Species: Dog, Bernese mountain dog
Age: 6 months, 65lbs
Intact female
Medications: Simparica trio
Symptoms: dark urine & purulent smelly vaginal discharge
My puppy has had recurrent vaginitis since 3 months old that we have treated with probiotics, chlorhexidrine wipes and keeping her clean. Recently, she had a particularly bad bout of vaginitis with yellow-green discharge, licking, and skin abrasions. We took her to the vet who ran some tests and determined the skin abrasion was chub rub (his words not mine lol) and that he believed she had an ascending bladder infection. However, the bladder culture came back negative so now I'm at a loss for what may be happening. I'm hoping to get some info ahead of her follow up appointment with her primary vet on Tuesday.
Vet test results: UA_Analyzer 05-12-24 12:06p Collec Cystocentesis Color Dark Yellow Clar Very Cloudy SG 1.055 pH 7.0 LEU neg PRO 1+ GLU neg KET neg UBG 1+ BIL neg BLD 4+
WBC 5 /HPF RBC >50 /HPF BACr None detected BACc None detected sqEPI None detected nsEPI 1 - 2 /HPF HYA None detected nhCST None detected CRY None detected CaOxDi None detected STR None detected BIURAT None detected BILI None detected
Probiotics has not cleared up the vaginitis this time and her urine continues to remain dark. The vet said that there were so many RBC in the original count that the machine had a mini panic attack.
Questions: - What differential would you suggest?

• What further tests should we be running?

Hi there,
I woke up with the worst UTI ever. Have been on the toilet for house with the most burning sensation in my pee hole, smelly urine, having the pee and nothing comes out, all the usual (I used to get UTI’s really regularly, but have been good for the last few years).
I have some antibiotics from an old sinus infection, and have just taken one (Cefalxin) as I can’t get in to the doctors until tomorrow.
While I’m waiting for that to work, any tips? I’m dying over here 😭😭😭😭 so so so uncomfortable. I’ve also taken some ural and herbal urinary tract support vitamins.
Any tips for pain relief would be great!

