[ashleylp]

Remy has just these past couple days started this strange bathroom behavior that we are unsettled about... it seems like marking but he doesn't lift his leg. He's done it twice at my parent's house (not good... they are already not dog people ) and then a LOT outside. He simply squats down and goes, just a little... and will play, walk, etc and then do it again. We took him to the park today (off leash) and he was doing this like crazy.. same at our friend's house in his yard when playing with his dogs. He doesn't seem to be in pain or straining, but I have also read that marking is normally on objects of "importance" and not random... this just seems like he's stopping to pee repeatedly. He normally doesn't sniff out a spot or anything. He's a little over 6 months and not neutered... we are planning to wait until he's at least 1 year old to neuter him.

 

[Deber]

I would have him checked for UTI infection. He just got over a lot of meds and I know when I take certain meds within a month I have a UTI. I would not suspect marking at his age. Don't think dogs start marking until they are closer to sexual maturity which I wouldn't think is the case here.

 

[Rainheart]

I think it could be the start of marking, but if you want to be sure you can check for a UTI. UTI's aren't very common in males, but they do happen.

At about 7 months, Beamer started peeing more often on our walks (about 2-3 times instead of just once). He only usually does it on walks; he still squats now.

 

[Megora]

Remy has just these past couple days started this strange bathroom behavior that we are unsettled about... it seems like marking but he doesn't lift his leg. He's done it twice at my parent's house (not good... they are already not dog people ) and then a LOT outside. He simply squats down and goes, just a little... and will play, walk, etc and then do it again. We took him to the park today (off leash) and he was doing this like crazy.. same at our friend's house in his yard when playing with his dogs. He doesn't seem to be in pain or straining, but I have also read that marking is normally on objects of "importance" and not random... this just seems like he's stopping to pee repeatedly. He normally doesn't sniff out a spot or anything. He's a little over 6 months and not neutered... we are planning to wait until he's at least 1 year old to neuter him.

It could be marking or it could be a UTI. It's hard to tell from reading this...

My guys will actually go off and "find" a spot to mark. They aren't just stopping in the middle of playing to pee without sniffing first.

With our two boys (one of whom is neutered) - they will have a play-play-play-biteyface-play session, go off to mark some bushes, and then return to playing. Unless they REALLY have to go, they are not just peeing in the lawn or road.

I mean it could be just him, but if he is peeing like where he happens to be without any sign of looking for a spot... I'd suspect something is off.

 

[Goldens R Great]

Definitely have him checked for a UTI. Finn, who is almost 4 months old, jumped up on my couch the other morning and went potty. I was quite surprised he did that, to say the least, and thought it was rather odd. I got a urine sample and took it to the vet and found out he had a UTI, poor guy.

 

[LibertyME]

yep possible UTI - Ive never seen marking that didn't involve some sniffing....some are really fast at sniffing...but there is always some form of "yes, this is the perfect spot to place some pee"

 

[ashleylp]

Thanks all! I'm going to go ahead and take him in for a UA. Can't hurt, right? He doesn't seem to be in pain but who knows.... And I'd rather the reassurance!

 

[Deb_Bayne]

Can dogs have cranberry juice or cranberries? This would help prevent UTI's in humans but don't know about dogs.

 

[Megora]

Can dogs have cranberry juice or cranberries? This would help prevent UTI's in humans but don't know about dogs.

Yep. I swear by it with our guy.

It can prevent UTI's. It can't treat them.

 

[ashleylp]

So... I'm at the vet and it is not a UTI... But he has a LOT of red blood cells in his urine. They checked and he doesn't have any bladder stones so they are running extended blood work to see if he has eaten anything toxic. I don't know what he could've gotten ahold of! I'm pretty scared. Plus, we are still trying to pay off parvo bills since the company wouldn't cover it so we are close to BROKE. How did my poor puppy turn into such an expEnsive dog?!

 

[Megora]

Oh no... I'm sorry....

Are they sure it's not some kind of bladder or kidney infection? That's really my first thought when it comes to red blood cells in the urine. I hope they just put him on antibiotics. It should help.

 

[ashleylp]

They did blood work and said he is just a tiny bit above having low blood count and they are worried. They are going to do blood smears and look at them on slides. He is being a trooper and happy... After parvo the blood work etc really doesn't bother him. His mommy and daddy are very worried though...

 

[Goldens R Great]

Oh my gosh, I'm sorry to hear this. I'm sending good thoughts your way. Thank you for keeping us posted about Remy.

