Recovering from surgery

[Kananga]

He is an interesting dog…

The lights are overhead, but I don't believe they are flood lights. Hallways are carpeted and we have a company come out and clean all the common areas once per year. But that is a thorough extraction. I don't think there is any solution that would be used other than that annual cleaning. I would say he's been more anxious outdoors. When he is having his episodes it seems like it's everywhere I go, on and off the property.

I originally thought he was simply just an anxious dog but he can really act normal most of the times inside my condo. He does fairly well around other dogs, acting interested in meeting them and never provoking a fight, although he (like the characteristics of the breed) tends to be aloof with people he doesn't know. I notice the hair on his back and neck stick straight up when he is around strangers. Never has he growled, showed teeth, or snapped at anyone. Strange environments for him also makes him anxious. That part is fairly consistent.

It's these episodes that he goes through is what's concerning. He is allergic to something, not food, and I haven't pinpointed it yet. I'm thinking it's seasonal. Perhaps the allergies make him anxious, although he's not pawing at his face when we're outside.

[tanza]

Raising hackles to strangers is pretty common for Basenjis…. all of mine have done that... past and present.

[Kananga]

@tanza:

Raising hackles to strangers is pretty common for Basenjis…. all of mine have done that... past and present.

That is a relief. I had known that basenjis in general are aloof with strangers, but the hair raising up had me concerned at times.

I might give the breeder a call today and get their input. Since they had him until he was 7mo old. Might get some answers on the allergy part as well.

[Kananga]

I'm taking him in to see the vet this morning. He urinated in bed early this morning. I had no warning about it either. I woke up and he was licking his legs/stomach and was sitting strange. Thats when I reached over and felt underneath him and it was sopping wet. He completely emptied his bladder (this will be fun to clean).

I feel bad for him but I'm quite certain now that it is a UTI. He was drinking more water than usual yesterday and I kept thinking it was all in my head. This was enough proof for me. I did give him a bath because he was laying in his urine. I know you're supposed to wait 10-14 days to bathe them to keep the incision dry, but it's been 8 days and i'd rather get him clean than leave him soaked in urine. I patted dry the incision area after his bath and applied some neosporin to hopefully prevent any infections.

He had an apologetic look on his face. I didn't give him any heat, I knew he couldn't help it. Poor guy.

Hopefully this isn't an infection related to the surgery.

[Kananga]

Ugh… sounds like they are trying to blame me for not getting him an e-collar. I was told it's probably an infection related to him licking the incision, but I insisted that he has not been licking the area and that an e-collar would have simply been destroyed or injured him.

How common is it for a dog to get a UTI shortly after being neutered?

[Basenjimamma]

Kananga,

I've got to tell you, I have had several dogs in the past and all of them been nutured. none of them wore E-collars ( I guess more like a cone collar), not because they would destroy them, but they would destroy my house with them on..still trying to run around like normal, with this huge collar on knocking everything in their path down. So we let them be with them, and they healed fine, and licked constantly, however I was told them licking is an OK thing, because their saliva helps heal the scar. Now biting is a different story, that is not OK. I just about a month ago had Luna, our non B spayed (she had a hard spay, she ended up having a false pregnancy and was still in heat, so she lost a lot of blodd and all) and she came home from the vet with no instruction for collar, only no biting aloud..licking was OK. I sure hope he will be Ok.

[Kananga]

Yea, I spent 3 full days with him after he had surgery (took time off work to make it a long weekend) and he ignored the incision the entire time. The only time he did not ignore the area is when he removed the scab, but even then he left the area alone after it was removed. There wasn't any bleeding, the incision progressively looked better, and I applied some neosporin on the incision along with tea tree oil around the area for safe measure. I had been monitoring him closely. I find it extremely hard to believe there was any excessive licking or biting over the last week. The scab being the only exception, but that was minor.

I just can't figure out how he could have gotten a UTI (if that's the case, which is starting to seem probable).

