Urinary tract infections are common with most pets, be it cats, dogs or any other animal. Surveys conducted have shown that one in seven animals have a urinary tract infection during some stage in their life. The condition is more common in dogs, and in cats that are unhealthy as their defenses towards infections gets reduced.

Detection of Urinary Tract Infections

The tell-tale signs of urinary tract infections in any pet are:

1. Difficulty in urination

2. Bloody urine

3. Urine with extremely foul odor

4. Urination in inappropriate places

5. Frequent Urination

The presence of any of these signs indicates the possibility of a urinary tract infection. These Urinary Tract Infections could be fatal for the pet. It is recommended that you call a veterinarian doctor immediately.

Diagnosis

The veterinarian is most likely to take a sample of the pet’s urine in order to confirm the presence of an infection, and to determine the strain of bacteria, which has caused the infection. Since the signs of a urinary tract infection overlap with signs of urinary blockage, it is vital to do this confirmatory test to be sure what the problem is. Also by identifying the bacterial strain or other pathogen, the veterinarian can give appropriate medicine, which targets that particular strain, and therefore causes fewer side effects to your pet.

Treatment

Depending on the extent of the infection and type of pathogen, the veterinarian will choose an appropriate antimicrobial agent. Instructions for administration of the antibiotic or antimicrobial agent would be given to you by the veterinarian. It is important that you make sure that the pet is getting the required dose of the medication at appropriate times, as missing a dose could cause the bacteria to become resistant and thus the infection would become more severe.

After completion of the course of medication, it is also important to take the pet to the veterinarian again to check if the medicine has done its job and if the infection is taken care of. The veterinarian would advise you accordingly depending upon the situation after the course of what to do.