First/Previous
Satan was on the air, on the night, within everything in the long shadows cast by the setting sun and with him came a chill to the air that I could never hope to internalize; it might kill me.
From a rotted abode across the street, I watched the large outbuilding and the field in which we’d buried the hand and I found myself in prayer—among the torn and exposed studs of dry-rotted wood and rusted metal I caught my own whispers and forced myself to stop like I intended to convene with God right there in the dark; I wasn’t there for Allah. It was something else that compelled me there. I whispered the prayer and felt foolish at my own voice and ducked lowly among the rubble and held my breath to watch the sunlight go from the land and in a blink, the light was gone, and I was there in darkness that at first was a terror and then I slipped into it through blinks and the surroundings became clearer even in the dark.
Time went on.
I was exposed, but the yougins were safe—Trouble too. If nothing else mattered in the world, then they should go on without me. It had come to me so suddenly (maybe it was the prayer that withdrew such a sentimentality) that I liked them okay.
Before anything else, a cat’s hiss came so faintly that I plugged my ear with my pinky, shook it and listened again; the noise grew closer, and I could do nothing but watch the field and squint in the darkness and wait.
Fumbling, I counted the glass containers with touch only—two in my jacket pocket and the third by my feet—and my fingers then danced to the threadbare strap of the shotgun on my shoulder; I shed my pack for mobility.
The domineering creature lurched forcefully from the shadows and then went on display in the moonlight properly and its arched back protruded even over its own head till it lifted that muzzle, so its rattish face was cut out in a black outline; it was sniffing, and the hiss came through the air again. The Alukah kept a serpentine strut, smoothly gliding across the ground as it used its hands like forelegs to press its snout against the ground. In watching, I consciously relaxed my shoulders and refrained from biting my teeth together. That creature found the spot it had been searching for—it seemed roughly the place we’d buried the hand—and it took its claws there with bestial shovelfuls.
In a hurry, I gathered the jar I’d placed by my feet—it would not slide so gracefully into my jacket as the others—and as quietly as I could, I slinked around the rubble, through two studs, and onto the dirt. Within milliseconds, my own heartbeat pounded all over my body and I stood in the street and lit the Molotov cocktail with a lighter and took closer to the creature.
It shifted around and in that moment I wished I had a light source powerful enough to expose its body; I tossed the cocktail in a high arch and it exploded in a moment by the creature’s feet as it stood and pivoted to look at me fully; its solid white eyes were wide in a glance of moon-shine and it slung itself from the eruption of flames around its feet with violent speed. Its black hair hung down the sides of its face and its head parted midway to expose a snarl. It stalked in a circle around the concentration of flames, remaining mostly in the dark; the thing moved slowly nearer, those long arms swaying in front of itself with each step.
You should know better. It stopped midstride, coming no closer and we each stood there in the field roughly thirty feet from one another, and I refused to take my eyes from it. The boy’s mine. The flames began to flicker and die. For how long we stood like that, I couldn’t say, and I waited.
I couldn’t find a voice till it was all dark again, besides the moon and stars. “Why can’t you leave us be? There’s easier pickins.”
You offer yourself too much credit, Harlan. We remained in silence and in the darkness the creature may have been a statue—in a blink it seemed as much. You are a corpse, no? A walking corpse of a man! A terrible sickness is in you. I know it. I see it on you as plainly as I see your fear.
Rigidity took over my body and I puffed my chest out like it meant something and I shook my head, “I’m not afraid.”
Not of me, no. Of yourself? Something. The voice lingered with the ends of its words, drawing them out first guttural then it left them on hisses. Something I know.
I lit the next Molotov, and the creature didn’t move; I threw the bottle furiously and it went into the darkness like a far candleflame till it erupted in the spot the Alukah had been standing—the thing had leapt from there, leaving me unawares and I lowered myself to the ground in a crouch, swiveling my head around to catch the thing in the dark. The flames on the ground danced brightly, leaving me light-blinded.
Not again, said the thing, You will not catch me so easily with fire again. It was behind me, nearer the outbuilding and it took a moment through blinks for my eyesight to return well enough to see the grotesqueness of the misshapen massive humanoid thing.
The Molotov explosion burned then disappeared and we stood looking at one another again and I felt silly, foolish, radically unprepared, and overwhelmingly trivial in the grand scheme of the universe—if it wanted to, it could leap the distance between us and rip me to shreds. Why didn’t it kill me? Why wasn’t I dead?
That damnable night creature extended one of its massive forehands, flexing the digits on the end of its arm and whispered its words like a plea, The boy, Harlan. That is all. Take that brimstone smelly girl and carry that shell of a body—walk on to whatever hole you humans call home.
Hoping to not draw a movement from the creature, I pressed my forearm against my ribcage, feeling the last Molotov that was there in the inner pocket and I gently slid the strap from my shoulder, and held my shotgun in both hands, licking my dry lips, watching the dark frame of the Alukah, fearing even a moment of distraction; my eyes locked on the creature and I refused to speak.
No deal then. It wasn’t a question; its rattish snout offered a mild nod of understanding. You despise a good sense of words.
I readied the shotgun, legs spaced in proper formation—looking down the barrel, I held my breath and upon squeezing the trigger, the thing knocked into my shoulder, but the creature was gone. In scanning, I found the thing had moved from the field and bounded wildly across the street towards the dead ruins of Annapolis, its muscular limbs made short work of fleeing.
The outbuilding remained quiet and erectly tall, and I moved to its shadow and cussed whispers for wasting ammunition. Only three shells remained; worse, I’d wasted two of my explosives. I watched the horizon in the opposite direction of the crowded foundations of Annapolis and carefully held my breath in watching and I prayed again, hoping that the commotion would not draw attention.
An overwhelming sense of foolishness welled in my guts, and I trotted off towards the direction I’d watched the Alukah go, through the ramshackle streets haphazardly.
The darkness was maddeningly empty, so I filled it with shouts, “C’mon! This is your turf, ain’t it? This darkness is yours so come and take me if you can!” Rusty as I was, I held the shotgun like never before, squinting my eyes, keeping my pace in unison with my heartbeat. There’s a place in that darkness that is beyond reproach, beyond the comprehension of a city dweller, beyond even my own understanding and I found myself padding through those streets at an accelerated rate, hopeful to confront the demon and I only found more dead and vacant lots and I crossed more than two intersections where the signs were either gone or indecipherable in the black shadows cast there. I wished for a payback of the demon’s hunt or perhaps I wished for something even more than that—what did I need to prove and to who? “You sick and twisted and foul beast!” I went so loud I continued to hoarseness, “Slimy fuck!” I’s so mad that spit came with the words too.
Still, there was nothing and I came to a final crossroads, a place more commercial—at least for a flatland dead town—where brick storefronts half-stood on those four corners. Finding my voice again, I continued my tirade, cursing the demon, “Come get some—c’mon already! Here’s your fight?” I was scared though.
A sudden noise from the dilapidated storefront to my left startled me to pivot and watch, gun pulled up, and I focused as hard as I could on the recesses of that shadowed place; it was a large antiquated face where a window might have sat many years prior. Wet and hungry sounds emanated from that place, the disgusting noises of a fiend—even in knowing it, I was surprised in seeing the new creature spill out in a lumpish mess of slickened muscles, lubricated, its innumerable arms and legs clawed its own body forward so that it rolled like a mushy ball—each of those limbs remained human in nature. Upon the thing pulling itself onto the street, I staggered backwards, gun still raised, and watched its form take a modicum of understanding in the moonlight; its mouths—sporadically, illogically placed over its mass of a body—opened and seemed to try and speak with each one merely letting go of meekly audible, painful sighs in doing so. The eyes, spaced much the same as the mouths, blinked and rolled as if it was torture for the thing to live. The mutant was a tongue-like mass at its center, and it was almost the size of a horse—I’d seen fiends grow much larger, but this was still a great threat.
In moving away from where it spilled onto the street, I stumbled backwards and caught myself on the backfoot and clumsily spun into a sprint; my boots pounded in my flight from the thing, and it chased after.
Its mouths exhausted terrible sighs as it gained speed in the relative openness of the street and in seconds, I would not have been surprised if the thing snatched me by an ankle and devoured me without thought—not that fiends had any other thoughts above the basest urge to consume.
The pursuit kept me going in the dark, watching the still shadows of the dilapidated housing and I pushed on until I tasted copper; my breathing went raspy—it’d been so long since I’d been forced to run from such a creature in the open. I took a glance back and saw it coming, gaining speed in its perpetual roll; its body excreted some fluid across itself so that it could glide more easily.
Coming to a crossroads I’d passed earlier, or perhaps it was a new one—I couldn’t fathom in the dark—I took in the direction of what I thought was south and ran full throttle; my knees ached.
In hoping to confuse the mutant, I quickly dove towards the right side of the southbound street, towards some ramshackle, through the skeletal framing of a skinless house without a roof; I pushed through the pencil-narrow vertical beams and stumbled through, landing onto the unseen ground on the other side. My left leg spasmed and in the millisecond that it took for my nerves to register the pain, I let out a mild, “Oh.” I tried to lift myself from the spot and found that my left leg refused to bend straight; in total horror—more so from my body failing than the mutant—I swiveled my torso around and scooted on my rear across the ground, raking myself in the opposite direction of the fiend.
The mutant slammed into the frame; its many arms reached through the bars and in a moment, it began to use its hands to lift itself along the exposed wall and I scooted further away till my back met the bars of where an opposite wall would’ve gone. In a scramble, I snatched the shotgun, pushed myself sniff against the bars on my side and watched the thing down the barrel; I waited and concentrated on my own breathing. If nothing else worked, I still had that Molotov—if not for it then for me.
As it crested the top of the wall made of bars, I watched patiently and only when I was certain I fired.
The mutant, the great meatball-thing that it was, lost its grasp for a moment and slipped onto the arrangement of vertical bars; I gush of liquid, illuminated in starlight, shot from its base of its soft body; it began to try and catch its grasp on the bars and I took a moment for myself to examine my left knee—I pulled it as close to my face as I could manage which was hardly at all—some black triangular mass had lodged itself into my flesh; more accurately, I’d slammed myself onto something sharp in my panic to flee the fiend. In a second, not thinking of the repercussions, I gripped the thing with my left hand and clamped my mouth onto my right hand, biting into fat of my hand by the thumb. The debris was free from my leg, and I let it to fall to the ground; blood ran freely into my mouth and I let go of the bite and tentatively lifted the gun again, ignoring the pain; the creature continued to struggle, and I fired again. It slipped again, further impaling itself on the bars.
I had one shell left.
Using the place I’d propped my back, I pushed free from the ground and put all my weight onto my right leg, testing the left; I staggered—hopped really—around in the small square of ground surrounded by metal framing and searched the ground for something long. I unearthed the dirt around my feet and found a long piece of metal rod; setting the gun to the side, I lifted the metal rod over my head and then slowly arched it out from my body. It would give me just enough room to further injure the thing while also staying well out of its grasp.
I swung the makeshift weapon down like a bat or a sword and the fiend slid a little further down the bars, the exit wounds began to show across the top of its roundish body, and I smacked it again—its mouths spoke words that could nearly be understood. Though it took only moments, I was thoroughly exhausted by the time the creature had reached the ground again, good and dead and impaled upon six of those vertical bars. I tossed the weapon to the ground, lifted my gun, and shimmied through the bars on the opposite side of the square.
Adrenaline only lasts so long, and my left leg throbbed to the point of nausea; I did not want to inspect the wound, but on rounding the ramshackle and watching the still dead thing, I stumbled into the street and knelt and lifted my pant leg. It was dark and bloody and already it was burning. Infection was my first thought. A puncture wound could spell a terrible fate. I shifted to sit in the street. My leg didn’t bend right.
The cat’s hiss came from the darkness and there wasn’t a way I could respond in time; I felt those long nasty fingers grab me by the back of my neck and I was lifted immediately from the ground—the gun clattered to the ground and all I could do was initially freeze and stiffen and then my hands moved to the grasp which held me firmly by the throat; those massive knuckles were like stones.
The Alukah had me and situated me so that it could look into my face, its long black hair hid its eyes but I could smell its breath and see its teeth which rested in its round mouth. I could snap you. It seemed to nod its head, but to detect humanity in that damnable pale face was a mistake.
I choked.
What’s that? It relaxed its grasp on my throat.
“Do it.”
Why’re you crying? Its foot brushed against the gun at its feet, and it lifted it with its free hand, and it commented casually, Little human toy.
It moved, holding me by the throat, dragging me along the ground in an abnormal sluggish gait. It was hard to see anything but the night sky, anything but the strange angle of the demon—with its grip, it was hard to breathe, and tears indeed welled in my eyes, and I held to its forearm to distribute some of the weight of my own body away from my neck. With its tugging, I could not speak, but it spoke.
I’ll squeeze you dry, but your blood’s too tainted to drink. That won’t make it any less interesting. I’ll twist you like a rag and see which hole it comes from first. More than that, you’ll scream. You’ll scream so loud everyone will know. Everyone will know what I’ve done to you—once you’re no more than ruin. Not even Mephisto would balk at my handiwork once I’ve had my time with you. God will look on your sour corpse with so much disgust there won’t be a place for you anywhere. Only Oblivion, a place worse than any.
The creature moved us to the open field, tilted its head back and forth, rose its rattish face to the sky and snorted and then clearly sniffed, dropping the gun to its feet to brush the long black hair from its eyes; its muscular body shone in the moonlight so that even its bluish veins stood plainly from its white skin. It shifted its gaze to the outbuilding—maybe fifty yards away—where the youngins were hidden.
Deftly, the thing lifted me from where it had kept me by its side and my feet levitated over the air, I felt feet taller, suspended from that long arm the way I was. It took its free hand to my midsection and I felt the digits of its hand squeeze my ribs and it let go of my throat and I coughed and wheezed, placing my hands on its fingers to dig into that thing’s skin—it didn’t matter—in seconds, a scream escaped my rattling throat; it squeezed more and I felt the glass bottle in my jacket burst from the force then the Alukah gave relief and I tried to gulp air, but felt pangs along my body. My jacket was wetted from blood by the broken bottle shards entering my body or from the contents of the bottle or both.
Urine? It pulled me close to itself, sniffed, and shook its head. Oil? it cackled, Again! Beg for the help you do not deserve! It held me outright once more.
Again, the great hand constricted me and again I could not help but to let out a scream—my lungs were on fire, my voice stretched like a dying animal. I heard barks and saw nothing through wild choking tears. The grip softened.
I coughed more and tried to speak; the Alukah brought me close to itself as if to wait and listen to what I had to say. Weeping words fell out in a whisper, “Kill me. Do it. I don’t mind.”
Another sharp laugh exited the thing’s throat and it squeezed again, facing me out so that I could look at the black outline of the outbuilding. I heard the barking again and I saw the figures stumble out from the sidelong face of the outbuilding. I blinked to remove the tears.
A voice, neither mine nor the demon’s, shouted an attempt at authority, “Let him go!” It was Gemma. They rounded the building so that moonlight removed them from obscurity. Gemma held Trouble on a lead while Andrew followed.
Trouble growled.
The smile was audible through the Alukah’s voice, Strong words for one so dainty. I felt its grip tighten and I chuffed and couldn’t manage a word.
“Get it!” shouted Gemma; she let go of Trouble’s lead and the dog looked curiously at me and the demon where we were and tucked its tail and circled to hide behind the children.
The Alukah laughed. Scary dog.
I was lightheaded while my vision went; I should die—I’d bleed out there or some unknown medical oddity would shut me off. Perhaps I’d will myself to death. My head nodded tiredly, and I fought it, blinking, shaking my head to maintain my eyes.
“You want me?” The boy took a few steps forward and his voice cracked. “We could make a deal.”
The Alukah lowered me so that my feet skimmed the ground but shifted to keep a tight hold around only my throat. Oh?
“What are you doing?” shouted Gemma; she closed the space between herself and Andrew and shoved him.
He shoved her back. “Me for him,” he addressed the demon.
Is that the deal?
Everything in my body protested while I reached for the jean pocket on my right side; I could not reach it. I stretched and my ribs screamed in pain—it was worse than bruising. The demon did not notice me moving. Maybe because my movements were weak, subtle. I tried again while mentally asking God for help and I came short of the pocket. I cursed Him and then my shaking fingers found the pocket. I withdrew the lighter there.
“That’s right,” said Andrew.
“No, he won’t,” Gemma’s voice was aflame.
It’s not your deal to make, girly.
I took the lighter to my jacket, lit it, and the flames grew around me in a flash, feeding on the oil.
The Alukah hissed, attempted to unwrap its hand from around me while I dug into its forearm with two claws and bit onto the thing’s hand for extra purchase. It swung me around and my legs flew limply. It took every bit of strength I had.
Let go! The Alukah shrieked.
Trouble barked, the children screamed, and I bit deeper till that thick black blood filled my mouth. The flames were immaculate, cleansing, more furious than I could’ve imagined. Not for life—that’s not why I held on so strongly—it was for them, for Andrew and Gemma. Me and that creature should’ve burned together. Fitting.
Delirium took over and I swiveled overhead in the demon’s tantrum, holding onto that arm. The Alukah hissed, roared, shouted nasty epithets.
The gunshot rang out and I met ground, hard.
Exhaustion or death could’ve taken me then, but it was the former.
When consciousness came again, it was hands, smacking hands that brought me to life—then the vague smell of burnt hair, cooked flesh. My body stung and I could not move but to lift my face from the dirt where I lay belly-flat.
“You almost died,” said Gemma somewhere between hope and sorrow, “You almost killed yourself!” She shook me and shoved me hard enough so that I rolled on my back. She’d been crying, but surely, we’d won. What was there to cry for? If we’d lost, she wouldn’t be talking at all.
She left me and I stared at the sky through slits. The sun was coming but I couldn’t feel the warmth; I couldn’t feel anything (that would be a sweet memory in the time to come). It was quiet save the crackling I heard; it was like the lowness of a dying fire. It wasn’t me? I wasn’t on fire?
When she returned, she lifted my head to place my pack underneath it; it elevated my vision. I surveyed my surroundings. The outbuilding was there and the Alukah lay on the ground perhaps ten feet from me; its body charred and sizzled and caught little flames in response to the cresting sunrise; everything was a daze—we’d won.
Gemma’s eyes glittered, and she called the dog over and the dog sniffed my face and the girl’s lips remained flat, expressionless.
I saw the boy’s body—it lay motionless alongside the dead Alukah and alongside that body was my shotgun. The body’s head sat on its side, disconnected from its owner, facing away from where I lay.
“He killed it. He shot it.” Gemma sat beside me, and Trouble placed her snout on the girl’s shoulder. “We’re going to die,” she nodded.
First/Previous
Archive

