PetCaseFinder

Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Urinary tract infections in dogs with bladder cancer

By Budreckis, D M et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2015·Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed

PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →

Original publication title: Bacterial urinary tract infections associated with transitional cell carcinoma in dogs.

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A group of 85 dogs with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), a type of bladder cancer, were monitored for urinary tract infections (UTIs) during chemotherapy. Over half of these dogs developed at least one UTI, with female dogs being more affected than males. The most common bacteria found were Staphylococcus and E. coli. Dogs with tumors affecting the urethra were more likely to have infections. This highlights the need for regular check-ups for UTIs in dogs undergoing treatment for TCC, especially females and those with specific tumor locations.

People also search for: dog urinary tract infection treatment · transitional cell carcinoma in dogs · female dog UTI symptoms

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are believed to be common in dogs with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), but incidence and contributing factors have not been reported. OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency and bacterial agents associated with UTI in dogs with TCC and define contributing factors. ANIMALS: Eighty-five dogs with a history of urogenital TCC undergoing treatment with chemotherapy that had at least 1 urine culture performed. METHODS: Medical records and culture results were retrospectively reviewed and ultrasound images were reviewed when available. Clinical factors were evaluated statistically for association with positive culture. RESULTS: Fifty-five percent (47/85) of dogs had at least 1 positive culture during the course of treatment. Female dogs (80%, 40/50) were more likely than male dogs (29%, 10/35) to have at least 1 positive culture. Ultrasound examination determined that female dogs were more likely to have urethral (74%, 31/42) or trigonal tumor involvement (71%, 30/42) compared to male dogs (32%, 9/28 and 43%, 12/28, respectively). The most commonly isolated organisms were Staphylococcus spp. (23.9%, 29/121) and Escherichia coli (19.8%, 24/121). Dogs with urethral involvement of TCC were significantly more likely to have at least 1 positive culture than dogs without urethral involvement (75%, 30/40 versus 30%, 9/30). CONCLUSIONS: Urinary tract infection is common in dogs with TCC highlighting the importance of regular monitoring for bacterial cystitis in dogs with TCC. In addition, clinical factors such as tumor location and sex may be predictive of positive culture and can help clinicians assess the risk of UTI.

Find similar cases for your pet

PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.

Search related cases →

Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25940672/