Has the vet checked her for a recessed vulva? There are many discussions online about this in Goldens and it's worth researching. Some vets say to let them go thru a heat cycle which corrects the problem, and others say it won't help. If she has this condition then I'd seek out a specialist since the bladder could also be involved. Here's one owner's experience.

Also, if your dog currently has an infection I'm surprised the vet would do any type of surgery on her. I would first do as lukkiirish suggested and change her food, then seek a second opinion before having her spayed.

(FYI, my dog also had some negative reactions to the Royal Canine GI food)

What Canidae Pure formula do you use?

Feed her yogurt and probiotics.

I forgot to mention that I already give her probiotics. It seems that have never cleared up the UTI with antibiotics. I currently feed her pro plan salmon dog food; I am going to try the Canidae Pure it can't hurt. I also have tried Kirkland Chicken and Rice no help! I am going to try a different dog treats too, currently she gets kirkland dog treats from Costco.

Eliminate common proteins, like chicken, beef, lamb and eliminate grains. Try an alternative protein source food that's grain free...Like taste of the wild High prairie formula (Bison and venison).

Have they cultured her urine to determine what bacteria is causing the UTI, so they will know what antibiotic will cure it?

Pschr, Try Blue Buffalo. It is most likely grains. Try the grain free of any brand. the proteins are most likely not the problem. Corn is number 1, followed by the rest. You will have to keep up with not only the main food, but also the treats. Try to buy only USA treats, or at least from only North and South America. I am sorry to say that the ones I have had the most trouble with have come from China or any of the Asian countries. We had a Shepard die from chicken jerky from China. You are going to have problems with ecoli from ANY food or treats from the mideast. I hate this, but I also only buy seafood, from the USA. it is too bad, but the standards there are not the same as here.

I have never looked at where the dog treats are made! Yikes....I only give USA made rawhides

Many Bulldog breeders add a little vinegar to their drinking water for their entire life... like with humans, the acidic urine may fight UTIs.

Old wives tale? I don't know. I did it for 30+ years. Don't do it with my Greyhound girl.

I'm talking preventative, not curative.

YMMV

Her treats are made in the USA but wheat flour is the first ingredient. Our breeder did recommend giving vinegar in the water or cranberry tablets. I chose cranberry tablets because I could figure out how much vinegar to put in a bowl of water. It is very subjective.

I switch between the Salmon and the Lamb. This really has been the best food, she has the softest coat and she's so healthy looking and Labs coats are supposedly naturally course.

To be honest, I'm a little crazy when it comes to what I feed my dog. I did so much research on foods when she was sick, and I was really surprised (disappointed actually) at just how much we (as pet owners) need to know and watch for. For example, just because a manufacturer says, "made in USA", doesn't mean the ingredients were also sourced from the US. The ingredients they use could easily be sourced from anywhere, including China. And what about recalls? Do you trust a food that's been recalled or is recalled often (hmm, like Iams)? Recalls on dog food are so common that really there's only a handful of makers that have never experienced one. Unfortunately Blue Buffalo has, most recently this year they had a recall on a specific chew. In 2007 is was the rice in their food. That's enough for me, so no Blue Buffalo for my dog. :c)

Some brand that have not experienced a recall and are also sourced and made in the US are Canidae Pure, Fromm's and Holistic Select. Acana and Orijen are top of the line also but made in Canada. These are all very good grain free options and I believe most have no yeast in them.

Tib, good suggestion, yes, yogurt is a good probiotic for dogs if you use plain and sugarless (greek yogurts tend to be more fatty and some have sugar snuck into them). But...(and there's always a but) a lot of dogs have sensitive stomachs and can't handle the dairy so supplements are good too.

In regards to the rawhides, even though all retrievers love to chew, I would really avoid them if you can. The rawhides can easily lodge in their intestines causing a blockage. A good alternative would be deer antlers with some peanut butter on them. They're a bit pricey but will last a long time plus it's hilarious to watch them lick the peanut butter! Ha! Another good chew option is a Chuck it ball, most specifically, the ones that glow. The medium size is perfect for the size of a Retriever's mouth and my Lab chews hers like it's gum.

As for treats...yes lots and lots are made in China. If you're looking for something to reward with, can I suggest Fruitables? They're flavorful, healthy and will stay within the restricted diet your dog may need. They have lots of flavors, Pumpkin and Pecan, Bacon flavored and apple, banana and pumpkin are my dogs favorites. They have calories though so if you need something that is calorie conscious, sugar free dehydrated banana chips work wonders, my dog loves those too!

Try apple cider vinegar, I used to put that in my birds water when they had dropping issues. I second that it is only a preventative though, very good point.

How much vinegar do you put in the water bowl? Thank you for treat and food recommendation lukkiirish! For the most part she only chews on deer antlers, however on the occasion I do give her a rawhide or pig ear. When she is driving us crazy.

You're welcome. Only a marginal amount of vinegar is needed.

Got the treat and dog food ordered! I am hoping the next month we will finally have some relief!

OMG!!!! She is so sweet looking!!! I used to have a Golden and they are such wonderful happy go lucky dogs...that face could make Scrooge melt!

I sure hope it works for you...with Ellie it took a couple of weeks to get the yeast out of her system, but some of her ear itching (as well as the incontinence) stopped almost immediately.

You probably know this already but try to transition the food slowly, I've heard that it's not as big of an issue with the higher grade foods, but still...

Please keep us posted,

Umm. What is "a marginal amount of vinegar?"

For the decades that I gave it to my girls, I had a plastic 2 or 2 1/2 oz bottle above the sink. Fresh water plus a "squirt" of vinegar - probably like a tsp in a quart of water.

(English) Bulldog girls are low to the ground and every time they peed they were virtually touching the ground.

