Prostate Infection in Dogs

The prostate gland is located around the urethra. If it gets infected, it tends to enlarge, which presses against the urethra, making it more difficult for the dog to urinate. Canine prostates enlarge for several reasons, including cancer, influencde by testosterone or from infection. According to "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook" (Debra M. Eldredge, DVM, et al, 2007), prostate infection is usually chronic, but manageable.

  1. Significance

    • When a dog's urethra is narrowed by an enlarged prostate, urine can stay trapped inside of the body. This old urine becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. If the prostate infection is not treated, the prostate will eventually become so large that the dog will also have problems defecating, which leads to more health problems such as infertility and more pain for the dog.

    Symptoms

    • Often a dog will have a bout of cystitis before getting a prostate infection. But even if the dog doesn't have a history of cystitis, the dog still needs veterinary care if displaying the following symptoms: crying out while urinating, blood or pus in the urine, pus dripping from the genitals even when the dog is not trying to urinate, tender abdomen that the dog does not want touched, fever and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.

    Diagnosis

    • Blood tests and a urinalysis will be performed to be sure the dog has a prostate infection and not something else such as a cyst in the prostate. The vet will also need to harvest fluid from the prostate itself. This process involves sticking a catheter up the urethra and trying to flush it out. The dog will usually be put under anesthesia for this test.

    Treatment

    • The dog will often be put on an antibiotic to help kill bacterial infection. If the dog is dehydrated, then fluids will be given intravenously. If the infection is chronic and the prostate is far too damaged, surgery may be necessary.

    Tips

    • According to "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats" (Matthew Hoffman, et al, 1996), a dog suffering from prostate infection needs plenty of water to drink to help encourage urination. If the dog seems in pain after some exercise, then cut down the length of walks. Accept that the dog will have some accidents inside of the home. Do not make a fuss and clean up with an enzyme based cleaner to remove the urine smell.