# Cranberry for UTI's



## ERackley88 (Feb 6, 2010)

This is my dog's third UTI since I got her in February. I can't afford to take her to the vet every other month, so right now I am opening cranberry capsules (for people) and emptying the contents into some pure peanut butter and mashing it up to give to her. I did put it in her food but she'd sneeze afterwards, I think she'd inhale some of the powder. With the peanut butter, the cranberry powder absorbs the oils and isn't as "powdery". She gets the contents of one capsule, twice daily (so two capsules a day). Anyways, she seems to be doing a bit better, if this doesn't work within a few more days I'll take her to the vet. I am wondering if this is an effective treatment for UTI's in dogs? I know some people say cranberry is only a preventative, but I know for me at least I have cured many a Urinary Tract Infection that I have gotten myself, some of them pretty severe, with only cranberry. Wondering if it works for dogs the same way, and if not, why not? What's different about dogs' anatomy?


----------



## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

The bacteria may have become resistant to the antibiotic given, she needs to see avet ASAP to get her on another one, alos with repeat UTI's at times comes crystals in the urine, so that needs to be checked as well. Does she have a retracted vulva that could be causing it? if so she will need to come into heat once to correct it. 

The cranberry is a great thing to do, so keep up with it. What kind of food is she on? Yes, it can have alot ot do with it especailly if she's on a cheaper grocery store variety that has wheat flour, or corn in it.


----------



## crittermom (Jan 14, 2010)

Cranberry makes it so that bacteria cannot attach themselves to the bladder wall. They can then be flushed out more easily. Keep it up, and make sure she is drinking TONS of water to flush the bacteria out before they have too much time to reproduce. Maybe add something tasty to her water (canned food, etc) so that she drinks it a bit more if she isn't usually a big drinker. If it doesn't go away, see a vet. Good luck!


----------



## misty073 (Mar 31, 2009)

My Bella is prone to UTIs because she has an inverted vulva. I give her one capsule a day added to her food. I also keep an eye on her ph with strips...she has had high numbers a few times and trouble holding her urine...I upped the cranberry to two capsuls and gave her some GSE http://www.pureliquidgold.com/ and she is fine. I have to wait for her to come into heat before she is spayed.


----------



## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

Its better if you can get the "all natural" cranberry capsules. They come in a liquid tablet form (if you look at the ingredients, it should only have cranberry). Mine eat their's like treats. 

Its not a miracle worker, though. If your dog is already sick, you'll need to go to the vet and get it cleared up. My husky has had on and off UTI...but we're going on a year of none (a record for us) since we switched to raw with the capsules. I've weaned her off the capsules down to twice a week(since the raw should keep her Ph at a good level) and still no problems.

If your dog will have it, I've also heard that adding "all natural" apple cider vinegar (the thick, you can't see through type) to their water also helps. I've done this a few times, but mine drink less water if its like that, and more water is more important, imo. However, I've known other dogs to really enjoy it like that.


----------



## Mr. V (Jan 28, 2010)

crittermom said:


> Cranberry makes it so that bacteria cannot attach themselves to the bladder wall. They can then be flushed out more easily. Keep it up, and make sure she is drinking TONS of water to flush the bacteria out before they have too much time to reproduce. Maybe add something tasty to her water (canned food, etc) so that she drinks it a bit more if she isn't usually a big drinker. If it doesn't go away, see a vet. Good luck!


I've not heard this. I don't suppose you have any links for this info?


----------



## ERackley88 (Feb 6, 2010)

Mr. V said:


> I've not heard this. I don't suppose you have any links for this info?


I'm familiar with this also...


> In the 1920s, researchers observed that drinking cranberry juice makes the urine more acidic. Because common urine infection bacteria, such as E. coli, dislike acidic surroundings, physicians concluded that they had discovered a scientific explanation for the traditional uses of cranberry. This discovery led to widespread medical use of cranberry juice for bladder infections. Cranberry fell out of favor after World War II, only to return in the 1960s as a self-treatment for bladder infections.
> 
> More recent research has revised the conclusions reached by scientists in the 1920s. It appears that cranberry's acidification of the urine is not likely to play an important role in the treatment of bladder infections; current research has instead focused on cranberry's apparent ability to interfere with the bacteria establishing a foothold on the bladder wall.1-7,30 If the bacteria can't hold on, they will be washed out with the stream of urine. Studies suggest that in women who frequently develop bladder infections, bacteria have an especially easy time holding on to the bladder wall.8 Thus, when taken regularly, cranberry juice might fix this problem and break the cycle of repeated infection.


 cited:
1. Sobota AE. Inhibition of bacterial adherence by cranberry juice: potential use for the treatment of urinary tract infections. J Urol. 1984;131:1013-1016.

2. Schmidt DR, Sobota AE. An examination of the anti-adherence activity of cranberry juice on urinary and nonurinary bacterial isolates. Microbios. 1988;55:173-181.

3. Zafriri D, Ofek I, Adar R, et al. Inhibitory activity of cranberry juice on adherence of type 1 and type P fimbriated Escherichia coli to eucaryotic cells. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1989;33:92-98.

4. Howell AB, Vorsa N, Marderosian AD, et al. Inhibition of the adherence of p-fimbriated Escherichia coli to uroepithelial-cell surfaces by proanthocyanidin extracts from cranberries [letter]. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:1085-1086.

5. Ofek I, Goldhar J, Zafriri D, et al. Anti-Escherichia coli adhesin activity of cranberry and blueberry juices [letter]. N Engl J Med. 1991;324:1599.

6. Howell AB, Vorsa N, Der Marderosian A, et al. Inhibition of the adherence of P-fimbriated Escherichia coli to uroepithelial-cell surfaces by proanthocyanidin extracts from cranberries [letter]. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:1085-1086.