I am not interested in an argument, but not all dog folks and Vets believe that dog food is the usual suspect in allergies and ear/skin/UTI infections. Also, while I happen to feed a "grain free" kibble, not all are convinced of the importance of grain free. It certainly is currently trendy to extoll the merits of "grain free" at this time.

of course, YMMV.

Well I just added the apple cider vinegar to her water bowl- a splash-whatever that measures?! Hahahaha.

Yes, and I know your one of them and you probably get tired of seeing me post about it. We are all welcome to our own opinions so that's fine, but what you and all those Vets (who will tell you point blank they know nothing about dog food) believe could also be wrong. Since I experienced it with my dog and know there is a lot of documented information about the issue, I'd much rather throw it out there as an option especially when all else is failing. Besides, it's just a change in food, if it doesn't work, the OP is no worse off for it.

My personal opinion is, it's a business first and Vets prefer the income of all the tests, repeated visits and prescription sales (including their food, which is crap at best) as opposed to a simple change in food. No arguement, just fact.

Not so sure why you need to get so riled up again. If you can suggest how I could write my post so that it was any more polite and non-aggressive and simply offered the notion that there are at least two sides to the issue and that I simply wanted the OP to be aware that not everyone agreed with food being the Evil Empire's spawn.

I never addressed my comment at you or anyone else - in fact I rarely read your posts as while they frequently contain nuggets of wisdom, they also contain lots of unsubstantiated materials that sometimes borders on deep fringe.

YMMV

I just want to add that I have appreciated both of your input. As someone who works in the nutritional field for humans I always am interested in feeding our four legged friends quality food at an economical price point. I don't eat organic food and I don't ask that my patients eat that, so why should my pet? I eat fast food, trans fatty acids, diet soda, too many sweets occasionally too. I am a healthy adult. I don't seek perfection in my dog food but wholesomeness that meets the standards of AAFCO. I do believe that diet plays a role in our overall health, however in most cases, it is not the most defining factor of our health. There are many things that affect our health, things like heredity, exercise, occupation, lifestyle, etc. and I think the same is true for our pets. I think diet always plays a role in disease process and can either help it or hinder it. I am willing at this point to try a different food with Cali and so I will. I appreciate both of your inputs and will go from there. I will also add vinegar to her water. Thanks.

I also talked to her breeder this morning and she suggested I add 500 mg of Vitamin C. I think I should have all my bases covered. Prayers that there is some relief for her.

Annztoo, I missed your comment earlier. She does not have a recessed vulva. I kinda freaked out this morning about spaying her so I called her breeder. I have since decided to go through with it. The vet had told me she was showing signs of maturity and getting ready to go into heat about a month ago. I don't have a fenced yard and there is an intact male that lives close by. I am very worried about not being able to keep her from a male dog if she goes into heat. I am not her only caretaker in our family and who knows if my teenage boys would really go out with her on a leash if I am not home. I am going to try the vinegar, extra vitamin C, food and treat change and pray:)

Oh gosh, I'm always up for a good debate so I'm honestly not riled. However you do have a very passive aggressive way of expressing yourself and even though you don't point anyone out by name it's often clear where the comment is directed to. Don't assume my suggestions are offered without personal experience and/or an ample amount of research because it couldn't be farther from the truth. Maybe I don't always articulate myself in a way that makes easy for some to understand, but I guarantee you, I've done my homework and can provide documentation to support it. I may not always agree with you but I would never post some of the commentary you do. I also like to link to articles that educate about the subject matter so how my thoughts could be on the "fringe" and "unsubstantiated material" is beyond me.

In regards to the food issue though, the bottom line is that maybe you are voicing a different side and the opinion of a majority of Vets, but If Vets don't want to understand what their patients are being fed, how can they (or you for that matter) offer an educated opinion? How do you know food allergies barely exist so the idea is not right Especially when so many people complain that they are spending a fortune in vet bills yet no matter what the vet does it isn't helping their pet. BTW, allergy testing for food is not a conclusive test, but yeast allergies are actually found during testing for environmental allergens and according to my Vet, who I guess is outside of the majority, they are becoming more and more common.

Have you checked you drinking water lately?

Check it for what? E.Coli?

Yes, it is a common problem with well water, so I thought I would ask.

E coli is one of the most common causes of Urinary tract infections in both cats and dogs, but getting rid of it is not normally a problem. Every time a urine gets cultured, there is an MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) associated with it... I am sure your vet has that information, which tells them what antibiotic should work and which ones might be less likely to. Not much use to do a culture otherwise. So if your pet has been on multiple antibiotics, it sounds like there is something complicating the infections... perhaps the vaginitis is the cause (rare, but possible). But if that is the cause, spaying her will probably clear that issue up at least, and in turn, might keep the infections from returning. Other things to check out are whether there are stones in the bladder (another complicating cause of recurrent infections), a persistent urachis (a small 'bleb' at the tip of the bladder where some bacteria 'hide' from antibiotics) or something more basic wrong with her plumbing (such as an abnormally placed ureteral connection). Radiographs, both plain, and/or with a biologic dye, can help diagnose these other problems. Sometimes longer term antibiotics are needed (1-3 months sometimes).

Acidifying the urine will rarely help to eliminate any bladder infection, but it might help prevent their recurrence. They now make cranberry supplements specifically for this purpose.

Unsure how drinking water could affect the presence of a bladder infection.

I'm a little late to the discussion but only just discovered this forum... I would like to throw out there that traditional Chinese veterinary medicine is pretty good at dealing with chronic UTI/vaginitis, etc. Just another idea for you to think about especially if you don't see improvement with the current course of action.

I had written a short article relating to this a while ago on my blog. Check it out here: Bladder Inflammation in Cats and Dogs. You can search for a TCVM practitioner in your area at tcvm.com

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