# Potty Training Issues (Or Lingering Kidney Infection?)



## amandanrd (Jul 16, 2015)

Hi everyone, 

I have been reading the forum for a long time but this is my first time posting. I am a first time V owner and have had Zoe since she was 9 weeks old. She is now almost 20 weeks old and we are still having some issues with potty training. Here is a little history.

When I first got her, she had a bladder infection. The breeder had contacted me prior to shipping her and let me know that she had a bladder infection and that he was putting her on antibiotics. He gave me the option to refund my money or have my pick from the next litter, but I already felt attached to her and worried what would happen to her if I didn't take her, so I told him to go ahead and treat her and to ship her when she was healthy. When I received her, she was still squatting a lot (every 5-10 minutes) and licking herself, so I mentioned this to the vet. This first vet I saw said it was probably just her being a puppy and that if she was treated, she was probably fine. This did not get better, so the second vet I saw put her on antibiotics for 2 weeks and did a urinalysis. This came back negative and the antibiotics weren't working. They suggested doing an ultrasound to see what was going on and switched the antibiotics. The ultrasound initially came back fine but was then sent to a specialist who then said it was a kidney infection, not a bladder infection, and prescribed antibiotics for an additional 4 weeks (clavamox). The first two weeks were a weaker dose, then we took her in to be weighed and they upped the dose. They said at the end of the 4 weeks, if she seemed better that we wouldn't need to do anything else (since the urinalysis did not detect the infection in the first place). I could request a second ultrasound, but I want to make sure I am not just being paranoid since the ultrasounds are pretty expensive.

Here is my problem. I am not sure if my expectations of her are too high, or if she is still having issues from the infection. She will sometimes go to the door to go out, but most of the time she just squats and goes. We started puppy classes and I asked the trainer about this. She said to take her out every hour and then increase the timeframe. I tried this but she couldn't/didn't hold it for that long and had an accident. Should she be able to hold her bladder for at least an hour at this point? Or, is she just going because she learned to go in the house when she had her infection? I can take her out every 45 minutes, but is that normal for a 4 1/2 month old puppy? If she is sleeping, she is fine and sleeps through the night. She is crated during the day and will sometimes have an accident and sometimes she will hold it. I come home and let her out at lunch, so this is usually a 3 1/2 hour timeframe. When she is out of her crate, she can maybe go 30-45 minutes. I just want to make sure this is normal.

I did just get a bell to hang on the door yesterday, so we will see if that helps. Any other tips, tricks or suggestions? Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated!


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Mine were pretty much trained by 20 weeks, and any accidents were my fault, surely they made it more than an hour or two.

The medical issue obviously complicates all this, and I think your first step is to accurately determine the presence or absence of any UTI, as well as any resulting damage...that could account for the leakiness. I'd find a vet that has some experience with this...I'm surprised that the first vet, knowing her history with the UTI didn't at least do a simple urinalysis to determine if the symptoms you described so accurately were due to that.

After you get clarification about the medical piece, you'd be in a better situation to address the behavioral piece. But right now, I'd get some accurate and current info on her medical condition and in the mean while, take her out as frequently as she needs to.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I to would want to make sure she is fully recovered from the kidney infection. I can see where the previous infections would have caused a set back in her potty training. You mentioned that she can wait 30-45 minutes between potting when awake. So I would be setting a timer, and taking her out every 25 minutes. The less accidents she has in the house, the sooner she will get in the habit of only going outside.


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## Cooperpooperscooper (Jan 25, 2015)

Does she got potty on something. Our V liked out neighbor's door matt  We took the door matt down stairs. overtime we went down stairs we took him to the matt and he went potty. He eventually graduated to the a place on the grass. We got out neighbor a new door matt  If there is something she consistently goes potty on I would try taking it outside.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Ama - if it is a health issue after 4 &1/2 months - find a new Vet - you are willing 2 take the pup out every 45 mins - FIND A NEW VET - PIKE soon 2 turn 7yrs old - I am still on the POOP & PEE control - out the front door - the color the strength - of PEE - the consisity of POOP -the first sign of a health issue - this is after 57yrs with pointers - everyday !!!!!!!!!!!!!


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