. I highly recommend them. I had taken him to the vet back in January and spent 700.00 dollars on a flush and antibiotics and diet food. A few days later he was sick again, so for those that say take him to the vet right away, unless you can afford 1000.00 dollars every vet visit, try alternative natural remedies, They Work!


Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Happydogmom (Manchester, Nh) on 09/12/2011
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I have a 9-yr-old Plott Hound (100 lbs) who has been having recurring UTIs. Every time it's been off to the vet, then $250 later home with another bottle of antiobiotics. Once she's off the antibiotics, the UTI comes back.

I fortunately found this site and tried the ACV cure-- and it worked! I used 2T raw ACV ("with the mother) mixed with 2T organic plain yogurt, mixed w/food, 2x day. After the first dose she improved, and after 5 days now she seems completely cured! I will gradually step down the dosage and then keep her on 1x/week to keep things normal. I am SO thrilled that I found this website, thank you all!


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Kay (Allentown, Pa) on 04/28/2011
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Our 4 month old female choc lab was showing obvious signs of a UTI and not wanting to subject her to antibiotics and expensive lab tests, I chose to try the yogurt/ACV treatment and it totally worked! I gave her 1 tablespoon organic natural yogurt 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar four times the first day, spaced out 4 hours, and I could tell by that first evening that it was working. I was so thrilled and so relieved! I continued it through the second day, just wanting to make sure the infection was gone. I am going to continue to give it to her once a day as a supplement to keep the UTI from coming back again. Natural, healthy supplements have to be better than drugs and antibiotics from the vet!


D-Mannose

Posted by Jody (British Columbia, Canada) on 07/04/2010
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

My 3 year old female St. Bernard has had three UTI's. Getting a urine sample from a St. Bernard is not easy to say the least:) The one before her present one I had tried the ACV and yogurt, unfortunately to no avail and had to resort to a vet visit and antibiotics. Two weeks ago I noticed her frequent urination again and went out and bought D-Mannose, which I had read great reviews about. WOW! In one to two days her urination was back to normal. I've given her one 500mg pill (opened in her food) three times a day since and was just researching when to decrease that dose. I may put her on one pill for maintenance now. It's really worth a try for all the damage antibiotics can do to animals and people (although yes, they do have their place in many instances:)


Cranberry

Posted by Shannon (Portland, Maine) on 12/01/2009
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Cranberry and Cantharis for Dog urinary problems

If my Rottweiler mix eats birdseed, he inevitably will get a urinary tract infection. One Sunday, when the vet was closed we decided to try cranberry and cantharis and it was amazing! Worked even faster then the antibiotics prescribed by the vet. Firstly, if your dog likes the taste of cranberry jiuce, as mine does, give several 'doses' of unsweetened cranberry juice along with remedy. If not I am sure it will be effective in just pill form. Cantharis is available in most natural food stores as little blue pills. We gave our 110# dog 5 cantharis pills 3 times a day along with 2 cranberry pills. Cranberry pills come in different strengths so I would follow the directions on the bottle, but I think generally 1 pill for dogs under 75# and 2 pills for dogs over 75# should work. For cantheris, I would use a 1 pill per 20# ratio. We continued this treatment for one week after the first sign of blood in the urine and he had no issues. In fact, after the first dose and drink of juice, he was able to urinate within an hour and had a clear urine within about 3 hours. If your dog does not like cranberry juice, it is still important to encourage lots of fluid with this remedy, as the kidneys will need to be well hydrated for the acidity of the cranberry to flush the urinary tract.


Apple Cider Vinegar Mixed in Food

Posted by Sofie And Mia (New York, Ny) on 08/13/2009
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I noticed yesterday that my little yorkie, Mia was urinating more often and hanging out in the bathroom by herself. This is really unusaul for her because she loves to be with me all of the time. I also remembered reading or hearing that when animals are ill, they will often hide. After not seeing her for a couple of hours, I called to her and she finally came out. Her entire backside was wet. I looked in the bathroom to see of there was any leak but there was not. I thought that she may have been licking herself because I noticed earlier that she was licking herself more often than usual. I smelled her, and there was not a foul odor, but it smelled like it could have been urine. I immediately bathed her. Afterward, when she was dry, I put her on my lap and felt something wet. I looked and saw that it looked like she might be leaking urine. I began furiously searching the internet (mind you, this was about 2AM. I found that these could be symptoms of a "UTI." I looked for for something I could do immediately until I could take her to the vet and I found this website. It listed Apple Cider Vinegar and Yogurt, two things that I had on hand as an effective home remedy.

She is a tiny dog, so I mixed 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar, with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of lite vanilla yogurt. She loved it. I kept an eye on her throughout the night (I hardly slept myself. She did not get up to relieve herself, and there seemed to be no leakage.) When we got up for our morning walk, she urinated as usual. It is now 1 pm, and there is still no leakage, and she hasn't had to urinate again.

She is laying in her bed, playing and not hiding in the bathroom anymore, nor has she licked herself. I am keeping an eye on her. I took today and tomorrow off, thinking I was going to the vet, and wanted to keep an eye on her. It looks like I may not need to go to the vet. I will definately keep an eye on her, and I will repeat the treatment again later. But as of right now, she seems much better.