Blood in urine?

[ChristineL]

Hi @Dr. Jeff @Dr. Sara @Dr. Christina @Dr. Jean @Dr. Sue and HA members:

I noticed some discoloration/discharge in my pup’s urine this morning (please see photos)…Im
Not certain if it’s blood?! She’s on fresh diet and does not drink too much water from her water bowl until recently (I’d mentioned this change during our last call, @Dr. Jeff). She’s currently not on any supplements specific for kidney but I do have Standard Process’ canine renal support on hand (expired 2/2022).

Her BEAM is good!

Her last estrus cycle ended in June.

Her last dose of remedy was Thuja 6c 10/q-tip on July 27, 2022. BEAM dropped a bit since then but still good overall.

No other changes to her diet and/or environment except the heat/warm weather.

Should I be adding some kidney specific supplements to her diet?

I haven’t made gel water in a while - will be adding that to her meals.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help!

 

[GinnyW]

You are very observant At this point I would not rule out shedding of some uterine or vaginal tissue, even though she's "done". Of course, appearance of any frank blood would be a concern. Could she have banged herself on something: the arm of a chair or edge of a crate or box? Is she of an age to be going through some hormonal changes? Watch, as you would anyway, for any signs of hunching or discomfort, or unusual hormonal "gestures". Palpate for tenderness. "Check" her with an intact male for detection....

 

[ChristineL]

Thanks, @GinnyW for your post - I always love reading your posts.

Could she have banged herself on something: the arm of a chair or edge of a crate or box?

Hmm...I don't think she's banged herself on anything. I'm 90% certain because she's with me almost 24/7 (we both work from home ).

Is she of an age to be going through some hormonal changes? Watch, as you would anyway, for any signs of hunching or discomfort, or unusual hormonal "gestures".

She should be 12 this year. What do you mean by "hormonal 'gestures'? Would it be possible to have these hormonal behavior two months after her cycle ended?

 

[GinnyW]

Yes, I think so. Unusual hormones could result from a precancerous overgrowth, for instance. Or, her cycles could just be getting irregular with age. Dogs don't really have menopause, but they can go through hormonal irregularities. This might be nothing important, but be watchful, as always.

 

[ChristineL]

Yes, I think so. Unusual hormones could result from a precancerous overgrowth, for instance. Or, her cycles could just be getting irregular with age. Dogs don't really have menopause, but they can go through hormonal irregularities. This might be nothing important, but be watchful, as always.

Oh! Is there any diagnostic tests that could be helpful?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Oh! Is there any diagnostic tests that could be helpful?

Do you want the extra diagnostic data Christine? If not, then perhaps just see if this persists as long as her BEAM is good and consider bringing a urine sample to your vet for complete analysis.

Did you also happen to dose a remedy, or make any other changes,when you noticed this?

 

[Dr. Sara]

Dear Christine,
Two months after the end of a heat cycle is the most common time for older females to develop pyometra, or infection of the uterus. Watch your girl extremely closely, as pyometra can worsen quickly and be life threatening. Blot her vulvar area with a tissue twice daily (before she has urinated) and see if there is any discharge; smell the tissue to see if it smells at all foul. If it does, she should be examined, and have lab work.

Pyometra will respond to homeopathic prescribing - I just resolved this with my oldest girl. You will need to be working with a homeopath to choose the most appropriate homeopathic medicine. You may choose to have a hysterectomy (ovary sparing spay) if it is a pyometra, to allow your girl to keep her ovaries and hormones.
I am pasting below a Veterinary Partner article about pyometra, for the conventional view of it.
Let us know what develops,
Dr. Sara

https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951481

 

[ChristineL]

Do you want the extra diagnostic data Christine? If not, then perhaps just see if this persists as long as her BEAM is good and consider bringing a urine sample to your vet for complete analysis.

No, I don't want extra diagnostic data. I will watch her BEAM and at most bring her to Dr. Gordon's for urinalysis. (Bringing sample to him is not feasible - most of the time free-catch does not bring accurate results, I've noticed.)