[lvoss]

I have never known a dog to get a UTI after neuter and I don't buy that licking his incision would cause one. Licking can cause swelling at the incision site but you saw no evidence of that. It is far more likely that the UTI is a separate issue from the neuter.

[Kananga]

@lvoss:

I have never known a dog to get a UTI after neuter and I don't buy that licking his incision would cause one. Licking can cause swelling at the incision site but you saw no evidence of that. It is far more likely that the UTI is a separate issue from the neuter.

When I initially read through his paperwork from his surgery, I noticed that they had used a catheter.

Any chance that could have been related? The symptoms starting showing about 4-5 days after surgery (urination issues, loss of control, etc).

I'm not trying to blame my vet, I'm simply trying to figure out how this came about. I know stress can be a factor.

[lvoss]

At this point, it is most important to get him treated. Some causes of UTIs don't show up until you get a urinalysis done such as urinary crystals. Stress often causes the urine pH to go off and that can allow crystals to form.

[tanza]

I agree with not buying that it was the fault of not wearing an E-collar… I never put one on my dogs for spay or neuter, nor did they ever get a UTI or infection .. nor to I buy that a little licking caused a UTI.... and yes, certainly a catheter would be a cause, IMO... But so many dogs get UTI's that it would be hard to pin point how/why... might just be one of those things that it happened so close after being neutered....

[Kananga]

@lvoss:

At this point, it is most important to get him treated. Some causes of UTIs don't show up until you get a urinalysis done such as urinary crystals. Stress often causes the urine pH to go off and that can allow crystals to form.

I dropped him off a couple hours ago. Only reason why I'm curious how it came about is because their first reaction was with him having no e-collar.

[lvoss]

That just sounds like they are trying to make you feel guilty for not following their rules which IMO is very poor behavior on their part.

[lvoss]

Also, just so you know just because they used a catheter doesn't mean it was a urinary catheter. Catheter is also what they call the tube they use to administer IV fluids.

[tanza]

@lvoss:

That just sounds like they are trying to make you feel guilty for not following their rules which IMO is very poor behavior on their part.

I totally agree…. lets face it... had you taken him in and said for example "oh he has been wearing the e-collar, I took it off to make it easier in the car"... then what would they have said?.... This was the easy way... blame it on not wearing collar... and blame it on you.... when really, **** happens... might not be anyone's fault... just happened... don't let them lay a quilt trip on you...

[tanza]

@lvoss:

Also, just so you know just because they used a catheter doesn't mean it was a urinary catheter. Catheter is also what they call the tube they use to administer IV fluids.

Good point …...

[Kananga]

Good points all around.

Hopefully he will have a speedy recovery with whatever antibiotics they give him, this of course assuming the analysis comes back positive for a UTI. I just can't help but feel bad for him. He's always had excellent control and for him to be laying in his own urine must have been a bit embarrassing/frustrating for him. He let out a Roo when I bathed him this morning. I think he was happy to be clean again.

[Basenjimamma]

I am so sorry they are implicating it being something you did or didn't do. Shame on them. I can not honestly say I think him not wearing an E collar is what made him now not be able to control himself…regardless of what results you get back, there simply is no way. If he got a UTI, it is just a coincident, maybe because of a potential catheter, if that is what they used (not the IV one) or for whatever other reason. Stand your ground when you pick him up. You knwo how he has been and what he has and hasn't been doing with his scar. If he truly licked it so badly that it gave him a UTI wouldn't he be irritated, swollen and red in that area. I sure would think so.

[Kananga]

Update:

Analysis came back with a fairly low count of white and red blood cells, not familiar with what is good and bad, but the summary is it's a weak UTI. They recommended doing an antibiotic injection that will last two weeks and not require me to administer any pills, and then they will do a re-check about 2 weeks from now.

So my original conclusion was right. Good to know it's a weak infection and nothing serious. Thanks everyone for the advice and comments. I'll need to adjust my weekend so I am home more. I have a feeling he'll want to go out more frequently until the antibiotics starting working.

[Basenjimamma]

I am glad you have a conclusion, and now he can get better.