1335. The majestic looking 14-year-old Sheltie

The 14-year-old Sheltie has a full luxurious bloom of hair and a thick white collar  He looked much younger and would be mistaken for a younger dog. No hair loss. No skin disease. No tick infestations. The Bishan owners vaccinated him every year and he would have his physical examination. Very few Singaporean dog owners bother with this annual examination after puppyhood.

Dr Daniel vaccinated him. I said hello to the family as I was the puppyhood vet. "It is best to check his urine for any urinary crystals," I said and gave them a urine collection bottle. The dog went out of the surgery and the owner returned with a bottle of yellow slightly turbid urine.


Significant urine test reslts

pH 7.0 (5-8), SG 1.036 (1.005-1.030)., Nitrite +v, Bacteria 2+, Crystals Nil.  No red or white blood cells in the urine.

"There seems to be some Urinary Tract Infection," I phoned the owner. "Does the dog lick his private parts?"
"No," the owner said. "He licked his paws only."  Sometimes, the owner may not be aware of the other aspects of licking.

Advices

1. Antibiotics for 10 days.
2. Drink more water or add water to dry food as the SG is high. This would lead to urine staying inside the bladder for a long time and bacteria infection of the bladder. Maybe the dog did not go out to urinate often. .
3.Urine test 3 months later. 

Health screening annually should include the blood and urine test. But many vets don't advise any health screening but just give the vaccination.