Not looking for medical advice. I want to know what you do when you know something is wrong with your kiddo but specialist keep defering responsibility. How do parents get their voice heard?
Back in September 2023 my son, who was two at the time, had a UTI. Because he is so young and a male, they checked his kidney and we found out that he has grade 3 VUR. He is now seen by a urologist. Since we’ve established that relationship I’ve had to bring him into urgent care every two or so months for what appears to be a UTI. Every time the initial sample comes back showing abnormalities, such as white blood cells, so he is put on antibiotics while we wait for the culture results. And every time the culture comes back negative. Between going to urgent care and the results from the culture, the symptoms clears up which I’ve always credited to the antibiotics. 80% of the time it’s just cloudy and smelly urine so it’s been chalked up to dehydration. He drinks a lot of water, especially now that these symptoms have been an issue so I haven’t really bought that explanation, but I’m not a doctor. The last time we went in was really bad. When I first noticed the urine getting cloudy, I started pumping him with water. But then his urine turned the darkest I’ve l seen any urine in my almost 40 years on this earth. And I’ve seen some dark urine when taking care of my elderly father in law who refused to drink anything besides Diet Coke. My son was in so much pain he couldn’t sleep through the night. But once again, the culture came back negative so urology says it’s not within their scope to figure out what’s going on. The pediatrician, who’s been extremely supportive, sent a referral to Nephrology. But since we’re going to urgent care for suspected UTIs, they say I need to go to urology.
Is it unreasonable of me to want answers? I don’t know what to do from here and hoping someone can give advice on how I can get action. Thanks
Edit - additional info:
I don’t take him to urgent care every time he starts showing symptoms. I always try his pediatrician first because he is managing the chronic UTIs but there are two reasons we’ve ended up at urgent care. 1.) My son has been in pain on weekends and the after hours nurse tells us to go to urgent care and 2.) Sometimes none of the pediatricians in the office have availability and they recommend going to urgent care. We go to a children’s specific urgent care who’s in the same children’s hospital as the urologist & nephrologist. The children’s hospital also has a relationship with the pediatrician. One more thing to note - the children’s Hospital’s urgent care we go to has rotating pediatricians seeing patients. Similar to a standard ER.

Not looking for medical advice. I want to know what you do when you know something is wrong with your kiddo but specialist keep defering responsibility. How do parents get their voice heard?
Back in September 2023 my son, who was two at the time, had a UTI. Because he is so young and a male, they checked his kidney and we found out that he has grade 3 VUR. He is now seen by a urologist. Since we’ve established that relationship I’ve had to bring him into urgent care every two or so months for what appears to be a UTI. Every time the initial sample comes back showing abnormalities, such as white blood cells, so he is put on antibiotics while we wait for the culture results. And every time the culture comes back negative. Between going to urgent care and the results from the culture, the symptoms clears up which I’ve always credited to the antibiotics. 80% of the time it’s just cloudy and smelly urine so it’s been chalked up to dehydration. He drinks a lot of water, especially now that these symptoms have been an issue so I haven’t really bought that explanation, but I’m not a doctor. The last time we went in was really bad. When I first noticed the urine getting cloudy, I started pumping him with water. But then his urine turned the darkest I’ve l seen any urine in my almost 40 years on this earth. And I’ve seen some dark urine when taking care of my elderly father in law who refused to drink anything besides Diet Coke. My son was in so much pain he couldn’t sleep through the night. But once again, the culture came back negative so urology says it’s not within their scope to figure out what’s going on. The pediatrician, who’s been extremely supportive, sent a referral to Nephrology. But since we’re going to urgent care for suspected UTIs, they say I need to go to urology.
Is it unreasonable of me to want answers? I don’t know what to do from here and hoping someone can give advice on how I can get action. Thanks
Edit - additional info:
I don’t take him to urgent care every time he starts showing symptoms. I always try his pediatrician first because he is managing the chronic UTIs but there are two reasons we’ve ended up at urgent care. 1.) My son has been in pain on weekends and the after hours nurse tells us to go to urgent care and 2.) Sometimes none of the pediatricians in the office have availability and they recommend going to urgent care. We go to a children’s specific urgent care who’s in the same children’s hospital as the urologist & nephrologist. The children’s hospital also has a relationship with the pediatrician. One more thing to note - the children’s Hospital’s urgent care we go to has rotating pediatricians seeing patients. Similar to a standard ER.

