Introduction
While urinary tract infections (UTIs) are fairly common in dogs (especially females), frequently they are unaccompanied by clinical signs. When dogs do show observable signs of having a UTI, they tend to include abnormally frequent attempts to urinate, straining to urinate, difficulty urinating, inappropriate elimination, lethargy, depression and/or noticeable blood in the urine.
Symptoms of Dog Urinary Infections
One of the most important things to remember about canine urinary tract infections is that regardless of the underlying cause affected dogs often will show no clinical signs. Even uncomplicated asymptomatic UTIs, if left untreated, can lead to a number of much more serious conditions.
When clinical signs of urinary tract infections are present, they tend to include frequent attempts to urinate producing only small volumes of urine (pollakiuria), straining to urinate or excessive urgency (stranguria), difficulty urinating (dysuria), inappropriate urination in places that are not customary (in the house, car, etc.), malodorous urine, noticeable blood in the urine (hematuria), cloudy urine and possibly inflammation and irritation around the external genitalia. Dogs also may become incontinent and develop a fever. Other behavioral changes can include lethargy, listlessness, depression and anorexia.
We cannot overemphasize the importance of regular veterinary examinations, including blood tests and urinalyses, to identify and treat the many urinary tract infections that go undiagnosed because the dogs do not act unusual. Chronic, untreated urinary tract infections can contribute to escalating damage to the lining and tissues of the urinary tract and elsewhere that can be much more difficult to treat as time passes.