Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be a common and uncomfortable issue for dogs. If your furry friend is suffering from a UTI, you may be wondering how to help them find relief. Here is what I did to successfully treat my dog's UTI using specific herbal remedies and why they worked.
Understanding the Power of Herbal Remedies
Herbal remedies have been used for centuries to treat various ailments in both humans and animals. When it comes to UTIs, certain herbs like oil of oregano have powerful antimicrobial properties that can help combat the bacteria causing the infection.
The Healing Trio: Oil of Oregano, D-Mannose, and Cranberry
When treating my dog's UTI, I turned to a combination of oil of oregano and a D-Mannose/cranberry supplement combination.
Oil of Oregano is known for its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Oil of Oregano is NOT the same as oregano essential oil. Do NOT feed your dog straight oregano essential oil. This would be very dangerous. Oil of oregano is an incredibly strong herbal remedy that should only be used in more serious scenarios, like a UTI. Oil of Oregano is considered a "bomb" in my castle analogy of how herbs work with the immune system. You can find a deeper dive on that here. In short, Oil of Oregano "bombs" all bacteria and viruses within the body. This includes bad and good bacteria. It is very effective in killing pathogens within the body. The negative side of this coin is that it also kills off the beneficial bacteria in the digestive system, or the microbiome. Because of this, we need to be aware of rebuilding the microbiome after using Oil of Oregano. It is similar to using antibiotics in how it kills off bacteria, good and bad.
D-Mannose and cranberry can help prevent bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract walls. Using a supplement with D-Mannose and cranberry together works wonders because D-Mannose is the active ingredient in cranberry that creates an environment in the urinary tract, where bacteria can not adhere to mucus membranes. Cranberry is best added back to the D-Mannose because this makes our body look at the D-Mannose as more of a "real food" source since the other co-factors that are normally found with D-Mannose is added back into the supplement. Think about it this way, we never go out in nature and harvest D-Mannose, we would harvest cranberry. Yes, the active ingredient is D-Mannose which has been studied for its effectiveness but that would be considered using an isolated ingredient and the body doesn't always understand how to utilize an active ingredient by itself. This way, fed as a supplement, our pets are getting a higher concentration of D-Mannose (the active ingredient) but the other cofactors or nutrients that are normally found with D-Mannose in cranberries are also consumed so the body knows more efficiently what to do with the D-Mannose.
Rebuilding the Microbiome with Probiotics
While Oil of Oregano is often effective in treating the infection, it's important to rebuild your pet's microbiome after the treatment. Probiotics can help restore the balance of good bacteria in the gut, which is crucial for overall health and immune function. The immune system starts in the digestive tract, so if we kill off the microbiome without replenishing the beneficial bacteria, then we are setting our pets up to being vulnerable to future infections. Feeding a quality probiotic like Pup Probiotic, can help to rebalance the microbiome and get your pet back on the right track. Pup Probiotic is a combination of three specific beneficial bacteria strains plus FOS (Fructo-oligosaccharides) which is a prebiotic. Prebiotics are the food source for probiotics, so when the prebiotics are consumed and "woken up" from moisture within the digestive tract, there is food readily available for the beneficial bacteria to consume and reproduce quickly in the digestive system.
What My Dog's Pee Looked Like When I Realized He Had A UTI
How I Used These Supplements for My Dogs UTI
First night: gave 4 drops Oil of Oregano before we went to bed to get it running through his system plus one capsules of D-Mannose/cranberry
Day 1-2: 4 drops Oil of Oregano + 1 D-Mannose capsule in the morning, afternoon and evening
Day 3-4: 3 drops Oil of Oregano + 1 D-Mannose capsule morning and night
Day 5-6: 2 drops Oil of Oregano + 1 D-Mannose capsule morning and night
Day 7: 1 drop Oil of Oregano + 1 D-Mannose capsules morning and night
Day 8: 1 drop Oil of Oregano once a day + D-Mannose capsule morning and night
I continued to feed the D-Mannose/cranberry capsule 1-2x daily for a week or so
I'm happy to say that my dog is UTI free now and after the protocol was done, got a large burst of energy back, wanting to go on longer walks and play rough with his toys in the house which he wasn't doing while he wasn't feeling well. Our dogs show up how they feel in their own unique way so it's important to pay attention to your dogs mannerisms and to know their health baseline so you can read their body and energy since it's their only way to communicate with us!
As a reminder, this is what I did for my dog. I truly believe that we have full control over how we care for our dogs, whether at times that's with pharmaceuticals or with herbal remedies. I was ready to take him to the vet for antibiotics if our protocol didn't start working and giving him relief quickly. I am a certified Pet Master Herbalist and ultimately gave my dog a consultation before starting this protocol and understand his personal body, his symptoms and knowing how he reacts to different herbs from over the years. I'm not necessarily recommending this protocol for others, until you have a diagnosis from a vet that your dog does in fact have a UTI and not something more serious, plus a consultation from a pet herbalist if you don't feel confident in your ability to treat your dog from home by yourself. Your pets wellbeing and comfort should always come first!
Consulting with a Veterinarian
Before starting any herbal remedies or supplements for your dog's UTI, it's essential to consult with a veterinarian. Receiving a diagnosis for your pets condition is important so you know what you're working through and that your pet isn't suffering from something more serious. From there, you can decide how you want to go about treating the UTI, whether thats with traditional antibiotics or with specific herbal remedies.
By incorporating herbal remedies like oil of oregano, D-Mannose, cranberry supplements, and probiotics into your dog's UTI treatment plan, you can help support their recovery and promote overall urinary tract health. Remember, always prioritize your pet's well-being and consult with a professional before making any significant changes to their healthcare routine.