Did you also happen to dose a remedy, or make any other changes,when you noticed this?

This just happened today. And No, the last dose of remedy (Thuja 6c 10/Q-tip) was on 7/27.

 

[ChristineL]

Pyometra will respond to homeopathic prescribing - I just went resolved this with my oldest girl. You will need to be working with a homeopath to choose the most appropriate homeopathic medicine.

Thanks, Dr. Sara. We are thankful that Hope's BEAM is very good (9/10) and I did smell her area - no foul smell. However, since pyometra can worsen quickly...@Dr. Jeff - how do we work with you in case we need immediate / urgent attention?

 

[ChristineL]

bringing a urine sample to your vet for complete analysis

Can urinalysis detect pyometra?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

@Dr. Jeff - how do we work with you in case we need immediate / urgent attention?

Exactly as you are currently doing Christine!

Continue to be the great observer you are, report changes, schedule rechecks whenever you'd like to talk, and bring her right to the ER if her BEAM score suddenly drops below 5-6/10.

Can urinalysis detect pyometra?

Well, sort of. No it can't make this diagnosis but excess microscopic blood or WBCs is another clue for pyo.

 

[ChristineL]

bring her right to the ER if her BEAM score suddenly drops below 5-6/10

How can homeopathy help as Dr. Sara mentioned? A general question is - how do we get your help in case of emergency?

 

[ChristineL]

Thanks, Dr. Sara. We are thankful that Hope's BEAM is very good (9/10) and I did smell her area - no foul smell. However, since pyometra can worsen quickly...@Dr. Jeff - how do we work with you in case we need immediate / urgent attention?

@Dr. Sara - did she have an open or closed pyometra? I have been doing some research and it looks like surgery is the only option if it's a closed pyometra. What are your thoughts? Further, can you share how you treated your girl homeopathically? How did you prescribe the remedy?

The following remedies were suggested in this article: Treatment Options For Pyometra In Dogs - Dogs Naturally

Sepia 1M, Secale 1M, Pulsatilla 1M, Pyrogenium 1M

I understand homeopathy should be individualized but given the circumstances when a homeopath vet is not available at the time of need, do you agree that those remedies can be given?

Thank you so much for your help and guidance!!!! Much appreciated.

 

[GinnyW]

Bear in mind that the individualization of remedy choice may be more important and effective in chronic and perhaps more subtle cases. A closed pyo is pretty much an exigent situation, and choosing a remedy with known global affinity can be the most effective immediate treatment.

Were it I, I can imagine going right for the Pyrogenium, most likely. The others mentioned could also be quite useful. When I kept an intact female, there were a handful of remedies apt for female issues that I kept handy, and this was one.

If the female had indications of susceptibility, or other strong predilections or quirks, then of course well-chosen remedies based on the entire chronic presentation would be appropriate in due time. Bear in mind that I am not a homeopath, and rely on others heavily - and gratefully.

 

[ChristineL]

there were a handful of remedies apt for female issues that I kept handy, and this was one.

Thankful for your helpful post. Could you kindly share what other remedies you kept handy for female issues? I have a 30c and a 200c kits at home. Do I need to get these remedies in M potency? I looked into the kits available at Hahnemmann Lab and oh boy they have gone up in $ : Professional Kits - Hahnemann Laboratories

more important and effective in chronic and perhaps more subtle cases

I did not know that!!!! Thanks for sharing!

Again, greatly appreciate your help!

