Please pray for Layla

[Lindsey]

Layla is not doing well. I am having a hard time with this.

We took her a couple of weeks ago because we thought she had a UTI. I thought that for a long time actually, but Scott insisted she was fine. Her urine was dark and smelled bad, and finally I convinced him that we needed to take her in. It was bad, she had a lot of bacteria in her bladder. The vet said there were at least 5 kinds. She also had white blood cells and protein. I don't need that explained to me, when I have kidney problems myself. I know what's going on. We started antibiotics immediatly.

Today is her last day on her medicine, and everything seemed better. Her pee is not as dark and it smells pretty normal again. We took her in today for a follow-up.

It's not good. She still has tons of bacteria. She still has blood cells and protein. She also has renal something... I don't remember what she called it but she said it shows up as white squiggly lines.

So we had a choice. We could put her on stronger antibiotics, or we could flush out her system and have her off antibiotics for a week, and then take another sample and have a culture done to find out exactly what's going on. We're going to do the culture. The vet said it may be an issue of just having her on antibiotics every couple of months or weeks for the rest of her life. Her bladder walls may be thinner and more flaccid from all the expressing, and bacteria could be just living there in the walls.

I am so upset about all of this. I hope her kidneys aren't failing. I hope we can get rid of this. I am feeling defeated. I always lecture others with IVDD dogs about how UTIs can spiral out of control and turn serious and life-threatening and I am so mad at myself that I let it happen to my baby. I love her so much. The silver lining is at least she can't feel it. I'm sure it would be painful with any other dog.

Please pray that we can get rid of it. Layla has a lot of years left and we need her to be healthy.

[Janet]

Of course Lindsey, sending prayers now. We blame ourselves for everything, but how were you to know.

Same here, I kept putting Joey's teeth cleaning off even though they looked horrible. Finally when I touched his mouth he cried in pain so I immediately took him in for a cleaning. They were bad. On a scaled from 1-5 they were a 4. I was reading the info on the med sheet and it said that actually they pulled 3 teeth and 4 fell out while cleaning. There was also a lot of swelling, bacteria and when they flushed out where the teeth were, it was full of pus. He's on antibiotics and pain meds, but seems to be doing fine. I feel bad for me waiting too, but we can't always blame ourselves.

Sometimes there are circumstances we just don't do things right away.

Keeping Layla in my prayers.

[Lindsey]

Thanks Janet. Layla had a tooth pulled when she was only two and I felt so bad for that too! Kash and Lucy had terrible teeth as well and had a lot pulled but they are doing great now.

I think sometimes I just don't want to believe something is wrong. We've been through so much and I want to just keep believing that everything is fine. But the longer I do that, the harder it is when I have to face it.

[Blueyes]

I'm sorry Lindsey. Layla could not have any better parents than you and Scott. We all make mistakes with our children...human and dogs. I guess we have all taken our babies to the doctor and found out they have a double ear infection and throat infection, when we thought all they had was a runny nose and cough. You just never know with a kid/dog that can't talk. We all just do the best we can. Don't be so hard on yourself Lindsey Loo. Layla will get better

[JJJ]

Poor Layla

It's not your fault at all. We all hope those little things go away on their own. I think your a great mommy for not letting it slide any longer. Maybe next time don't ask Scott just go with your maternal instinct. You know how man hate going to doctors visits.

Sending positive thoughts and energy to you and Layla. XOXO

[gja1000]

Oh Lindsey, there could not be a better mom than you. You have done so much to make her life happy and the best it could be. You cannot possibly know everything that is going on with her and I would think the same thing that the urine would clear up. I bet she will be fine with the antibiotics and I don't think it will be a bad thing for her to have to take them off and on for the rest of her life. My mom has to take an antibiotic every night to prevent a urinary track infection.