Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs of urinary tract disease and infections in diabetic dogs
By Nelson, Valerie et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2023·Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence of signs of lower urinary tract disease and positive urine culture in dogs with diabetes mellitus: A retrospective study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 107 dogs with diabetes was evaluated for signs of lower urinary tract disease (LUTD) and urine infections. Out of these dogs, 15 had a positive urine culture, but only 4 showed symptoms of LUTD, like frequent urination or straining. Interestingly, many dogs without any LUTD symptoms also tested positive for bacteria in their urine. The study suggests that routine urine cultures may not be necessary for diabetic dogs unless they show specific signs of infection, as many can have bacteria without any noticeable symptoms.
People also search for: dog diabetes symptoms · dog urinary tract infection treatment · signs of urinary tract disease in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: No recent studies have evaluated the association between clinical signs of lower urinary tract disease (LUTD) and positive urine culture in dogs with diabetes mellitus. OBJECTIVE: Determine the prevalence of subclinical bacteriuria (ie, positive urine culture without signs of LUTD) in dogs with diabetes mellitus. ANIMALS: One hundred seven dogs with diabetes mellitus were evaluated at a university veterinary hospital. METHODS: Retrospective study evaluating diabetic dogs with a single sample paired urinalysis and urine culture. Relationship between the presence of signs of LUTD, pyuria, and bacteriuria and urine culture results were compared using Fisher exact testing. RESULTS: Fifteen dogs (14%) had a positive urine culture via cystocentesis or free catch, of which 8 (53%) had pyuria, and 4 (27%) had signs of LUTD. Of the 88 dogs (82%) without signs of LUTD, 11 (13%) had a positive culture. A significant association was found between a positive urine culture and pyuria (OR infinity; 95% CI 20.34-infinity, P < .00001) and bacteriuria (OR infinity; 95% CI 164.4-infinity, P < .00001). No association was found between urine culture results and signs of LUTD (OR 1.87; 95% CI 0.59-6.85, P = .46). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Subclinical bacteriuria occurred in this cohort of dogs, and our findings reinforce the recommendation that urine cultures should not be routinely performed in diabetic dogs particularly if pyuria and bacteriuria are absent.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36708199/