Mashed courgette for urinary infection?

jennyr

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My 14 year old Dushka peed blood all over the floor during last night, so we were off to the vet this morning. He has given her amoxicillin plus an anti-inflammatory and a pain injection. But he also suggested I feed her a spoonful of mashed up courgette (zucchini to Americans) every day for a week, as it cleanses the urinary system. I am familiar with pumpkin for the digestive tract, but this is something new to me. Has anyone any experience?
 

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That's a new one to me, but Googling "zucchini and urinary tract infections" turned up these (non-vet/doctor) links (for humans and dogs):

Urinary tract Infections: Dietary Recommendations

o flush the bladder of the infectious bacteria, all females with a UTI are encouraged to drink fluids and empty the bladder frequently. However, coffee and alcohol should be avoided as they seem to worsen the symptoms of a UTI. To increase acidity of the urine and decrease the growth of bacteria, one should eat more vegetables. Spinach, potatoes, green beans, avocado, onion, grapes, broccoli, zucchini, yams and mustard greens are all recommended. Vegetables, overall, are good for health and also help to control the level of blood sugars.
Urinary Tract Infections (UTI's) in Dogs

When you add organic vegetable juices such as organically grown zucchini and celery high in organic sodium and other organic minerals to your dog’s diet, the pH numbers will begin to decline. This is not only to be expected, it’s what you are trying to accomplish. As your dog’s mineral reserves are replenished, enough sodium will be available for the urine and it will start registering around 5.5 and the burning will stop (a natural solution to recurring UTI).
Some canned cat foods contain zucchini, so it won't hurt to try it.
 
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jennyr

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That's a new one to me, but Googling "zucchini and urinary tract infections" turned up these (non-vet/doctor) links (for humans and dogs):

Urinary tract Infections: Dietary Recommendations
Urinary Tract Infections (UTI's) in Dogs
Some canned cat foods contain zucchini, so it won't hurt to try it.
Thanks. I have seen some similar comments. I have cooked and blended some, now I have to work out how to get her to take it! She has to be persuaded to take wet food, she has always preferred dry, and she doesn't like any food that is messed about with. She is very easy to pill, thank goodness, as she is one of those cats that will eat through a whole bowl of food, leaving four quarters of a pill in the bottom! I might have to mix it to soup and try the syringe method. I am wondering whether it might be more effective blended raw?
 
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jennyr

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I rushed Dushka to the hospital at lunchtime today as she was vomiting up even her water, didn't want to eat and didn't pee or poop for 14 hours. I have just come back from visiting her there. She is on an intravenous drip and the vet says her kidney numbers are way up from her test in April. She also has a bad urinary infection. There may be something else, they are going to do a scan and Xray tomorrow. She looks very sick, but that is partly because she is half sedated. So it is not good news, but we must wait and see.
 
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betsygee

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Oh no!  I'm very sorry to hear this.  Keep us posted on how she's doing.  Thinking of you both.  
 

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Please tell me how your cat is doing and what the diagnosis/treatment etc. My 17 year old cat is having recurrent urinary infections and the vet found a couple of kidney stones in her x-ray. She had a urine test last week and was clear. Now today she passed a bloody clot and is peeing small amounts of pink urine. I am despondent. This is the third infection in 6 months. The last one was only a month ago.
 
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jennyr

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Dushka is nor being treated for kidney stones, in both kidneys. She is on a dissolution diet that may help break them up, plus a supplement to help prevent any further deterioration. She is OK in herself, no more blood anywhere, and she is eating and drinking. We can only hope.
 

betsygee

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Dushka is nor being treated for kidney stones, in both kidneys. She is on a dissolution diet that may help break them up, plus a supplement to help prevent any further deterioration. She is OK in herself, no more blood anywhere, and she is eating and drinking. We can only hope.
That sounds hopeful.  
 
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