Not looking for medical advice. I want to know what you do when you know something is wrong with your kiddo but specialist keep defering responsibility. How do parents get their voice heard?
Back in September 2023 my son, who was two at the time, had a UTI. Because he is so young and a male, they checked his kidney and we found out that he has grade 3 VUR. He is now seen by a urologist. Since we’ve established that relationship I’ve had to bring him into urgent care every two or so months for what appears to be a UTI. Every time the initial sample comes back showing abnormalities, such as white blood cells, so he is put on antibiotics while we wait for the culture results. And every time the culture comes back negative. Between going to urgent care and the results from the culture, the symptoms clears up which I’ve always credited to the antibiotics. 80% of the time it’s just cloudy and smelly urine so it’s been chalked up to dehydration. He drinks a lot of water, especially now that these symptoms have been an issue so I haven’t really bought that explanation, but I’m not a doctor. The last time we went in was really bad. When I first noticed the urine getting cloudy, I started pumping him with water. But then his urine turned the darkest I’ve l seen any urine in my almost 40 years on this earth. And I’ve seen some dark urine when taking care of my elderly father in law who refused to drink anything besides Diet Coke. My son was in so much pain he couldn’t sleep through the night. But once again, the culture came back negative so urology says it’s not within their scope to figure out what’s going on. The pediatrician, who’s been extremely supportive, sent a referral to Nephrology. But since we’re going to urgent care for suspected UTIs, they say I need to go to urology.
Is it unreasonable of me to want answers? I don’t know what to do from here and hoping someone can give advice on how I can get action. Thanks
Edit - additional info:
I don’t take him to urgent care every time he starts showing symptoms. I always try his pediatrician first because he is managing the chronic UTIs but there are two reasons we’ve ended up at urgent care. 1.) My son has been in pain on weekends and the after hours nurse tells us to go to urgent care and 2.) Sometimes none of the pediatricians in the office have availability and they recommend going to urgent care. We go to a children’s specific urgent care who’s in the same children’s hospital as the urologist & nephrologist. The children’s hospital also has a relationship with the pediatrician. One more thing to note - the children’s Hospital’s urgent care we go to has rotating pediatricians seeing patients. Similar to a standard ER.

Hi All,
I'm a few weeks away from being able to meet with my rheumatologist, and I've been doing some research on the side to better educate myself on my situation. I've NOT been diagnosed with RA, but my PCP is highly suspicious that I may have inflammatory arthritis based on family history and symptoms, although there seems to be inconsistencies in my symptoms (based on what I was told is common in RA patients). My mom has RA and a cousin as well. After discussing my symptoms, my PCP sent me for bloodwork, x-ray and muskuloskeletal ultrasound, and simultaneously sent a requisition for me to meet with a rheumatologist.
I am 35M with bi-symmetrical pain in both hands and feet (for the last 4-5 weeks) which I understand is a hallmark symptom of RA. However, I have no swelling, no morning stiffness and no redness in my joints. Only mild throbbing pain in MCP, proximal joints and wrists that's been gradually getting worse, and it's a little painful when I brush my teeth or use a knife with a cutting board. Negative RF, CCP, ANA. Low C-reactive. Low sed rate, normal CBC, normal urine tests (for gout). I also got x-rays done as suggested by my PCP which show no erosion.
Anyways, my question relates specifically to the ultrasound... I just got the test results today and it indicates that there is no evidence of synovitis, no effusion, no erosion and normal joint spacing. This surprises me as I somehow expected there to be something on the imaging that would justify the pain that I've been experiencing off and on. It's a little confusing to me.
In any case, my questions are:

• How accurate is a US for early RA diagnosis?
• Did anyone else on here get "unremarkable" US imaging while they had early RA symptoms?

I'm partially concerned that the Rheum will not take me seriously if MSUS results are clean.

I’m thinking about changing litter boxes for my 10 y/o male cat, but have tried many different kinds of boxes (top entry, hooded, open, etc) over the years. The breeze system (or something like it) is the only thing I haven’t tried. He likes his current box & litter just fine but loves kicking the litter around and only pees in the back corner, which sometimes leaks because the hood sits on the outside of the box. It’s becoming more difficult to clean (and smelly) and I’m finding litter trackings all over the house.
Just wondering if anyone has used breeze before/with a similar cat to mine, and if I decide to get one if I should get the hooded version and risk urine leaks or get the normal one and risk him kicking pellets all over the place :/

I've had the typical big toe gout flair. This isn't it. My ankle is swollen on left and right side and some pain in my midfoot. Started last week, went away for a week and came back a week later. Had urine in my blood this morning and I could swear some joints in my fingers are feeling random pain but not like typical stabbing gout pain. Is this another variation of gout symptoms or something else? Just did blood tests and scheduled ultrasounds. Waiting for results

So I went to the doctor today and he told me there is a 3 mm stone in my right kidney,but I am also worried about fever as,is it normal to have fever and smelly urine in Kidney stones or is it a sign of infection or major issue?. Doctor said fever could be a sign of infection
Ps: There is no blood in my urine,it doesn't bother in urine passage but the pain is there along with fever and cloudy and smelly urine

I started 4 of us on the Seeking Health B-complex MF (no methyls) and a couple other things due to slow COMT. MTHFR varies between us among other things. Everyone was doing great until last week (2 weeks in). My oldest daughter, who has had a slew of issues, started passing kidney stones, mucus, and clots in her urine. I'm waiting to get her into the urologist, but just be aware that if you also have the mutation rs1260326 or any that states that it increases the chances of gout..B3 may be an issue. That's the only connection I could find yet (still searching) because both gout and stones can be caused by an increase in uric acid. It's recommended that those with uric acid issues should stay under 50mg of B3 or niacin daily, and that complex has 95mg. Her doctor didn't run the labs that I wanted, but she did the most crucial (proving my point and showing that her homocysteine was high). Had she checked her uric acid, I may have skipped it. She's never had a stone before, but her paternal aunt gets them a lot, and her paternal grandmother has gout and kidney issues. Her daddy had unexplained kidney failure at age 22. I took my son to the real doctor a week later and told him what I was doing, and he wants me to bring him my genetic research info next visit (just know that some of you here may be helping a whole community in the near future because you've helped me tremendously!!) because he's genuinely curious. He was looking stuff up the whole time I was talking. Her doctor is his dismissive PA, but I will absolutely be switching her to the actual doctor, and I'm hoping he talks with the PA! He even looked at my daughter's file and agreed with what I told him. I didn't agree that she thought all her issues were simply from a genetic blood disorder.. one that I and many in my family have. None of us felt like she did. The stack was working great for her until this. She went from no desire to do things to having more energy and baking every day plus increased libido (relax, she's 20 & married, lol). Now she has to stop them and I have to order individual ones. 🙃 I didn't ask them to pay for them yet (yes, they're responsible adults) because I'm still working with trial and error, and her husband leaves for active duty for a month soon.. and she's been too sick herself to work.
Treating 4 people at once isn't cheap. If anyone has any suggestions on cost savings, it would be immensely appreciated!! I was looking at glycine options.. is the collagen just as effective, or what's the cheapest/best option? It looks like glycine and choline may be the two biggest cost factors because of the higher dosings among so many people. I took advantage of initial discounts the first time around but didn't want to order too much stuff we didn't need yet as well.
I may need to find a job soon, lol. On the plus side, I haven't had my ADHD meds in 2 weeks now and I feel great plus I'm finally sleeping again.. when my 11 year old isn't up all night.

What is Ikaria Lean Belly Juice?

