Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Urinary tract infection risk in dogs on ciclosporin and steroids
By Peterson, Andrea L et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2012·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Frequency of urinary tract infection in dogs with inflammatory skin disorders treated with ciclosporin alone or in combination with glucocorticoid therapy: a retrospective study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 87 dogs with inflammatory skin problems were treated with ciclosporin, a medication that helps reduce inflammation. During the study, 30% of these dogs developed urinary tract infections (UTIs), which is much higher than the 3% seen in dogs not on this medication. The researchers found that routine urine tests could help catch these infections early in dogs receiving ciclosporin, especially since some signs like bacteria in the urine were good indicators of a UTI. Regular monitoring is recommended for dogs on long-term ciclosporin therapy to ensure their urinary health.
People also search for: dog urinary tract infection symptoms · ciclosporin side effects in dogs · how to treat dog UTI
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the frequency of urinary tract infection (UTI) in dogs receiving long-term ciclosporin therapy. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: The goal of the study was to investigate the frequency of UTI in dogs receiving ciclosporin with or without glucocorticoids. A secondary goal was to determine whether bacteriuria, pyuria and urine specific gravity were good predictors of UTI, and if ciclosporin dose, concurrent ketoconazole therapy, sex or duration of therapy affected the frequency of UTI. Animals -  Eighty-seven dogs with various inflammatory skin disorders and 59 control dogs with inflammatory skin conditions that had not received glucocorticoids or ciclosporin for 6 months were enrolled. METHODS: This study was retrospective. The first urine culture from dogs receiving ciclosporin was compared with control dogs using Fisher's exact test. A logistic mixed model was used to test for association between a positive bacterial culture and duration of treatment, dose of ciclosporin, concurrent ketoconazole therapy and sex. The sensitivities and specificities for bacteriuria, pyuria and urine specific gravity were determined. RESULTS: Twenty-six of 87 (30%) ciclosporin-treated dogs had at least one positive culture. Compared with 3% positive control samples, 15% were positive in treated dogs (P=0.027). The sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 64.1 and 98.1% for bacteriuria, 74.4 and 70.9% for pyuria, and 56.4 and 65.3% for urine specific gravity. All other analysed parameters were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The results suggest that routine urine cultures and assessment of bacteriuria by cystocentesis should be part of the monitoring for dogs on long-term ciclosporin with and without glucocorticoids.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22409401/