 

[ashleylp]

What I don't understand... And maybe someone can shed some light for me... Is why is she looking for toxins when he is peeing blood. Doesn't that sound like maybe he has a blockage or an internal cut or something? I'm just confused how toxins make a pup pee blood. Also, could it be from him playing rough with another pup (if it is trauma)? He got pretty rowdy with our friend's vizsla (sp?) two nights ago... But they were having fun so we didn't break it up... You know how it can look so mean but it's all in good fun...

 

[Megora]

Are you actually seeing blood?

You might have red blood cells if there is an infection. I think there should be elevated white blood cells too, to show the body is fighting something. Maybe that's why they are looking for toxins?

Please keep us updated - all my best.

 

[Jessie'sGirl]

I think toxins could mess up his blood counts, ie his platelets and make little areas of bleeding, like in his bladder. Hoping this turns OK. Jess had two bowel obstruction surgeries in his first 9 months, so I know where you're coming from with the vet bills.

 

[ashleylp]

No, not actually seeing blood and his white counts are totally normal...

 

[ashleylp]

I'm kind of freaking out about all of this. Most of you already know that my boyfriend is a vet tech. We take Remy to see the vets at his office because he gets a slight (and may I repeat SLIGHT) discount. Today only one of the vets (the one who is usually nicer) was there. I was just going to drop him off but after seeing his UA she wanted a full exam. We spoke and she examined Remy... he is of perfect weight, height, etc. and happy as can be. He is not displaying any signs of discomfort. His only symptom was the "marking" and my mother's intuition that something was up. She said that there was an abnormal amount of red blood cells in his urine but not an abnormal amount of white blood cells in his urine. She suggested that we take blood and they did... but just ran the basic blood work, nothing extended. The blood work came back showing that he is almost at low blood count for red, but white is fine. Even after asking and asking she didn't really address many of my questions and didn't explain much, just that she "needed to go to lunch and would run more tests after she got back." I understood that we didn't truly have an appointment so we were totally on HER time... that's fine. I left him (my BF was working all day) because I would only be in the way.

However, she got back, did tests (blood smear on slides), prescribed Remy medication (amox-clav 250mg tabs, 2x/day) and left... never spoke with my BF to tell him what was wrong. He didn't even know she had left. So we brought him home, fed him, etc... and we still don't know what is going on.

Any vets on here know something I don't? I am worried after reading a lot online about the many many causes of blood in the urine. It ranges from fairly simple to complex such as cancer. I want to know what's wrong with my boy and I'm frustrated that the vet didn't speak with me or my BF. I really need answers. Should she be running additional tests? Should she have done X-Rays? She seems to think it's a toxicity issue but never expanded on why she thinks that.

 

[Deber]

Ash, my little Biewer Yorkie was a Parvo survivor too. She caught the Parvo 2c that our vaccines didn't cover. 2 wks, $7000 later she was on the road to recovery, but it honestly took her about a year to finally get back to completely healthy. Parvo is a horrible disease and took her ammune system to zero. She had 3 UTI at different times and caught a flu, she was spayed and had a hard time with the drugs used. I thought it would never end. But time passed, lots of good food, we limited her outside exposure and she completly healed.

I am not saying any of this, but to remind you that Remy was a a very, very sick little boy just a month ago, literally at deaths door so to speak. I wonder if he is just still rebuilding his strength like my Carley Cay and needs help with these set backs until full health returns? Antibiotics cleared Carley each time and each month she was stronger and stronger. It has been 4 yrs now and she has not been sick one time since, but after her Parvo she caught so many things...

Have strength and heart. Treat each thing and keep firm thoughts that Remy is fine, just needs time to build his strength. Since they found no elevated white cells, feel the antibiotic will do wonders. It could be the infection is just starting, could be many things. Just have faith and have your DB talk to the Vet. Bet he will be fine and not needing to pee so much after the meds run their course.

 

[ashleylp]

Deber, thank you for the encouragement. You are absolutely correct... It wasn't long ago that he was so extremely sick. It is possible that we have been doing too much with him since he got the all clear after parvo. We promised him so many things while it was going on... "if you just push through this we will take you to the park EVERY DAY!" etc, haha, and we're so appreciative of him after the fact that maybe we have been allowing him too much outside time and time with puppy friends.

And really I should know better... I was born with an immune disorder which only affects me by helping me to catch every little bug that goes around and with intensity. So of course I should know the limitations that I should be putting on my boy.

Really, though, it is so nice to hear your story as a reminder that he probably isn't in a serious situation but instead needs to build himself back up. My BF just left for work and will be talking to the vet this morning, so hopefully she expresses the same thoughts.

I do just love my boy to the moon and back. I never was allowed dogs growing up and never could imagine loving an animal the way I love him. Especially after going through parvo with him.... Much easier to remember that time is so precious with these pups.