I'm struggling to think of what might be going on with Saffi.

Last July, she had a UTI - all the classic signs, she was peeing a lot (or trying to and producing nothing, it alternated between the two), dogs' noses were glued to her bum out on walks, on one occasion she peed rose-tinted pee.  That was treated with noroclav and cleared up.

A few months later, it flared up again.  No rose water this time, but all the other symptoms.  Urine was tested and came back clear, but with the symptoms, she was put on noroclav again.  It made no difference (except to trigger permanent bloody colitis when fed anything processed.  Joy).

She was then given an ultrasound scan, which all looked fine.  A sample was also supposed to have been taken direct from her bladder to be cultured (since found out this wasn't done).  She was put on metranidozole for the colitis, which the vet thought was more to do with being on PLT all the time.  This actually cleared up the UTI symptoms for a few months.

Then a few months later again, it flared and it's still going.  This time, she's had a morning sample tested which was clear; and a direct sample taken and cultured, this was absolutely fine.  She's been tested for Cushing's (low dose dex test), which was negative; also for thyroid which was apparently normal (although I've not seen the numbers yet, and I don't accept 'normal' when it comes to thyroid, until I see the figures and ranges myself).

At this point the vet is not sure what to do next.  We've opted for an extended course of metranidozole as it did clear things up last time, albeit temporarily - hence the extended course.  She's been on it about 10 days so far and it's made no difference :-(

A lot of the problem is that her symptoms aren't consistent.  She can be fine one day, or for a week or so, then she'll have a patch of weeing a lot or frequently - big puddles repeatedly or loads of little wees, neither is normal.  She doesn't drink excessively.  When she's symptomatic that way, she's a bit 'off' in herself - nothing dramatic, just a feeling that she's not quite right.  It's very subtle, one of those things you have to really know her to notice.

Today and yesterday, she's flaring up in the scent department - so dogs are sniffing her a lot again, and Remy has tried to jump her twice today.  He's done that once before I think, when it first started.  This hasn't coincided with a flare up in weeing a lot - but she had that the other day.

Me and the vet are a bit at our wits' end with her really - everything is so inconsistent and so vague, the next step atm would be just running full x-rays in what the vet called a "treasure hunt" because neither of us has a clue where to start looking for another possible cause!

Anyone got any ideas?  She's fed half raw, half rice, this is to combat the colitis and works just fine.  She's in good shape otherwise, nice coat etc.  The only other symptom that might be related is that back in February, she overblew her coat - over her rump she lost all her undercoat, and maybe half the top coat too.  And a lot of undercoat over her shoulders.  This was after a normal blow, and it's all grown back since but I've not been able to figure out a cause (did think possibly a delayed reaction to sedation from when she had the scans, but I've found out since that she wasn't sedated).

Is she spayed?  If so, it could be a bit of ovary was left in - or could be some sort of complication with the stump (assuming her uterus was removed).

Could it be anything to do with her anal glands?

Has she been checked for bladder stones or gravel?       The stones can cause inflammation as they irritate the urethra when passed,  and also blood stained urine can be passed as the stones/gravel can damage the lining of the bladder or the urethra.

http://abbeyvillevet.ie/bladder-stones-cystic-calculi/

She's been checked for stones/gravel, that was done when she had the scan.  She is spayed - she was spayed in October 2009, at the same time as having a c-section.

I presume diabetes has been ruled out?

Has she been allergy tested? Not quite the same but one of my cats has uti's when she's fed normal wet or dry cat food. Vet couldnt find a cause but now shes on the RC renal wet and dry and no recurrance in over a year so far.

Yes it has rhodach, knew i was forgetting something!  That was one of my first thoughts.  She's had general bloods too and everything is fine.

I'm afraid the only thing I can think of is some kind of growth in the bladder. My Male lab had UTI symptoms, after treating with antibiotics and wondering about bladder stones (due to the tested PH of the urine) he had an ultrasound which showed a growth. his symptoms varied

I know you said she was scanned last year but I wonder if it might be possible to check again? If she had something small, possibly within one of the 'inlet or outlets' (sorry, don't know what they'd be called!) of the bladder it may have caused symptoms before it was very visible and may be more apparent now.

good luck,

This might sound weird, but I have had a urine infection and it caused terrible back ache. A year or so later I had terrible back-ache I went back to the doctors assuming it was another infection but it turned out I had strained my back.

I wonder if she is not weeing properly again as an association with the pain? Could she be expecting pain when she pees because of another ache or pain?

I know that's a bit of a long-shot but you know how good our dogs are at hiding pain!

Bladder stones or gravel will only be found on a scan if they are still in the bladder.   If they have been passed, they will have caused a problem, but there would be nothing to see ;)  However, you may find something if you test the urine ;)

Her urine has been tested repeatedly - both from me getting a sample first thing at home and from samples taken direct.  Nothing in any of them :-(  The only time there was anything close was when she was scanned, IIRC the vet blotted her and said he thought there was a tiny bit of silt but he couldn't find anything during the scan or in samples.  Not sure what he's put in the notes about it though.

I may mention rescanning her though.  She was a bit off last night, it's hard to tell sometimes as she's cheerful as soon as she sees me looking but I caught her looking away with a thoroughly miserable face on.

I have switched vets for her case though, I've gone off the original one a bit as he's a bit limited in his views (as in we'll try this and this, if those don't work nothing will) so I'll suggest redoing it to the one she's seeing now.

parrysite - the problem with her weeing symptoms is the inconsistency!  Sometimes she'll do lots of tiny wees, sometimes she'll wee for England with huge great puddles.  But not producing anything hasn't happened in a fair while now.  So it's hard to know exactly what she's up to!

With the inconsistency of the problem, I'd still be worried about gravel or stones ;)    But there are other causes of the same symptoms and it can take more than a scan to pinpoint the problem ;)

http://mypeted.com/pet-health/articles/cystitis-bladder-infection-in-dogs-and-cats/

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/urinary/c_dg_polypoid_cystitis#.UYOs5X2VuVs

I've mentioned having her scanned again, the vet is going to have another ponder over the weekend and contact me next week (mainly about Remy but I asked about Saffi too).

I've got her thyroid results - interestingly, they are as I thought they would be, at the bottom of the ranges.  I'm waiting on a reply from Dr Dodds for her thoughts on the whole thing, whether it's connected, but I'll be asking for a trial of thyroxine when I speak to my vet next week - even if nothing else, this explains why I just cannot shift those last few kgs!