Causes of Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

It may happen out of the blue or gradually. You casually notice a wet spot on your living room carpet and then another. The next day you catch your dog squatting in your kitchen just as the good old days of puppy-hood of many years ago. You think about scolding her for refraining from at least warning you by getting close to the door, but then you have a second thought about possibly something medically going wrong.

You are correct about the latter. Indeed, often urinary incontinence in dogs is confused with territorial marking or behavioral problems. It is well worth it to keep an open mind when it comes to urinary incontinence especially if your dog is close to her geriatric years and spayed.

In order for a dog to urinate as nature intended it takes a mix of correct nerve and hormonal function, good muscle tone and normal water intake. There are various medical reasons that may cause one or the other to go wrong. Following are some of the most common reasons for dogs to develop urinary incontinence.

Causes of Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

• Urinary Tract Infection

It can affect any dog of any breed, age, and gender. Affected dogs typically strain to urinate, urinate only a few drops with discomfort, have blood in the urine and of course, urinate where they are not supposed to. A urinalysis may provide insight on the presence of bacteria, white blood cells and red blood cells. Treatment consists generally of a course of antibiotics.

• Excessive Water Consumption

Of course, what goes in must come out. If your dog drinks a lot of water he or she may be unable to get to the door and alert you in time. However, often behind the increased drinking and urinating behavior (medically known as polydipsia and polyuria) there may be a condition such as diabetes, Cushing's disease or kidney failure. Treatment consists of taking care of the underlying cause.

• Hormonal Changes

Once spayed or neutered dogs encounter hormonal changes that may cause incontinence. Both the hormones estrogen and testosterone are responsible for maintaining muscle tone of the urethral sphincter. This is more common in female dogs and is often referred to as ''spay incontinence''. Often in these cases, dogs urinate normally but urine leaks when the dog is resting or asleep. This condition can be easily relieved with a prescription medication known as Phenylpropanolomine (Prion RX).

• Bladder Over-distension

In this case, the bladder has a partial blockage either from a bladder stone, tumor, or a stricture. When this occurs a little dribble of urine may make it through the passage. In this case, treatment consists of removing the blockage,

There are also other causes of urinary incontinence in dogs such as congenital disorders, liver and kidney disorders, old dog may develop a form of Alzheimer's causing them to forget where to urinate, in male dogs, there may be prostate issues and more. A good way to start is by collecting a fresh urine sample and having the vet run a urinalysis. After ward, further tests may be ran as needed.