Probable UTI – Vet or home treatment?

[NaomiSchoenfeld]

Good morning! Thoughts and advice, please.

We’re trying to decide whether to take our youngest pup (see attached picture) to the vet, today.

Around midday yesterday she started exhibiting urinary urgency, restlessness, persistent squatting, and crying a bit while urinating. By the time I got home from work the vet was closed, so, since she could be coaxed into settling down, I started her on the following tinctures —

* Equal parts uva-ursi, cornsilk, yarrow

* Echinacea

She’s gotten tincture every three hours since; as of this morning, she’s back to her usual self, one morning-walk urination without any discomfort and settled normally in the house afterwards. That’s the healing/relief pattern I’d expect from most humans with a UTI, taking those same tinctures.

SO — a trip to the vet today ‘just because’, or, continue our own herbal approach, and wait and see how things progress?

She is a Tibetan Spaniel, four years old, spayed, annual vet check-up including basic blood tests came back fine; she eats a home-formulated diet she’s thriving on. No history of UTIs or stones.

(Please, no knee-jerk ‘always consult a vet’ responses — we are loving, attentive pet people who will absolutely already err on the side of caution when it comes to seeking medical care for our pups.

We just /also/ happen to be beginner-to-intermediate level herbalists, who are still learning to navigate that new space where we can care successfully for many more things ourselves that would have required a vet’s knowledge or prescriptions in the past.)

Thanks so much!

Attached files

[NaomiSchoenfeld]

And, just for fun, some follow-up:

I opted for the vet, and while the herbal approach had been doing nicely on the concurrent infection, we found a lovely case of bladder stones. 😛

Really love it when conventional veterinary and herbal care both bring something to the table, for the best outcome.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

In my experience, if the herbs don’t work on a bladder infection, there’s a rock in there.

Good choice of herbs to work on the UTI.

Have a look at these as well:

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

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