Just the other day I actually thought to myself how great it was that Bella has gone six months or so without having a urinary tract infection. I'm not sure if that's what they're actually called with dogs. It might be bladder infection. Bella has had so many that you would think I would know by now. Anyway, I've actually thought that these cranberry-filled dog biscuits that I've been buying the dogs had something to do with it since the UTI's seemed to disappear once Bella started eating them. I even thought about writing the company that makes the biscuits a thank you letter for making such a great product.Well, I won't be writing the letter now, or, if I do, it won't say anything about how they've kept Bella's UTI's at bay. Friday night I caught a whiff of copper coming from the front bedroom. I got up and found a big wet spot in front of the Gazelle (yes, I have one of those Tony Little machines) with traces of blood in it. By Saturday morning, the traces had turned into goopy globs of blood. I know that that's more information than most of you wanted to know, but it's what happened nonetheless.
The vets around here aren't opened on weekends, nor do they have an emergency contact number. I have to drive an hour to the closest emergency vet to get the dogs' treatment on a weekend. I've been there before when Bella had hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. I know for a fact that they charge you $70 just to walk in the door. The fee doesn't include the meds, examination, and treatment for whatever ails the dog. Even if it did, Bella has been on countless antibiotics for her UTI's over the last two years, and the UTI's still come back. I'm starting to think that means that she has built up a resistance to them, especially the vet-favored Clavomax (amoxicillin). Thus, for the next few days, we're going to give the homeopathic treatment Tinkle Tonic a try. It's worked before. That's why I always keep a bottle of it in the fridge just in case. Unfortunately for Bella, just in case is already here.
If Bella is not better in a few days, then I guess we'll have to go to the vet and get another round of antibiotics that probably won't do anything but make her lethargic again. Swell. I really should have gone to vet school. It would have been easier and cheaper.
