Spencer went to the vet to follow up on her urine problem. She seemed to be still bleeding and straining once every 6 times. I spoke to the vet on Thursday night, and before we decided on drastic treatment or more invasive procedures, it is better to check the urine again.

The vet said it is better for Spencer to have some urine in her bladder. I know she normally pee at 7am, so I thought I wouldn't set out the bin for her. The vet said if she pee in the cage, better still, as we could collect the urine. Anyway, Spencer wanted to pee at 7.30am Saturday morning, and was screaming blue murder. She was so uncomfortable, I finally let her have her bin. She was a bit upset when I stuffed her in the cage, but was surprisingly quiet in the car. Maybe she knew what to expect already, as she had been trooping in and out of the vet these two months.

When we told the vet she had pee at 7am, he shook his head and sighed, knowing full well that Spencer is always so un-cooperative. She had a bit of urine, so the vet took her in to squeeze her bladder. We herad Spencer screamed, twice, in the room, then the aide brought her out, and told us they managed to get some sample. We had to wait for 20 minutes for the results.

Spencer was rather upset and wanted to burrow among the towel, whimpering. Shadow, the resident cat approached her to chat, and Spencer seemed to calm down. This Shadow is rather handsome, jet black with a long tail, but he had been spayed and tipped. The nurses give him breakfast, and he would hang around, sit on the counter looking at the patients, say hello, nap behind the counter or go off to play under the sun. He doesn't like big noisy dogs. He is probably only 2 to 3 years old.

The vet said Spencer's urine was alkaline, which shouldn't be. That means she has chronic cystitis, with mild inflammation. He doesn't like to start another course of antibiotics and steroids, which I agreed with. Instead, he would try something to acidify the urine eg cranberry or vitamin C, and do a urine culture in one month's time. In the mean time, I am to do urine dipstick tests twice a week, to check for pH, and other stuffs. The vet didn't think the current diet will make the urine alkaline, but it is not a bad thing that Spencer continue to lose weight, and drink her water. The vet found that her sphincter is weak, and bacteria can easily go in via her vagina, hence her chronic infection. I wonder if it was because I had been wiping her butt, for the last 6 years. The vet didn't confirm, but I think it was a factor. Feeling very guilty.

So cranberry it is twice a day, and urine test twice a week for one month. Spencer managed to have her annual booster shot, and exempted from baths for 5 days; Max got his eye ointment, and the vet got his christmas cookies.

I was bushed.