7. Habash MB, Van der Mei HC, Busscher HJ, et al. The effect of water, ascorbic acid, and cranberry derived supplementation on human urine and uropathogen adhesion to silicone rubber. Can J Microbiol. 1999;45:691-694. 

8. Schaeffer AJ. Recurrent urinary tract infections in the female patient. Urology. 1988;32(suppl 3):12-15. 

30. Di Martino P, Agniel R, David K et al. Reduction of Escherichia coli adherence to uroepithelial bladder cells after consumption of cranberry juice: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled cross-over trial. World J Urol. 2006 Jan 6. [Epub ahead of print] 

http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetC...03-7f62-4563-8d47-5fe33da65dd4&chunkiid=21411

Also, she is on Avoderm. A decent food from my understanding. She may be switching once she runs out of her 15lb bag, as she doesn't seem to liek the taste as much as she did in the beginning. I think I will try the cranberry and extra water and more frequent trips outside for a few days to see if it continues to clear up. SHe has only urinated inside once in the last like three or so days (compared to several times a day in the beginning)


----------



## crittermom (Jan 14, 2010)

I learned about the cranberry/ bacterial attachment to the bladder from my Microbiology textbook. Thanks ERackley88 for the references to it. I'm sure I could hunt down my mico text book, but now I don't have to (unless you still want me to find another source). I use cranberrry capsules for my cat that gets UTIs chronically, and it, with the increased water, has made a world of difference. Good luck iwth your pup, I hope you can get it cured without a bunch more antibiotics. The last thing you want is antibiotic resistent bacterial infections!


----------



## deege39 (Dec 29, 2008)

I'm totally confused about all of this information; But quite intrigued... 

I am aware that Cranberry is mostly a "preventative", so would anyone recommend it for a dog as part of a daily regimen? 

Donatello gets just a few supplements a day; I don't agree with over supplementing dogs, but a few are quite beneficial, would Cranberry be one of them? 

It seems every time I turn around I'm hearing about dogs having UTI; Donatello has yet to have one, so should I start doing something to "prevent"? 

I hope this isn't hijacking.


----------



## nikkiluvsu15 (Jun 18, 2009)

Harleigh gets a Cranberry capsule at each feeding. 

She had a lot of UTI's and ever since putting her on CranCaps. ZERO. It works really well for her.

Patty, a Lab breeder, was the one who introduced it to me and recommends them to a lot of people. We PMed a lot on the Lab board I'm on and she was really helpful.

She used to recommend using it from juice concentrate, but she has learned just recently that it is better if you get it from fruit concentrate or something like that. :

Here is her blog and I _think_ it mentions something about CranCaps, as well as recessed vulvas. It might help? I don't know! 
http://www.heartypet.com/blog/?p=47

I give Harleigh the Natural Cranberry from Fruit Concentrate from Vitamin World. 

Harleigh loves them and they seem to be doing the trick because as I mentioned.... No UTI's for about a year now!


----------



## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

It depends on the breed and your dog, Deege...if you've not had a problem, then it's probably not worth it? I don't supplement with it everyday, anymore, its more like 2-3 times a week, but thats because my husky is prone to it. I know others that have breeds that, in general, are prone to it...so they do it. Supplements aren't supposed to be the same for everyone, it all depends on what your dog might be missing in the diet, or what they need a little extra of. I also supplement with astragalus because my husky (oh the problems) also has a weak immune system, and gets sick a lot. If your dog needs it, do it...if not, why bother?


----------



## deege39 (Dec 29, 2008)

Northern_Inuit_Luv said:


> It depends on the breed and your dog, Deege...if you've not had a problem, then it's probably not worth it? I don't supplement with it everyday, anymore, its more like 2-3 times a week, but thats because my husky is prone to it. I know others that have breeds that, in general, are prone to it...so they do it. Supplements aren't supposed to be the same for everyone, it all depends on what your dog might be missing in the diet, or what they need a little extra of. I also supplement with astragalus because my husky (oh the problems) also has a weak immune system, and gets sick a lot. If your dog needs it, do it...if not, why bother?


Well, I've only had Donatello a little over a year, so I'm still concerned with what he "might come down with"... I have the same philosophy you do, but at the same time if it won't hurt to use it as a preventative then why not?

I don't over supplement either, but I've already started him on a Joint Health supplement from _Springtime Inc_; He's still really young, so he gets a very very low dose... But I look at that like, if I start him on something like that now, by the time he gets older he might have fewer problems... He's only three and has already had popping joints, and limping in his back legs- Since using these Joint Health supplements, all of that has disappeared. I haven't heard any joints pop or seen any limping in the three months he's been on them.

I'm probably just paranoid. lol


----------



## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

I honestly would say wait until you have a problem. UTI are really nothing much. They clear up easily with antibiotics and you can start "preventative" after that. Its only a pain if they get them over and over an over again. No dog should be on that much antibiotics. If you are worried, take a urine sample to the vet. They can test the Ph and let you know if your dog is "on target". If it is, then you don't need to worry about it (at least while the dog is still yojng). Another way UTI come about is by drinking dirty water (puddles, lakes), so just always have nice clean water, and make sure he's drinking well. UTI are pretty easy to recognize. Your dog might start peeing more, or trying but failing to pee, or having accidents in the house when that was never a problem before, either way, you'll notice that something is "off" and it's an easy test for the vets to perform. 

Supplementing too much can be a bad thing. I say not to do it unless you have a reason to. As long as they are getting a well balanced diet, they should get most of what they need.


----------



## ERackley88 (Feb 6, 2010)

Well, with the cranberry, Cami hasn't had an accident in the house in like 4 days.  I figure I'll keep giving it to her twice daily for a few more days, and then down to once daily.


----------