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Ikaria Juice is a strong concoction of rare nutrients designed to help your body get rid of harmful ceramide compounds, which are the recently identified primary cause of persistent fat accumulation. The Ikaria Juice revitalizes your body from the inside out by eliminating ceramides. enabling you to effortlessly dissolve obstinate, clogged fat and infuse your body with renewed vitality and energy.

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Ikaria Juice Active Ingredients

Ikaria Juice features four unique blends: metabolic, probiotic, digestive, and polyphenol blends, composed of natural ingredients. This formula provides a comprehensive metabolic transformation with carefully selected components.

1. Bioperine: Blocks fat cell formation. Bioperine, a piperine extract, increases the absorption of essential nutrients and plant compounds. It promotes weight loss by preventing the formation of fat cells in the body, while also enhancing cognitive health.
2. Fucoxanthin: Ikaria Juice includes fucoxanthin, which activates a protein that transforms fat cells into energy and heat. Fucoxanthin, derived from seaweed, is rich in phytonutrients with antioxidant properties, as per studies. An increasing number of weight loss aids and anti-inflammatory supplements utilize fucoxanthin.
3. EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate): Promotes fat burning. ECGC, a strong antioxidant, promotes fat burning, supports a healthy heart and brain, and improves cognitive function. Studies have indicated that ECGC can boost metabolism and decrease body fat.
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• Other Benefits: Ikaria Juice can also support cognition and mental energy, block the formation of new fat cells, and support overall health and longevity, among other benefits - similar to the benefits that Greek residents of Ikaria enjoy from their regular diet and lifestyle.
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• Support Normal Uric Acid Levels: In a healthy body, uric acid is excreted through the urine. On the other hand, some diets can raise uric levels to the point where your body struggles to eliminate uric. This is known as gout. Weight and uric acid have been linked in some studies. In this study, for example, researchers compared people's uric acid levels before and after losing weight, discovering that people's uric acid levels dropped by 3 points after losing 16 lbs.

What is Foot Odor?

What is Foot Odor? – Normally, the feet have more sweat glands than any other part of the body. Shoes and socks can prevent sweat from evaporating or being absorbed, and the accumulated sweat can attract bacteria. The bacteria cause the sweat to smell bad, leading to foot odor, medically known as bromodosis. Foot odor is a common medical condition.
Sweating and body odor are common when a person exercises or is in a very hot environment. It is also common when the individual feels tense, anxious or stressed. Unusual changes in sweating, such as excessive sweating – hyperhidrosis – or little or no sweating – anhidrosis – can be a health concern. Changes in body odor can also be part of the signs or symptoms that indicate a health problem.
In many cases, lifestyle and home treatments can often help to return to normal sweating and avoid body odor.

What Causes Foot Odor?

Airtight shoes and thick socks can prevent the evaporation or absorption of sweat, which normally attracts bacteria. Shoes and socks made of synthetic materials often increase the amount of natural sweat produced by the individual and do not allow it to evaporate or absorb, so the foot remains wet. When sweat causes the body to remain moist for long periods of time, it can encourage the growth of bacteria and fungi in sweaty areas. The bacteria that accumulate in this way cause the sweat to smell bad, leading to foot odor, or bromodosis. In some cases, this can also cause a condition called athlete’s foot.
In some cases, poor hygiene habits such as rarely washing the feet or not changing socks at least once a day can play a role in the development of foot odor. Stress, various diseases such as diabetes or thyroid disorders, or certain medications can also increase the amount of sweat produced by the body, resulting in excessive sweating of the feet. Bromodosis can also be caused by hyperhidrosis, a condition in which the skin sweats excessively. Hyperhidrosis is commonly seen in adolescents and pregnant women whose hormones are constantly changing.
Sweating is caused by sweat glands in the individual’s body. The two main types of sweat glands are eccrine glands and apocrine glands. Eccrine glands are found in most of the body and open directly onto the skin surface. These glands secrete fluids that cool the body as they evaporate when the body temperature rises. Apocrine glands are usually found in hairy areas, such as the armpits and groin. These glands secrete a fluid when the individual is stressed. This fluid is odorless until it combines with bacteria on the skin.
To diagnose a problem with foot odor or sweating, the doctor will probably ask about the individual’s medical history and do a physical examination. In some cases, the doctor may order a blood or urine test. The tests may show whether the individual’s problem is caused by a medical condition, such as infection, diabetes or an overactive thyroid, hyperthyroidism, or hyperhidrosis, excessive sweating.

What are the Symptoms of Foot Odor?

Foot odor itself is a symptom. It is the odor of the feet, or of the socks or shoes worn, that causes discomfort to the individual and those around them. Some people naturally sweat more or less than others.
Body and foot odor can also vary from person to person. However, some changes in sweating can be a sign of another medical problem. For this reason, individuals who suddenly start sweating more or less than usual, whose daily routine is disrupted due to sweating, who experience night sweats for no apparent reason, and who notice an unexpected change in body and foot odor should consult a doctor.

How to Prevent and Treat Foot Odor?

Foot odor can often be controlled and treated by taking the right steps to reduce sweaty feet and bacteria. This requires attention to the cleanliness of both the feet and the clothing items associated with the feet, such as socks and shoes.
Good foot hygiene is very important in foot odor treatment. Individuals should wash their feet daily with mild soap or antifungal soap using a scrub brush. After washing, the feet should be thoroughly dried, especially between the toes. Toenails should be kept short and clean. Check the soles of the feet for hard, dead skin and remove it with a foot file. Hard skin provides an ideal home for bacteria when it is moist.
There are a number of medical treatments that can be administered to individuals with hyperhidrosis who cannot control their sweating, such as iontophoresis and injections. During iontophoresis, the individual’s feet are immersed in a bowl of water through which a very weak electric current is passed. This temporarily blocks the sweat glands.

Lifestyle Changes and Home Care Against Foot Odor

Bathing every day, especially regular bathing with an antibacterial soap, reduces bacterial growth on the skin.
Individuals should choose shoes and socks appropriate for their activities and the season. For daily use, thick, soft fabric socks made of natural fibers or socks that will absorb sweat, such as sports socks specially designed to absorb moisture during periods of increased sweating such as sports, should be preferred. These allow the skin to breathe. Similarly, non-synthetic leather or canvas shoes should be preferred. During the summer, open-toed sandals and spending time barefoot at home in the evenings can be beneficial.
Using the wrong shoes and socks or wearing the same pair too often can lead to smelly feet. To avoid this, people should change socks at least once a day. If they sweat a lot or get wet, shoes should be changed every 24 hours to allow them to dry more easily. The soles of shoes can be removed to help the drying process.
A number of products can help to deodorize or reduce foot odor, such as antifungal foot spray or medicated foot powder, or medicated insoles that act as deodorants inside shoes, or antibacterial soaps.
Changing diet can control sweat odor or the amount of sweat. Caffeinated drinks and spicy or strong-smelling foods can make an individual sweat more than usual or cause stronger body odor. Avoiding these foods can help the individual.

How to Eliminate Foot Odor?

In many cases, good cleaning and hygiene habits are sufficient to relieve foot odor. In some cases, however, it is necessary to treat the underlying medical condition that causes foot odor.

I have a masturbation sock and kind of over did it. I used it like 2 or 3 times one week and left it in my dirty laundry bin and didn't clean it. A week later it was a crusty and foul smelling, idiot old me decided to use it again still in that crusty and smelly state. Minutes after I was done I started feeling itchyness and soreness in the urethral opening of my penis. I took a shower and kind of forgot about it for the day. The next morning I woke up and the opening of my penis was red and a bit swollen, plus i noticed various yellow spots on my boxer briefs, which ment I had discharge also. It didn't hurt to urinate, but I feel the urine differently as if it was "hotter" but not a burning sensation nor pain. This is really embarrassing to explain to a doctor so I decided to use a tropical cream by myself (betacort plus) it's been 5 days days and the redness, itchyness, swelling and soreness has gotten much better, no more "hot pee" sensation, but the discharge is still there. The discharge hasn't gotten worst, but it definitely hasn't gotten better. What kind of infection is this?

