Not good news on Winnie

[k9Karen]

Nitrofurantoin has been around at least 40 years. It is very well tolerated in humans, and little side effects have been documented. I don't know much about it's use in canines though. It's only use is for treatment of UTI.

Don't worry about the chloramphenicol if it comes to that. The bone marrow suppression seen in humans is not seen in canines. Leah was put on it once, and so was my daughter when she had pnemonia at 11 months old (this was before all the fancy cephalosporins, etc that we have today). Bone marrow suppression was a rare but serious side effect, and can not be taken lightly, however, it was seen mostly in long-term use of oral meds, and is both treatable and not permanent. I personally would take it over some of the human meds today that DO have permanent side effects.

Do make sure Winnie is getting lots to drink. Flushing the bladder through frequent urination is important to clearing the UTI, and preventing recurrence.

Hope she gets better soon! Keep us posted.

[Marty]

Thanks, Karen! That makes me feel a LOT better, as I have never heard of those drugs.

[Traci]

Chloramphenicol certainly can cause bone marrow suppression in small animals, particularly cats. Mainly through high doses or prolonged use of course, if used, it must be used cautiously and judiciously.

[Marty]

Yes, the Vet said she would have to be tested regularly. Hopefully we won't have to use that.

[Marty]

I forgot to mention that the Vet found it odd that no blood was found in her urine, even by the lab. She said there usually is some with this much infection.

[k9Karen]

Chloramphenicol certainly can cause bone marrow suppression in small animals, particularly cats. Mainly through high doses or prolonged use of course, if used, it must be used cautiously and judiciously.

I was going by what my vet told me at the time (I think 1977). I guess he had never seen any problem with dogs and suppression. I'm assuming it is much rarer in dogs than in humans (it's fairly rare in humans). Correct?

[k9Karen]

Chloramphenicol certainly can cause bone marrow suppression in small animals, particularly cats. Mainly through high doses or prolonged use of course, if used, it must be used cautiously and judiciously.

Marty - nitrofurantoin is most commonly known by the name MacroBid (macrodantin). You may have heard of that one.

[Traci]

From personal experience, I've not seen immunosuppression in dogs on chloramphenicol....but I have seen the effects it can have on cats, particuarly when it was used to treat bacterial infection, (some of those case problems combined with inflammation, hematuria, most often from surgery or catheterization problems and failures).

[k9Karen]

Thanks Traci. I don't know anything about the side effects in cats - only in dogs, and not that much there. Chloro gets a pretty bad 'rap', but it's a real good drug when used appropriately and judiciously. The really good thing about it is that because it hasn't been frequently used for so long, the 'bugs' have, in many cases, 'forgotten' how to be resistant to it. It definitely has it's place when there are limited (or no other) choices.

[k9Karen]

I forgot to mention that the Vet found it odd that no blood was found in her urine, even by the lab. She said there usually is some with this much infection.

That would be unusual, but definitely isn't impossible. Sometimes the RBC are there, but have lysed and can't be seen. The bacteria themselves can 'eat' the hemoglobin, making the occult blood testing negative. Was there protein?

I forgot, was she recultured? What about the ultrasound?