I took Zoey to the vet because her vulva was noticeably red, swollen and irritated. The quick version was they attempted to get a urine sample to check for UTI but could not get any. They sent us home with these meds and said keep on eye on it to see if it gets any better.

Clavamox 375mg & Clavamox 62.5mg, take 1 of each twice a day, Rimadyl 100mg 1.5 a day, and gentle cleansing wipes to wipe around the vulva twice a day. I think these were the meds on the list for if she did have a UTI but they didn't check so aren't we just, excuse the punch line, pissing in the dark.

The vet mentioned a specialist who could do an ultrasound and find the possible underling cause more accurate than just a UTI test, sounds expensive? It was going to be $380 at the vet if they did the UTI test.

It isn't anything to do with being in heat she is spayed so I guessing UTI or something related to her incontinence, by the way she takes the med Phenylpropanolamine 25mg 1.5 tabs twice every day for her incontinence.

It is possible that Zoey has a simple vaginitis from urine scald,but in any case the Clavamox should help to quiet things down.

if she will pee on a leash I'd recommend getting a urine specimen and taking it along with you when you go into the vet,before antibiotics. You can usually fashion a homemade gizmo with a coat hanger and a clean glass jar --or for some dogs a pie plate. if the collection device is just out of the dishwasher and capped it is pretty sterile,or at least good enough to examine for white cells,crystals,blood etc.

Urinary incontinence and urinary infection go together.

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I had asked the vet tech if there way of extracting urine and testing it would be any different than if I brought a urine sample for testing and she looked at me cross eyed and couldn't give a solid answer.
So Betty is it the same me bringing them a sample or is there more to it when they extract urine. I gotta believe its cheaper they don't have the action of extracting just testing?

Also the blond hair around the vulva is stained real dark red or more black, is that from from her licking and saliva?

Joe, do you know how to collect a clean catch? Have you ever done it?

I think that Betty is saying that this is what you want to do next time, first pee of the day, caught after the stream starts in a clean non-porous container (something flat an aluminum pie pan can be easier with a female, but you must have the jar and cover right there for transfer so you don't lose the liquid carrying it back to the house -- to the container).

It's still not as "clean" as extracting it, "clean" meaning not contaminated with the bacteria normally around the urethral opening which can get into the sample unless you catch the sample midstream (after the stream has flushed a bit), but it's WAY better than nothing, IMO. I always want the urine cultured before the med is chosen.

BUT .... you have probably begun the Clavamox, which means two things to me: it has altered the bacteria population in the urine, so a sample is no longer useful, and it should be given in full once started.

And as Dr. Betty is saying, I believe, it sounds like the Clavamox might be needed right away anyway, given the incontinence, etc.

But I'm NOT a health professional, and Dr. Betty will set me straight if I have replied incorrectly about her post.

PS
I personally urge that the urine be cultured at the end of the med protocol because you want to know that it actually stopped the infection (not just tamped it down and left the strongest bacteria to start over again). Recurring UTIs are a bear, and I betcha that many (even most) of them lead right back to "no recheck after the antibiotic protocol."

A UTI triggers alkaline urine, and alkaline urine is a perfect playground for struvite crystals to form.

JMO!

This is about struvites, but also gives UTI symptoms,prevention, and treatment:

http://mary-spierling.suite101.com/canine-urinary-tract-infection-and-struvites-a169142

Important:
"The urine is collected in a sterile manner and then identified as to what type of bacteria is present and the appropriate antibiotic then prescribed. Once the antibiotic therapy is completed, another culture is performed to determine if bacteria is still present. .... Once antibiotic therapy has been completed and the infection gone, the urine returns to a normal pH. The pet owner should be alert for recurring symptoms and seek veterinary care."

I'm thinking (as a non-health-professional but a person experienced with this problem) that I'd probably focus on administering the whole med RX as directed, making sure to get a re-check afterward, and following the suggestions for frequent flushing (encourage water, encourage frequent peeing).

Just my opinion, though, and I'm not a health professional.

No Connie I haven't done it before but sounds like I need to wait until the meds she is on are finished.

I have started the Clavamox so once shes done with the meds I'll get the sample for testing. I'll use the pie pan and have sterile jar, cover, funnel ready to transfer it right there.

Just went through a case of this with Fanny, our Corgi. In addition to the oral antibiotic our vet also gave us some Animax cream (a topical antibiotic/antifungal) that seemed to help a lot. It also has a low dose of steroid in it that quickly reduced inflammation, burining, itching. After the 10 day course of both oral and topical, the perivulvar area was clean.

Once your case is cleared up, I would imagine that you'll need to be pro-active about keeping the area clean and dry, checking it every so often (because of your dog's incontinence). Urine can be pretty caustic to the tender skin in that area. I plan to keep a tube of this Animax ointment on hand in the dogs' first aid kit. It's good stuff.

The discoloring you're seeing is largely from licking. That, and the exudate of the infection itself. Keep it clean. Even a baby-wipe would help. Once the infection is under control, the stain will fade. Fanny's was a dark red weepy mess. Two weeks later, you'd never know there was a problem.

Sort of related: (from my reading) some female dogs are anatomically predisposed to this kind of vulvar infection because of the way the skin folds down there. It's especially problematic for overweight dogs. A kind of doggy dunlap disease. So, one more reason to make sure to keep extra weight off.

FWIW - nothing beats a ladle....

A ladle - brilliant! I'll try that one next time. Thank you!