Basically, allopurinol even in very small doses seems to make me not sleep as well or cause insomnia. I can do it for a few days and then I start waking like every hour. As soon as I stop allopurinol, i immediately sleep deeply. Anyone have good alternative meds for gout? I haven't tried febuxostat but it seems higher risk (black label) for cardio issues as well as possibly causing insomnia as well. I think there's a 3rd drug out there that flushed kidneys out better and causes lots of urination?

Greetings fellow diverticulitisites, I had surgery yesterday to remove a portion of my sigmoid colon and it was done laparoscopically. Currently laying in my hospital bed and dozing off in and out of sleep. Feeling pretty good overall, except for when the pain medication wears off.
If it wasn't for this community and the postings of others who had successfully undergone surgery, I wouldn't have come to the decision myself so easily. But I felt like I was informed going in and have a reasonable idea of what to expect in my recovery.
I'm going to keep updating this with as much information as I can to help at least chronicle what my recovery was like. Perhaps that information will be useful to someone else!
May 10, 6:30am. Arrived at hospital, got whisked through registration, checked into surgery and was consulted by a nurse, anesthesiologist and surgeon. By 8:15am, I was on the surgical floor and about to take the deepest sleep of my life!
May 10, 3:30pm. Woke up in the recovery room, and briefly met with the surgeon who kept his communication with me to a very simple cave-man like "Surgery good. Bad thing gone". Glad to know it went well and I didn't need to be opened up.
May 11, 12am. Woke up and pain medication had worn off. Felt a lot of discomfort at the surgical spot and was feeling a lot of pressure in my gut. Nurse mentioned it was a result of them blowing me up like a balloon during the procedure, which after hearing I vaguely remembered someone posting about. Or I've just convinced myself that someone did.
May 11, 9:30am. Got to chat with the surgeon (who is my gastroenterologist) and he said the procedure took over 7 hours, which is on the longer side. This was due to a lot of scarring from my latest (awful) flare-up on Valentine's day, and he said my sigmoid colon was stuck to a few different surfaces that it shouldn't have been stuck to but they just took their time and worked through it. Over a foot of my sigmoid colon was removed. But otherwise, he said I was doing well with recovery and all my vitals look great. He said we can likely remove my cathedar in the morning too.
May 11, 11am. Nurse came in to remove cathedar. I really didn't know what to expect. Would it be painful? Would I escape the shame of the nurse seeing my shrivelled up member that was more tube than flesh? Either way, I got it out and it felt like taking a solid pee. Not horrible.
May 11, 12:30pm. Got up and walked around for 5 minutes. Legs felt decently strong, and I had enough pain medication in my system that I didn't feel overly sore. But as I got back to my bed, I felt very nauseas and had the sweats. Took about 10 minutes to feel normal, but didn't need any Gravol or anything.
May 11, 6pm. Got up again after drinking a bit of ginger ale and apple juice. Walked around some more and even felt like I had to tinkle! Walked over to the bathroom on my own, sat down on the toilet and I tried letting go but nothing happened. Felt like I needed to pee though, but still nothing happened. Remembered that the doctor said to, "think of flowy thoughts" when attempting to pee. Lo and behold, it worked!
May 11, 6:15pm. After all that movement and successful pee, I started feeling quite nauseas. Needed to call a nurse for some Gravol as the nausea was a bit more clingy this time.
May 12, 12:15am. Awoke from a brief slumber to realize that my IV site tape was falling right off, mostly because I had placed the hand it's in under my blanket and the sweat slowly coaxed it off. Nurse came in and taped over everything, like it was a big mistake and she wanted no part of it.
May 12, 10am. Have been feeling a little more sore than usual. The nurse gave me oral opioids instead of IV, and perhaps it's the slower delivery time for the medication, but it doesn't feel as comfortable. I'm also feeling quite a bit of gas pain and opioids don't offer much help in that department. Had a chance to chat with my gastroenterologist and he said the gas will typically come to a climax towards the end of Day 2 and entering into Day 3. He said some Tylenol might help, but the best course of action is to keep moving around - frequency is better than duration. Once I start passing gas, I can expect some relief in the bloating I've been feeling. Also, I really had to pee and felt a good amount of relief after peeing! And maybe the oral opioids are kicking in after all.
May 12, 11:30am. Got in touch with the nurse to ask if I could go back to IV pain medication, since the oral opioids were not as effective. Turns out, she cut my dose in half when she gave me the oral medication! She wanted to see if I could tolerate a lower dose, which I thought was sneaky. She gave me the regular dose (2 pills instead of 1) and it seemed to make a slight bit of difference, but still didn't seem as effective as IV medication. I just don't feel nearly as comfortable, but that could be because soreness and discomfort was expected to be worse at this point.
May 12, 4pm. Really had to pee, so I shuffled out of bed and went to pee in the bedside urinal. As I was peeing, I realized that something was emerging from my butthole as well?! How could I possibly have a bowel movement? I ended up panicking and thinking there was poo hanging from my butt, so I ended up taking the stand up IV machine to the bathroom with me to assess what the hell was going on. I sat down on the toilet, and began to pee, and again felt like something was being passed through my anus. As I wiped and stared below, I was frightened to see it was very mucous-rich blood. It took several wipes and flushes to clear it all out. Not proud of this part of the post at all.
May 12, 4:30pm. Convinced the nurse to give me my next does of pain medication through IV. I just felt much more comfortable on that, and she said we could do IV tonight but then back to oral meds in the morning. Totally cool with that.
May 12, 8pm. Got my pain medication delivered through IV and boy did that make a difference. Felt comfortable again after feeling battered for most of the day. Noticed that the gas is flowing through me now, typically in big growly bursts that almost explode through. Wish I was kidding about this!
May 13, 8am. I was on two courses of IV pain meds through the night which resulted in getting the best sleep I've had so far. The gas pain is not as intense today as it was yesterday, and I generally feel more comfortable. I got switched back to oral pain medication, and it's actually been effective enough for me this morning.
May 13, 10:20am. I've been walking around usually every 3-4 hours, and during one of my rounds I ran into my gastroenterologist who said he was pleased with my progress so far. I finally passed some poop today, which was very loosely held together. Very surprised that I had poo in me since I thought I was all cleared out from the surgery prep medication on May 9 (haven't eaten a bite of food since May 8 evening). But lo and behold, it was smelly, actual poo and not a bloody discharge which I previously had when I thought I was having a bowel movement.
May 13, 4:40pm. It's been a fairly uneventful day, I've been alert enough to finish up a few items on my laptop that I had planned to finish during my stay. Had two more bowel movements, got disconnected from the drip IV and have been hydrating through the age old process of drinking water through a cup. Or whatever vessel people used back in the old days, maybe a leather canteen? The doctor thinks that I could be able to go home tomorrow if my progress continues into tomorrow! Overall, I feel fairly sore without pain medication and still move around quite gingerly, but I can see why it won't be necessary to have me at the hospital if I'm pooing, have manageable pain, and otherwise feel good!
May 14, 8:10am. Had a decent sleep again last night despite not being a back sleeper. Was given oral hydromorphone (4mg) last night at 9pm, then 1am, and then given Tylenol at 4am. My pain is quite manageable just being on the Tylenol at the moment, which is great news! It seems inevitable that I'll be discharged today. Just waiting on the gastroenterologist to make his rounds today and hopefully I'll get to shower and feel close to a normal human being again soon!

