Grey with UTI problems...how to prevent?

[squirrelbaby]

Hi,
We have a female grey(2.5yr old) that has another UTI, she has had one before this, and we were wondering how to prevent this...with foods or by having her "fixed"? What are your opinions on this from experience... Thanks!

[skwerls_R_soft]

I wonder if using some cranberry juice in the water would be a good idea? Anyone know?
I know cranberry juice is good for a human UTI and there is a urinary supplement for cats that contains cranberry extract.
I fed Skipper some raw cranberries around thanksgiving and he liked them for a brief time.

[Pam]

Have you tried a litter box? My 5yo grey squirrel use to hold her pee until she was about ready to bust...as soon as I would let her out of her cage, she would find a place to pee a river. The litter box helped!!

[Secret Squirrel]

Can you tell us about her entire diet and any suppliment you are giving her on a regular basis. This information may shed some light on her reoccuring UTI.

[LynninIN]

You posted a similar question is the pet forum area on Sunday, I'm not sure you saw my reply so I'll post it here.

Good to prevent UTI: Cranberries and cherries. Drinking enough water.

Not good for UTI's if given frequently: Citrus fruits and tomatoes.


Explanation:
Cranberries acidify urine making bacteria less likely to grow and makes it harder for bacteria to adhere to the bladder wall. Cherries help but not as much as cranberries.

Avoid a lot of citrus and tomatoes because they turn urine more alkaline and allow bacteria growth.

Very important: Pay close attention and make sure she is drinking plenty of water. Chronic mild dehydration can cause recurrent urinary tract infections.

[squirrelbaby]

She eats a variety of nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, almonds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds), veggies ( snap peas, broccoli, squash, red cabbage, romaine, spinach, zucchini, carrots, fava beans, yucca, sweet potato), and fruits(grapes, cherries, apple, tomato). We haven't been giving her very much tomato for awhile and have stopped as soon as we noticed a problem. She has plenty of water available as well.

[squirrelbaby]

Our vet mentioned that her female cycle could be causing problems with her urinary tract, and if this is the problem,
suggests fixing her. Has anyone had a similar experience?

[Gabe]

I'm not a whiz on unneutured squirrels, but it is an issue with unneutured opossums. Maybe fixing her would help.