Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Polypoid cystitis in dogs causing blood in urine and straining to pee
By Price, Matthew P et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2025·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Polypoid Cystitis: A Retrospective Case-Series of 112 Dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old mixed-breed dog was brought in for frequent urination, blood in the urine, and straining to urinate. The vet found that the dog had polypoid cystitis, a condition linked to chronic bladder inflammation, often caused by urinary tract infections. Treatment included antibiotics and, in some cases, surgery to remove the polyps. Most dogs with this condition showed improvement, and while some had recurring urinary issues, the overall prognosis was good.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Polypoid cystitis (PoC) in dogs is associated with chronic inflammatory bladder conditions and is discovered during evaluation for signs of lower urinary tract disease, or incidentally. OBJECTIVE: To describe PoC in dogs evaluated in an academic practice. ANIMALS: Dogs with confirmed (n = 59) or presumptive (n = 53) PoC were evaluated between January 2004 and October 2020. METHODS: For this retrospective study, medical records were searched for PoC. RESULTS: The most common presenting signs of 112 dogs with PoC were hematuria (n = 42; 38%), stranguria (n = 28; 25%), and pollakiuria (n = 25; 22%). Polyps were found incidentally (n = 13; 12%). Urinary tract infection (UTI; n = 61; 54%) or urolithiasis (n = 38; 34%) was a common presumptive cause. Escherichia coli (n = 39; 53%), Enterococcus faecalis (n = 14; 19%) and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (n = 5; 7%) were isolated from dogs with UTI. Ultrasonographic findings (n = 101) included polypoid structures (n = 44; 44%), broad-based masses (n = 16; 26%), and bladder wall thickening (n = 25; 25%); mostly in the cranioventral bladder apex (n = 56; 80%). Of 41 specimens tested, none had evidence of the BRAF V595E mutation. Urinary tract neoplasia was not reported in any dog during follow-up (range 1 month-8.4 years; median 8 months). Interventions included antibiotic or anti-inflammatory administration, and surgical or cystoscopic ablation. During follow-up, recurrent signs of lower urinary tract disease were reported in 23 (20%) dogs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: History of either UTI or urolithiasis, compatible imaging findings, and absence of detectable BRAF V595E mutation support the presumptive diagnosis of PoC in dogs. Affected dogs have a good prognosis, warranting differentiation from other urinary tract diseases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40375558/