My history: I am 28. A few months ago I started getting a burning feeling in my testicular region. The sack was hot to the touch and mainly hurt when the balls drooped lower (from the heat). Compression shorts and ice helped a ton. The Dr. did a urine test, which showed nothing. Based on my symptoms, she said I likely had Epididymitis, and prescribed me with Doxy. Took the 10 day cycle, but it wasn't really until Day 8 that the pain was completely gone.
A few days after the prescription expired, the pain came back. But this time, it was accompanied by substantial bloating in my abs, and let me tell you, my gas smelled like something I've never smelt before. I usually find smelly gas funny, but not this stuff. It could clear a room and make you sick.
Saw a urologist and he said that it is highly unlikely my Epididymitis could have came back and said the Ab pain and testicular pain are not related. He said he did feel a few hydroceles, but wanted an Ultrasound to confirm. Did that, and everything came back PERFECT.
So I saw a GI, who did an at home stool test. Again, everything came back fine. I'm currently fighting with my Dr. to let me do a colonoscopy (mainly for peace of mind). My grandpa had colon cancer and my dad has polyps. And I occasionally have blood in my stool. However, my great grandpa, grandpa, dad, and myself, all have had this problem on occasion, and the Dr. has told them it is due to weak veins in that area, which are easily busted with any straining. Because of this, she will not give me a colonoscopy. She said "since you dad is having them done, he is going the work for you. If he develops colon cancer, I will test you".
Look, I have no idea if a colon issue is causing this. But I'm getting pretty agitated that I am having this pain and it is undiagnosable.
Is it excruciating pain? No. My life is the same as it was before. But mentally I know there is something not right.
For those that may have similar experiences, here is my full list of symptoms:

• Balls feel heavy when they are hot. Almost feels like a weight is hanging from me
• Sometimes pain radiates down inner leg
• Pressure above my penis.
• Bad bloating. It doesn't hurt on its own, but it embarrasses me with how fat it makes me look, so I suck it in some, causing pain
• Occasional blood in stool (since I was a baby)
• Pain goes away when laying down.
• Compression shorts and Ice completely relieve ball pain
• No pain with ejaculation
• No burning when peeing, but the pressure above my penis gives discomfort. Hard to explain. Kind of hurts slightly when I abruptly cut off my stream.
• Negative for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia

I have seen on the internet that epididymitis can have some "after effects", such as the formation of hydroceles and/or Varicocele's. But ultrasound was fine.
Another note: I live in SE Ohio, which was heavily effected by the DuPont C8 crisis during my young age. If you don't know what I'm talking about, google it. GI, Colon, and Testicular issues were the main symptoms from the pollution. I told my Dr. that and she said "wow, I'm not from here. I had no idea". This is how I actually convinced her to do the stool test.

As the title says, I don't hate dogs. However having been the sole owner of a female staffordshire terrier, I don't ever see myself getting another one.
This one might be a long one. But I'll try to keep it clear and concise. I am 30 years old, I live alone and work full time. I took in one of my brother's female staffies 3 years ago because they couldn't stop her and her sister from fighting. She was 2 and a half at the time I took her in, and she's turning 6 this July, For reference. Also I should add that during the first year I had indigo, my brothers all lived together with my older sister because none of them had the money to live independently, and they had two of their own dogs from the same litter indigo came from. Whereas, I live alone and work full time. Just for clarification.
Things went well for the first 9 months or so. She was not hard to manage at all. She was housebroken and very well behaved. Walking her was like having a shadow. She never strayed too far and never went chasing after anything.
But over the course of months which turned into 3 years, I began noticing that her needs were becoming much more than I could handle. She ALWAYS wanted, or needed something. Always, constantly, every. Single. Second. Of every single day, she would NOT leave me alone to do anything I wanted to do. And like an idiot i always caved, because "what good dog owner would neglect his dog?" This was after walking her for anywhere between 2 to 6 miles almost every single day. Everything I did, just kept enabling her separation anxiety and her clingy behavior. There are velcro dogs, and then there's her: A 70 pound super magnet.
But while I was at work she was becoming more and more destructive. Pissing on the carpet, shitting in random places, urinating in my bed, getting into garbage and making messes.
Pretty soon, I was becoming increasingly angrier and angrier with her. It got so bad to the point that I would be literally screaming at her, then start punching and kicking my refrigerator, putting holes in drywall, destroying kitchen cabinets, etc. It didnt happen often. But when it did, it was BAD. This wasn't the first time she did this, nor the second, nor the 10th. This was almost every single day when I would come home from work. I even took to reddit and relayed most of this online. Even online strangers were telling me I should rehome the dog. And that she would be better off in a home where she wasn't seen as a burden. But most of my family and friends, all told me not to give up. And to just try working through it. On top of my brothers guilt tripping me, because "we never had these issues when we had her" (keep in mind like I said in the beginning they all lived together prior to giving the dog to me, so the dog had plenty of attention from them, so the math really ain't mathing, is it?)
I began hating her. I began hating everything she was. I hated being around her, I hated looking at her, I hated the fact that this animal was bound to my hip and I had no way out. I had no life. Because it was directly tied with her. I couldn't do anything I wanted to do because she would actively look for more ways to destroy my house if I left. Keep in mind around this time I'd had her for just under 2 years, and I was in the between stages of contemplating finding her a new home, and weighing my options. I initially tried working through it, asking for advice along the way. Every single thing people told me I should try, I was already doing. But I WOULD NOT crate her for the entire time I was at work. It wouldn't be fair. And I began asking my brothers for help. Radio silence. But they pleaded with me to not bring her to a shelter because they wanted to have her close by, as opposed to her going to some random persons home. And yet they didn't have any intention on taking her back.
It was a slow decline, but an ugly one. Every time I reached out for help, people would be suggesting the very things I was already doing. Spending money I don't have on toys and enrichment activities that ALL went ignored, by her. Because for some reason she ALWAYS fixated on me. And I fucking hated it. "Well, maybe you should try doing this instead?" I do play with her. But she gets bored in 3 seconds and just goes back up to the porch to be let in.
Every single time I tried doing more of what people were recommending and yet it never worked. And I was losing my patience. It got to the point I literally wanted NOTHING to do with this stupid, smelly animal that just so happened to unfortunately occupy the same space as me. Every time I brought up to these people what they were suggesting was not working, they had a thousand other caveats explaining why, what I was doing wasn't working. "Maybe she just didn't like the color of the couch." "She needs more time with you." "She misses you" "You need to spend more time playing with her." "You need to---" seriously. Just shut the fuck up. What do you think I've been TRYING to do this entire time??
One day I was venting about all of this to my next door neighbor who REALLY loves the dog. He could tell I was at wits end and I was tired, angry, and stressed out. And it was constant. Which no doubt only added fuel to the fire with my dog's emotions. I couldn't help it. I was absolutely miserable, and after I told him everything I was going through, he had a very solemn expression and said to me, "it sounds to me that you really just don't like having a dog." And That was when it clicked. I didn't. I didn't like anything about it. The clingyness, the smell, the messes, the never ending walks that I hated and dreaded going on. She was just a burden. And she needed to go somewhere else.
One day while I was off from work I looked at myself in the mirror and just saw a scowl. This was probably the only facial expression I've made at the dog for months and honestly I was just done. Done with everything. There were days after cleaning up one of her messes I would think to myself about just torching my entire house and walking away somewhere. If the clingyness was the only issue I had, it wouldn't have been so bad. But the destructiveness was more than I could handle. I remember one day when I was off work I went to a corner store to get something to eat. I was maybe gone for 10 minutes and in that time, she not only pissed in the same spot she always did, but she ripped apart a puppy pad I placed there SPECIFICALLY for her to use, and she pissed right on the fucking carpet again, and when I walked through the front door she was literally scrounging through a pile of garbage she made by tipping over the garbage can.
I went off. I literally screamed at her and rushed over to her, and dragged her by the scruff of the neck and threw her put onto the front porch. I was fucking done. I came to the conclusion that one of these days, I'm gonna kill this f@@@@@@ dog and I called up my step brother that moment and told him basically "either you or our brothers come and pick this dog up or I'm putting it Into a fucking shelter." I was done asking. This was the lynch pin. Either one of you are GOING to take her back, or she's going to a shelter. No more of the, "just try working through it" "Just give it some more time" "You need to train her properly" I. Was. Done. I had nothing left in me, and I just wanted her gone. Now.
She was gone within a week.
I was actively trying to rehome her for the last year I had her, at least when I began accepting that I was not the right owner for her. But all of my brothers, who easily could have taken her in my stead, (the same people who were all ragging on me) but instead all they did was criticize me saying stuff like "we never had these problems when we had her."
Yeah, then why did you get rid of her?
It's like no matter what I did, NOTHING HELPED. Not only was I supposed to be the sole provider for my house hold, and take care of her. Bathe her, feed her, walk her, but I was ALSO expected to be like one of her litter mates, just to keep her happy? Fuck no.
People always say "there are no bad dogs, only bad dog owners" which I think is complete horse shit. Giving into her every time she wanted attention only served to teach her that she'll get attention if she's annoying enough. And yet that is exactly what everyone was telling me I should do. Since she's been gone, she's been staying with my step brother in town less than a ten minute drive away. I go over and see her and my step brothers dog (her father) every few weeks or so and she is all over me. Whining and whimpering and licking my face, wanting me to hold her, etc. (She is very loved)
He told me that literally less than 3 days of having her, he had to "spank" her because she went alongside a neighbors fence and was playing with a dog in their yard, and wouldn't initially go back to the house when he called her. Less than 3 days, and he already hit her. Even I never hit my dog with all the shit she put me through.
Since she's been gone it's just been me and the three cats I adopted prior to having her. Even with three of them, they are NOWHERE near as clingy or intrusive as the dog was. They can be for sure, but I don't have to model my entire life around their needs, like I had to with the dog. Things have been much less chaotic without her in my house and I honestly wish I never would have taken her in, but I do miss her. I guess I feel a bit conflicted about the whole thing. I don't know, I just wanted to rant. Writing this all out helps I think. One thing I forgot to mention was my mom having died in the beginning of August from cancer. That really didn't help things either. But anyway, I guess rant over. Make of it what you will.

