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Name
Cystitis, Canine
Short Description
Cystitis
Affected Animals: Dogs, cats, and other mammals
Overview: There are many causes of cystitis, which is an
inflammation of the urinary bladder. More common causes include a
bacterial infection of the urinary tract, bladder stones, polyps,
tumors, and an anatomical defect called a diverticulum, which is a
tiny pocket in the bladder wall that retains urine.
Cystitis causes a wide range of problems with urination. Some dogs
may strain to urinate, urinate more frequently, or become
incontinent. Blood also may appear in the urine. Depending on the
cause of the inflammation, the cystitis may be treated through a
variety of methods. Often, dogs will recover from the disease, but
animals that develop cystitis because of a tumor carry a guarded
prognosis.
Clinical Signs: Hematuria, pollakiuria, dysuria, stranguria,
licking the genitalia, and occasional incontinence.
Symptoms: Blood in the urine, difficulty urinating,
straining to urinate, licking the genitalia, and occasionally
leaking urine.
Description: Cystitis is an inflammation of the urinary
bladder. Bladder stones, bacterial infections of the urinary tract,
polyps, tumors, and anatomical defects of the bladder are all common
causes of cystitis. Dogs with this disease may have a number of
problems related to urinating, including straining or difficulty
urinating, blood in the urine, frequent urination, and incontinence.
Diagnosis: A diagnosis commonly is made by a thorough
physical exam, a urinalysis, and a urine culture. Bladder stones, a
common cause of cystitis, sometimes can be felt within the bladder
or within the urethra during the physical exam. A urinalysis
evaluates for problems such as the presence of blood, bacteria,
mineral crystals, cancer cells, protein, and inflammatory cells.
Many times a culture of the urine is needed to determine accurately
if bacteria are present and if so, which antibiotics will be
effective in treating them. Abdominal x-rays, and sometimes x-rays
illuminated by contrast material are helpful to visualize the
bladder structure and determine if any stones are present. Another
diagnostic tool that can be helpful is an ultrasound of the bladder
and its contents. This procedure also will allow measurement of the
bladder wall thickness.
Prognosis: Depending on the cause of the cystitis, the
prognosis varies. A bacterial infection carries a good prognosis for
recovery with appropriate antibiotic therapy. Surgical correction of
benign polyps and diverticula also carries a good prognosis. Bladder
stones can be removed surgically or dissolved medically, but they
can recur. Malignant tumors, or cancers, of the bladder carry a
guarded prognosis.
Transmission or Cause: There are many causes of cystitis in dogs. The
most common cause is a bacterial urinary tract infection. Other
causes include bladder stones, which rub the bladder wall and cause
damage, bleeding, and even partial blockage of urine flow. Polyps
are masses of tissue that can grow in the bladder and cause
inflammation. Tumors also can cause problems with the bladder,
including bleeding and sometimes partial blockage of urine flow.
A diverticulum, another cause of cystitis, is an anatomical defect
within the bladder in which a pocket forms in the bladder wall.
These defects can be microscopic or large enough to see on an x-ray.
Growth of bacteria can occur within the urine that collects in these
pockets, resulting in a urinary tract infection.
Treatment: Treatment depends on the cause of the cystitis.
Bacterial cystitis requires treatment with an appropriate
antibiotic, which can be indicated by a urinary culture. Treatment
for bladder stones depends on the stone type. Some stones can be
dissolved medically with diet and medication, while others have to
be removed surgically. Polyps and diverticula also require a
surgical correction. Tumors sometimes can be removed surgically and
submitted to a pathologist for identification of the tumor type;
this information is important in determining the best treatment
options for that type of tumor.
Prevention: Many causes of cystitis cannot be prevented. If
chronic urinary tract infections result from a skin disorder such as
infection around the vulva, meticulous cleaning of the area and
treatment of the skin disease may prevent recurrences. Some types of
bladder stones can be prevented with certain diets and medications.
