LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Cystitis: Bacteria
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Contraceptive use – Evidence suggests that the use of spermicides increases the risk of cystitis. Spermicides kill the ‘good’ bacteria in the vagina and may ... cause an allergic reaction, leading to an increase in ‘bad’ bacterial growth. Diaphragms and condoms have also been linked to an increased risk of cystitis (3). Diaphragms can alter urination patterns leading to bacteria not being flushed out of the bladder as efficiently or the bladder not being completely emptied (4). Unlubricated condoms can result in rubbing and irritation, increasing the chances of infection.
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The bacteria that cause symptoms of cystitis can ... produce the same effects over a longer period if left untreated. This is known as chronic cystitis. This can happen when the initial course of antibiotic treatment is not completed, allowing some of the bacteria to remain, or when some germs have a resistance to treatment. Chronic symptoms of cystitis can also be experienced when there is some abnormality in the urinary tract, such as a bladder stone.
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Acute cystitis is inflammation of the urinary bladder usually caused by a bacterial infection. Most cases of bacterial cystitis are "ascending," meaning that the offending bacteria arise from the dog's own intestinal tract and "ascend" to the bladder, beginning at the perineum (the skin around the anus) and proceeding to the urethra and ultimately the bladder. The vagina in female dogs and the prostate gland in male dogs are other potential sources of offending bacteria. Acute cystitis is more common in female dogs than in males.
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DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION — In patients with infectious cystitis, examination of the urine often demonstrates white blood cells (WBC) and a few red blood cells (RBC). However, the absence of WBC in a patient who is neutropenic following chemotherapy does not exclude a urinary tract infection. In the immunocompetent host, bacterial colony counts of greater than 100,000 in the urine are considered diagnostic of a urinary tract infection. It is not yet resolved whether this threshold should be lowered in neutropenic patients. (See "Urine sampling and culture in the diagnosis of urinary tract infection in adults").
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The signs will be determined by the specific cause of cystitis. Bacterial infections usually cause hematuria and dysuria (straining to urinate.) Bladder stones are often very rough; they cause irritation to the bladder as they rub against the bladder wall ... creating hematuria and dysuria. Tumors or polyps are usually not highly irritating to the dog’s bladder, but they can cause bleeding and mild straining to urinate. A diverticulum is a small pouch in the wall of the bladder that usually causes hematuria and dysuria secondary to the chronic bacterial infection that occurs. Bacteria often reside deep in the diverticulum and are nearly impossible to remove without surgery.
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More than 85% of cases of cystitis are caused by escherichia coli ("E. coli"), a bacterium found in the lower gastrointestinal tract. Sexual intercourse may increase the risk of cystitis because bacteria can be introduced into the bladder through the urethra during sexual activity. Once bacteria enter the bladder, they are normally removed through urination. When bacteria multiply faster than they are removed by urination, infection results.
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