Optimal treatment for your pet requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. Follow-up can be critical, especially if your pet does not rapidly improve.

Unresolved pyelonephritis may lead to kidney failure; therefore, diagnostic follow-up is important to document the resolution of pyelonephritis. Administer all prescribed medication as directed. Alert your veterinarian if you are experiencing problems treating your pet.

Repeat the urine culture and urinalysis approximately seven to ten days into treatment, and one to two weeks after the entire course of treatment has been completed. It is important to obtain urine cultures every two to three months until three negative cultures are obtained. If at any point the culture is positive, an additional course of antibiotics, often longer than the original course, is generally recommended. Infection may persist in some animals despite appropriate, repeated courses of antibiotics.