I'm trying my best not to be rude to these people, but I can no longer handle how stinky they are. (EDIT: this is going to be a long vent)
So I live in a group home where social workers and a therapist help teenagers with their mental health issues and support them into being more independent. I've lived here for a little over two years and the thing that bothers me the most, apart from the occasional drama, is the smell of some of these people.
Just to be clear, I'm not here to ridicule people who are suffering mentally and therefore struggle with basic hygiene. I'm really not. But the reason why this especially bothers me is because I LIVE with these people, and I can't describe how unpleasant it is to just want to lay down in your bed after a long day. And have to smell a horrid mixture of strong body odor combined with a poop-pee stench.
For privacy reasons I won't go into detail about what I know of these people and why they are here. But for my own sanity, I need to vent about how smelly they are.
One of them, a newcomer, who is on the younger side. Just smells like fermented sweat and trys to cover it up with body spray or deodorant which worsens the smell. They walk around the house without a care in the world, and not even the social workers can get to through them with their bratty attitude.
The other one is worse. They've been here a few months before I arrived, which is about two years ago, and they smell like URINE and FAECES. During the first months of my stay were the worst in my life. Everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE in the house smelt worse than a public bathroom. The floor in where their room is, is the same as mine. And I had to hold my breath the entire 2 flights of stairs and into my room, just to avoid being attacked by the traumatizing odor.
It may have gotten better, but problem is. They also lack proper manners and hygiene practice.
The one that smells like pee and poo, does their business in their ROOM and always leaves a disgusting surprise when they do eventually use the bathroom. This person also left FAECES in the WASHING MACHINE where EVERYONE washes their clothes. And sadly, my friend who was unaware of this, had her clothes covered in POOP and still smelled after four washes.
The other one has only been around since the end of January, but has already proven themselves as messy, stinky, and having a lack of consideration of the others who live here too.
We shouldn't even start with Poop n Pee™. They're like the smelly poltergeist that haunts the toilet who never bothers to bring back down the dishes they stole from the kitchen. Leaving everyone else having to use cake forks as dinner utensils.
I genuinely like living here, but these two are some people I wish wouldn't have to be MY problem to deal with when I already have enough on my plate.

• Species: Cat
• Age: 4
• Sex/Neuter status: M (neutered)
• Breed: American shorthair?
• Body weight: 14lbs
• History: Had persistent loose stool a few months ago, put on prescription hydrolyzed protein dry food, issue has resolved ever since
• Clinical signs: seemingly none
• Duration: ~5 days
• Your general location: Chicago, IL

My lil bud started having extra smelly, high pH urine last week seemingly out of nowhere. This is according to my crystal litter's color reaction, not any professional medical results. He's still drinking water, eating food, making regular BMs and urinations inside his litter box, with no other apparent changes in behavior or mood. Is there any cause for concern here?
Edit: I did see there have been other posts regarding high pH on this sub, but they all had little to no engagement, hence my posting.

Hi everyone: I've read pretty much everything in this group, which has been a source of comfort of sorts, but just wanted to add here: my recent diagnosis of acute Prostatitis, how it first presented, treatment, and wondering where I go from here. It might chime with others and also help them/us.
Initial presentation: Me: 45 yr old, British male. Low level anxiety sufferer, store stress in jaw and gut. Generally optimistic and sociable, weekend binge drinker. Late march: growing urge to pee more frequently, which built up to around every 4-6minutes. Treated locally with antibiotics for a general UTI. Symptoms got worse, tender perineum, rectum, dull aching testicles, burning pee, pain up and down urethra. Masturbation really hurt the general area, esp urethra.
Urologist: Booked to see urologist at Thai international hospital. Physical prostate exam. Disgnosed with an inflammed prostate (exam really hurt, whole area was highly sensitive).
Treatment (late march): Given cipro, tamsulosin, and finasteride. Blood and urine samples taken, PSA: 3.5. Cipro ended after 4 weeks, new PSA: 0.8. Severe pain cleared and i was relieved about the PSA number. However, it returned around 10 days later as highly frequent urination and tender general region of the pelvis. Lasted 24hrs. Still high frequency peeing as of now, but much less, and high level pain has gone. Currently very low level.
Experience and pain over past month: Ghost muscular pain: like arthritis as i have experienced gout before (4 years ago last attack) this pain affects outer thigh, groin, lower back. I say ghost, as it appears and disappears at will. Abdominal pain, dull aching testicles, a sore and tender rectum, perineum, and urethra. Pain shooting from testicles and pelvic region and radiating throughout the body, sometimes as a bolt up the spine toward the head.
As of now these pains exist but at a very, very low level. (May 6). I have cut alcohol completely, and cut caffeine, carbs, and dairy to a mininum, and I have started long daily walks and jogs, and kettlebells, as my diet and exercise until the diagnosis has been sub-par. Thanks reddit.
Outlook here in Thailand: After reading this Reddit, i investigated pelvic floor PT here but so far can't find and my current hospital doesn't have one. I was convinced it was merely prostate-related infection before reading this Reddit, now I'm moving more towards cpps and multimodal condition, because of all the different types of pain, and the very sudden return of high frequency peeing, and reading this reddit. Next appointment is 1 June. For PSA and general discussion of what's next. I will ask urologist what he understands about cpps and pelvic pt. Still taking tamsulosin and finasteride, 1 of each before bed until complete (another 3/4 days).
Hope anyone who reads this might offer suggestions on what to do next, or finds it a source of comfort knowing they are not alone.

We purchased our 1960s home in west Michigan in July 2023 from owners who had multiple pets (at least one large dog and several cats) and the husband was a smoker. The smell of the home was pretty horrendous when we first acquired it. We deep cleaned every room, scrubbed the walls and ceilings with TSP before using shellac primer and then regular acrylic latex paint. We refloored the main living spaces with luxury vinyl planks and hired professional carpet cleaners for the bedrooms and hallway. We also cleaned out as much as possible of the cat feces and urine from the dirt covered basement crawl space that the previous owners had let their cats claim ownership of (this was obviously most disgusting). All of this was prior to moving in a month later in August 2024, and the smell did seem to improve with these things. However, nearly 8 months later, there is still a lingering odor that I cannot seem to get to go away no matter how recently we have cleaned. The smell itself doesn’t seem to be particularly cigarette smoke or pet odor anymore, but just a general bad smell. I have begun to notice that my things are carrying the odor as well, like my jackets and bags kept in the entry. I can smell the odor when I bring those items to work and then walk near them in my office space. This is making me self conscious that my coworkers and other people I come into contact with can smell the odor as well, and I want to remedy it somehow. I have used plug in air fresheners, but I don’t love this idea since it just masks the smell and after a day or two I have to unplug them anyways since they get too overpowering. Candles don’t touch it either. I have heard of ozone treatment, but from the limited research I’ve done, neither humans nor animals should be around for the duration of the treatment and we have a toddler and two cats at home, so that’s not super feasible. Any suggestions on things to look into as the source of the smell or remedies that help more than masking the odor?!? Practical ways to use ozone treatment with kids and pets, if it even works?! Recommendations of other subreddits that could help?! I don’t want to be the smelly girl in the office!!