Dog First Aid - Urinary Blockage
Dogs, pretty much the same as their human counterparts are susceptible to various infectious agents and suffer from illnesses too. The four legged friends are magnets to accidents because of the propensity to get injured. A dog owner's ability to administer first aid would be a very useful asset that will alleviate the pain associated with the injuries and also save the pet's life.
A dog with urinary blockage must have urgent treatment as this condition is life threatening. Urinary blockage is a dangerous condition as aside from causing electrolyte imbalance, the dog's inability to pass urine will impair the normal functioning of the body. A dog that is unable to pass urine will rapidly deteriorate because of chemical peritonitis, a condition that develops when the bladder ruptures so that urine is leaked into the abdominal cavity.
Urinary obstruction will make a dog repeatedly try to urinate. After repeated attempts to urinate, the whining dog may still be unable to pass urine or would be able to pass a few drop of urine. The urine may appear cloudy or tinged with blood. The dog's inability to pass urine will result to abdominal pains. The dribbles of urine does not meant that the pet has developed unwanted habits or has forgotten its housebreaking lessons, it simply means that the dog is finding it difficult to urinate.
The dog's difficulty to pass urine can be a symptom of a urinary disease. Urinary tract infection is most common in female dogs and urinary blockage in male dogs can be due to prostate problems. This condition can also be caused by the accumulation of minerals that caused the formation of crystals or stones in the urinary tract. The obstruction in the urinary tract can also be caused by lesions, scars tissue or tumors.
There is no first aid treatments or herbal remedies for urinary blockage more so if the dog's condition is already acute. A pet with urinary blockage needs immediate medical attention thus it has to be rushed to the hospital. To unblock the urethra, a urethral massage can be initiated or a urinary catheter can be used to flush or to push the bladder stones back into the bladder. The catheter will be left in place for about 24 hours while the condition of the pet is being observed. An emergency surgical procedure will have to be done if the catheter failed to unblock the urinary tract. After the surgical procedure, IV fluids are administered and antibiotics are given to prevent infection.
Learn more about dog first aid and urinary blockage at Sarah's Dogs.
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