Unfortunately, pets, like people, are prone to various health problems. In adult dogs, diseases of the genitourinary system often develop. Especially often in dogs diagnosed with inflammation of the prostate gland. After reading today's article, you will learn how to recognize and treat prostatitis in a dog.
What is the prostate gland?
This is an organ located in the genitourinary tract and the neck of the bladder. It has a rounded shape and consists of two lobes. The prostate performs several important functions. So, the prostate gland in dogs is responsible for the timely closure of the opening of the bladder during ejaculation and for the production of seminal fluid.
In the body of any healthy animal, this secret is constantly synthesized. Therefore, it is excreted from the canine organism not only during ejaculation, but also during urination.
What is prostatitis?
This term refers to the inflammatory process that occurs in the prostate gland. It can be caused by hormonal imbalance, decreased immunity, infections, injuries, freezing and circulatory disorders in the pelvic organs.
In the prostate gland there is a large number of excretory ducts that open on the mucous membrane of the urethra and create favorable conditions for transcanalicular entry of pathogens.
Prostatitis in a dog can occur in acute and chronic form. In the first case, the disease is accompanied by pronounced symptoms and in the absence of proper treatment leads to serious consequences. The chronic form proceeds more calmly. In this case, the animal does not experience severe pain.
Causes of occurrence
It is reliably known that prostatitis in a dog does not have a breed predisposition. As a rule, it develops in males who have reached the age of seven. But at the same time, inflammation can occur in younger dogs. And sometimes veterinarians diagnose prostatitis even in puppies.
This disease can be triggered by the action of many different factors. Often it develops as a result of improper treatment of a bacterial or viral infection. Also, the cause of prostatitis can be a genital injury or uncontrolled intake of hormonal drugs that have not been prescribed by a veterinarian. The appearance of this problem often leads to a decrease in immunity, the presence of excess weight and a lack of motor activity.
In some cases, inflammation of the prostate gland results from an individual predisposition and lack of hygiene. This disease can develop against colitis, urethritis, or proctitis.
Symptoms of prostatitis in dogs
As a rule, the presence of this disease can be recognized by the quality of urination. But, as in people, it proceeds in an acute and chronic form.
In the first case, the animal becomes lethargic, begins to refuse food and stops playing. The dog sleeps almost constantly, her body temperature rises and her weight decreases. In the acute form of prostatitis in the dog, there is a violation of sexual function. During walks, he moves with great care, trying to walk as little as possible. Many animals have persistent pain in the spine and discomfort in the groin area.
Chronic inflammation of the prostate is less pronounced. With it, the animal does not experience loss of appetite or weight loss. In this case, the dog rarely has a slight increase in body temperature and there are certain difficulties with urination.
Signs of a severe form of the disease
The seriousness of the problem may be indicated by the appearance of blood discharge from the urethra and false prerequisites for the act of defecation. Also, severe prostatitis is easily recognized by frequent trips to the toilet, during which only a few drops of urine are released.
The severity of the disease is often indicated by the weakness and swelling of the hind limbs, as a result of which the dog is constantly lying. Often, a severe form of inflammation of the prostate gland is accompanied by constipation, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration of the animal’s body.
Diagnostic Methods
At the slightest suspicion of prostatitis in the dog, the animal must be shown to the veterinarian. An experienced specialist will examine the dog and prescribe a number of additional studies. In the process of determining the exact diagnosis, it is important to completely eliminate the presence of cystitis, tumors and other health problems.
During the first visit, the veterinarian should collect an anamnesis, make an ultrasound, palpate and rectal examination of the prostate gland. To prescribe an effective medicine for prostatitis in dogs, the doctor will write out directions for additional examinations. An accurate diagnosis is made on the basis of a biochemical and clinical blood test. In some cases, a cytological examination of the seminal fluid may be required. Sometimes it is not possible to do without a contrast x-ray of the pelvic organs and an aspiration biopsy.
How to treat prostatitis in dogs?
The therapy of this disease is aimed at stopping the inflammatory process, relieving pain, stabilizing the general condition and restoring the functioning of the prostate gland.
As a conservative treatment, infusion solutions, immunostimulants, antispasmodics, antibacterial and hormonal drugs are usually prescribed. Physiotherapy, antiviral and anti-inflammatory drugs are quite successfully used for these purposes.
Antibiotics for prostatitis in dogs are prescribed for a sufficiently long period. Their choice is based on the results of laboratory tests and only after assessing the sensitivity of the animal's body to certain drugs. When prescribing antibiotics, it is important to first make sure that it is able to penetrate the prostate gland. With prostatitis, agents that are highly soluble in lipids and poorly bound by proteins are very effective. This group includes enrofloxacin and chloramphenicol. Ampicillin, aminoglycosides and tetracyclines are hardly soluble in lipids. Therefore, their use is completely ineffective.
Antibiotics are administered intravenously for infectious prostatitis in dogs. To eliminate the problem caused by pathogenic microorganisms, drugs with a wide spectrum of action are often used. For more successful treatment and consolidation of the results, the animal is prescribed immuno-strengthening agents aimed at the speedy recovery of a weakened body.
If conservative therapy was ineffective, then the dog is sent to castration. Such an operation is performed under general anesthesia and helps to prevent the terrible consequences of the disease.
Prevention methods
Like any other ailment, prostatitis in dogs, the treatment of which should be carried out under the supervision of a veterinarian, can be prevented. To prevent this problem, you need to adhere to several basic recommendations. First of all, you need to monitor the body weight of your pet and feed him with the correct and well-balanced food.
It is equally important to provide the dog with regular long walks, during which the dog will be able to run and throw out the accumulated energy. Also, hypothermia should not be allowed.
It is advisable to regularly prevent urinary infections and systematically show the animal to a veterinarian. If the dog is constantly used for breeding, then basic safety and hygiene rules must be observed. If the dog does not knit regularly, then it is recommended to be neutered in a timely manner. This simple operation is carried out no earlier than six months of age. It is considered a good prevention of many diseases of the genitourinary system. With its help, the development of prostatitis and even oncology can be avoided.