D-Mannose to the Rescue

[TooManyFelines]

Our 19.5 year old lady started showing signs of a urinary tract infection yesterday afternoon. Frequent small amounts of urine with a bit of pink (she refuses to use cat litter with the other kitties and only uses boxes lined with newspaper so she's easy to monitor). I am prone to UTI's as well and always keep d-mannose powder around. I researched it and it's perfectly safe for cats and dogs. So we syringed a large dose of 1 tsp of d-mannose powder mixed into a couple teaspoons of water every hour for 4 hours, and then half a teaspoon before bed. By last night she made a normal size pee, no pink and no obvious discomfort. She is back to normal today, but I've given her 1/2 tsp every 4 hours so far and will continue that tomorrow.

She is very frail and a former feral, so getting her to the vet is major trauma and we avoid it when possible, especially now when there is curb pickup only and we can't go in with her. I recommended d-mannose to a friend with a senior doggy who is prone to UTI's and was constantly on antibiotics, and it has worked for her as well. One caution though, a lot of the d-mannose powder for sale is from china. I know many people don't have a problem with that, but for us it's a no-go. There are a few manufacturers which source in Europe. They are a few bucks more expensive but if you want to avoid chinese stuff, well worth it. The powder lasts for quite a while even you use daily maintenance amounts.

 

[verna davies]

I use d mannose and Cornsilk on my cat for his utis but have been advised by my vet to not give the d mannose for long because it can alter the ph balance. Have you looked into Cornsilk ?

 

[TooManyFelines]

No, I haven't looked into anything else because the d-mannose has worked so well for the humans and kitties. But thanks for the tip, I will read up on it. I am not aware of d-mannose causing ph balance issues, I researched it thoroughly and have not found any side effect cautions. Some people on the diabetic kitty list I used to be on continuously dosed with a maint dose of 1/8th tsp powder per day and no one reported any issues.

 

[TooManyFelines]

I just looked up the cornsilk and apparently it's a diuretic, so a no go since our old gal has CRF and she may get dehydrated.

 

[white shadow]

.
Hi TooManyFelines ! (is that even possible )

Here's a very full (and reliable) coverage of using D-mannose in felines: "Tanya's Guide" - D-mannose.

I'm glad to hear that her symptoms appear to have resolved.

You say you're going to continue the dosing tomorrow - in case you don't get to it, Helen (the author of "Tanya's Guide...") recommends

"Keep giving it for a week after the symptoms have disappeared"​

She also offers some suggested dosages for cats.

About the potential for D-mannose affecting urine ph, I can't find any evidence. In fact, there are studies of its use in humans lasting 12 months without adverse effect. I have a feeling its ph is actually neutral.....in one reference to its use by diabetics, it is noted that D-mannose does not affect "the blood...ph". V verna davies - if it's something you'd like to use regularly, perhaps ask the Vet for a reference for that caution.

Now, one point: D-mannose is only effective against E coli infections........and, even then, "Tanya's Guide" says "not all of them". And, while E coli represent the majority of UTIs, "Other bacteria associated with UTI include Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Proteus, and Klebsiella species" according to this specialist's presentation on managing UTIs. So, personally, if I didn't see rapid improvement with D-mannose, I'd be looking for Vet intervention - and, an assessment for an antibiotic

Hope that may help.
.

 

[TooManyFelines]

Yes, if she hadn't responded she'd go to the vet for sure. But I am quite pleased, she has made another normal pee and is eating and acting well. I shall keep giving it to her for another week. And thank you very much for all of the info.

 

[fionasmom]

I have used D Mannose in animals and take it myself every day to counter the effects of a prescription drug that I will be on for years. I have never had an issue with it, suspicious medical test, raised blood sugar, etc. It absolutely helped a dog whose bladder was paralyzed and had to be expressed; it was remarkable that he never had a UTI.

One caution is that it does not cure UTI's in most cases and should not be used in place of medical care if a UTI is suspected, especially a bad one. I use a product that someone on TCS recommended called UTI Slip which is sourced from Europe.

 

[TooManyFelines]

^^ I think it depends on what is causing the UTI in the first place. Of course, if there is no improvement, antibiotics will likely be necessary.