Lucy – Chronic Bladder Infections

Lucy is a fabulous ten year old, female/desexed West Highland Terrier who presented with recurrent bladder infections, ear infections and skin disease over the past three years. 

The conventional interventions have included a cystotomy (bladder surgery), numerous urine cultures, long courses of antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Histopathology supported chronic cystitis and bladder polyps. Her diet was a prescription urinary tract dried food. 

She had a recessed vulva with secondary vulval congestion and inflammation. Early desexing may be a causative factor inducing this anatomical abnormality. 

Treatment Goals: Reduce the bouts of cystitis, reduce vulval inflammation, improve skin and gut health. Consider an operation to undertake vulval episioplasty/repair. 

Integrative Treatment Plan: Herbal tinctures – anti-inflammatory, tissue protective, pain reducing, gastrointestinal/immune supportive actions, along with antimicrobial and 

bladder supportive herbs. Pre/probiotics, omega 3’s and a herbal base topical ointment was applied to the vulva. A non-processed diet was also introduced. 

Outcome: January 2018 Lucy experiences fewer episodes of urinary tract infections, her skin and ears improved significantly. Her owner said she is the happiest she has been in the last 12 months. She is also on a homemade diet supporting urinary tract health, her urine is monitored and the occurrence of bladder infections has reduced significantly. The vulva health is maintained, with topical treatments.