 

[GinnyW]

Well,, it depends on her state, and your intentions. Many of the "female" remedies are helpful with conception, pregnancy, and complications of labor and postpartum. I got a lot of ideas from Don Hamilton's book, and there are others, which I'll bet someone can name, with prescribing for human use that are just as valid for dogs, of course. But any decent 30c kit should have most of what one might use, plus maybe Caulophyllum and Secale. The before-mentioned "big" remedies like Sepia and Pulsaltilla, as well as the "Four A's", will be useful in many cases, also Gelsemium, Belladonna, Calc Carb, Silicea, Carbo Veg...... I used to pack a tiny pouch with select 30c vials to take to dog shows, trips, etc. and it came in handy many times, for both dogs and humans. And, yes, you can "make" a 30c work, even where your first choice might have been a 200c or even a 1 or 10M. I don't have many Ms around, mostly Arnica, for which situations just BEG for an "M", it seems. If you have 30c's, you will use them. If you have only higher potencies, you may hesitate or cause an aggravation.

Again, not a pro. But I can fix a LOT of stuff, and you can, too. Be curious, but be conservative, too. There is a lot of power in little bitty remedies.

 

[Dr. Sara]

Dear Christine,
The best potency of any homeopathic medicine is the one you have. It is more important to have a wide range of medicines so that you can match the medicine to the signs. You can effectively make the medicine act like a higher potency by increasing the frequency of dosing. In my girl's case, she had an open pyo, which resolved with frequent doses of Pulsatilla 30 C. Her discharge was foul, changed colour, and she was quite needy. I could have used a higher potency, though higher potencies give a less broad effect.

After the pyo was resolved for a few weeks we removed her uterus, as recurrence is more likely once a girl has had a pyo. (She still has her ovaries.) We also had histopathology on the uterus, and the lining was totally normal, showing just how well the homeopathic medicine resolved the problem. If I was always home with my dogs I would have left her intact. Since we travel, I was concerned that a recurrence could happen when a caretaker was in charge.

A closed pyo CAN be treated with homeopathy, though a closed pyo is a much more worrisome situation than an open pyo. An open pyo is draining the nasty toxic discharge. A closed pyo can rupture internally, and even if it doesn't rupture, the enlarged uterus is a source of toxins that can be absorbed into the body. That is why Dr. Jeff stressed watching the BEAM, and being prepared for an emergency trip if BEAM suddenly decreases.

Before buying any homeopathic medicine, have a good read about it in the materia medica. Secale and Pyrogenium are certainly known for their ability to combat sepsis; their other signs are pretty distinctive. You don't want to use a medicine based on one keynote alone, as that is not as likely to yield good results.
Stay well,
Dr. Sara

 

[ChristineL]

higher potencies give a less broad effect

Did not know that!!!!

Thank you, @GinnyW and @Dr. Sara for your response - they're so educational (I'm keeping them as my notes for future reference!).

@Dr. Jeff Hope's BEAM continues to be good. However, we have had found blood clots in her urine for the past few days so we brought her to her local vet (Dr Gordon) early this morning. Hope's blood was drawn, fecal and urine taken - will get results back tomorrow. She also had ultrasound done - Dr Gordon said her bladder lining is thickened. He was kind enough to squeeze us in today (as an emergency) - unfortunately, he didn't have time to explain what "thickening of bladder lining" entails. He did mention if the lab results come back worrisome, he'd ask us to do a bladder cancer test at home (again, didn't elaborate on that)....I'm believing against for that result. However, I would like to know more on "thickened lining of bladder"...I searched the resources area on HA website but could not locate. And I refuse to check Dr. Google at this point...Can you kindly explain?

 

[GinnyW]

I believe Dr. Dodds mentioned something about bladder lining in her lightning-paced presentation this evening. The basic premise was that great diagnostics are available, and that good food and care will correct or obviate major stuff like the development of cancer. Let's see if we can help your girl without hand-wringing and helplessness.

 

[ChristineL]

I believe Dr. Dodds mentioned something about bladder lining in her lightning-paced presentation this evening. The basic premise was that great diagnostics are available, and that good food and care will correct or obviate major stuff like the development of cancer. Let's see if we can help your girl without hand-wringing and helplessness.

Your message is bringing me to tears...I'm not kidding... I am very thankful. I think I missed that part by Dr. Dodds today but I saw your message in the chat box concerning that. I will get the lab results in the AM on Tuesday. I will update everyone. Thanks for caring.