Involuntary urination in adult dogs. Urinary incontinence: causes and treatment

Urinary incontinence in dogs is the involuntary release of urine due to the loss of the ability to control its retention.

Often, owners believe that their pet is incontinent, while the dog is in complete control of urination. In true incontinence, urine flows drop by drop, and the animal leaves puddles of urine, especially where it lies, and at the same time does not notice at all how the urine is leaking. If the animal often sits down to urinate, this may be a symptom of cystitis, urolithiasis, etc. But when a dog urinates on vertical surfaces, this is already marking the territory.

Urinary incontinence in their pet, of course, greatly worries the owners. Many are sure that this is due to the changes that occur in the dog's body with age, so they rarely turn to a veterinarian in such a situation. But this disease can develop in both young and old animals.

There are cases when, due to urinary incontinence, the dog is completely transferred to the street, but for an apartment dog this can be a lot of stress, which will aggravate the condition of the animal.

Unfortunately, owners often decide to euthanize their pet due to the fact that the pet begins to "walk by itself", thinking that nothing can be done.

If a dog begins to show urinary incontinence, what should I do? Make an appointment with your veterinarian immediately, incontinence can be cured in most dogs.

Causes of Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

true incontinence- involuntary urination, in which urine almost constantly leaks. For example, with a decrease in the sensitivity of the nerve endings of the sphincter of the bladder (often this happens in females), in obese animals and in older dogs, as well as with ectopic ureters (the ureter goes into the rectum or vagina, and not into the bladder), it occurs in puppies and is treated surgically.
Involuntary incontinence can be caused by inflammation due to urinary tract infection (cystitis, urethritis, etc.), scarring, prostate cysts, neoplasms, neurological disorders, etc.
It can often occur with trauma to the spinal cord and spine, this occurs most often in the lumbar region. Such damage may require surgical treatment (to decompress the occluded area that innervates the bladder and its sphincter).
stress urinary incontinence- emotional (from joy, fear, etc.).
uncleanliness- the dog deliberately urinates in places not intended for this, for example, in the room in which he lives. This is no longer incontinence and is not considered a medical problem. Often this is done due to insufficient walking of the animal, lack of proper training, etc. Also, uncleanliness can occur in endocrine diseases that are accompanied by increased thirst, which results in uncontrolled urine output (hyperadrenocorticism, pyometra (purulent inflammation of the uterus), chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, etc.).
senile incontinence occurs in older dogs and is caused by a weakening of reflex activity.
Territory marking more common in uncastrated males and females, especially during the height of sexual activity. Therefore, it is important to timely use the services of a veterinarian to castrate the animal.

The first step is to carefully monitor the animal and bring it to the veterinary clinic to determine the diagnosis and prescribe the required therapy. For example, with pyometra, in addition to increased thirst, the owners may not notice any discharge from the loop and any other signs of illness.

Diagnosis of Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

To make a diagnosis, you need:

Measure the daily volume of fluid consumed and the volume of urine;
Pass a complete urinalysis, possibly a urine culture (for example, with chronic cystitis);
Pass clinical (general) and biochemical blood tests (mandatory on an empty stomach);
According to the results of urine and blood tests, ultrasound diagnostics of the abdominal organs may be required;
If endocrine diseases are suspected, it is necessary to pass special functional tests (for example, blood for sugar, hormones, etc.);
If a neurological disorder is suspected, x-rays may be needed.

Treatment Options for Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

A definitive diagnosis is critical to determining treatment options for urinary incontinence in dogs.

For example, antibiotic therapy and antispasmodics are the main treatment for urethritis (inflammation of the urethra) and cystitis (inflammation of the bladder). In chronic cystitis, antibiotics are selected based on the level of sensitivity of isolated bacteria and titrated by urine culture. After the end of treatment, a repeated examination of urine is mandatory. With cystitis, urinary incontinence stops a couple of days after the start of the use of antispasmodics and antibiotic therapy. But it is important to complete the treatment to the end in order to avoid relapses.

When making a diagnosis such as diabetes mellitus, an individual sugar curve is drawn up, with the help of which the optimal dose of insulin is selected. In this case, diet therapy is mandatory.

With Cushing's syndrome in a dog, the endocrinologist selects the necessary hormone therapy.

With purulent inflammation of the uterus, an operation may be required, and a course of antibiotics will certainly be required.

Chronic renal disease requires an integrated approach, often infusion methods of treatment, diet therapy, etc., depending on the condition of the animal and the stage of the disease.

Bladder sphincter weakness is treated symptomatically with female sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone) or sympathomimetics (they increase the tone of the smooth muscles of the urethra and bladder neck). In difficult cases, it may be necessary to use these drugs in combination, and sometimes drugs from the group of antidepressants are used, which simultaneously relax the bladder muscle and contract the muscles of the bladder neck.

Most often, drug treatment is quite effective.

Prevention of Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

To prevent urinary incontinence, owners must provide the dog with adequate nutrition in the required amount, avoid hypothermia of the animal, properly educate the pet, walk the dog in a timely manner, physical activity is required to maintain body weight and muscle tone. It is also necessary to contact the veterinary clinic in time.

Many dog owners face such a problem as urinary incontinence in their pets. Causes of urinary incontinence in a dog can be varied and can often be corrected by contacting a veterinarian. Everything you need to know about this violation will be described below.

Many believe that involuntary urination occurs in older animals. However, this is not true. Even a young dog can suffer from this disorder.

It is worth noting that urinary incontinence in animals is a sign of a disease, and not an independent pathology. Therefore, such a phenomenon should be treated with caution, as it may turn out that your pet is seriously ill.

Incontinence develops for a number of reasons and does not depend on breed, age or sex. According to statistics, the risk group includes:

females of large species;
representatives of such breeds as setter, doberman pinscher, poodle, collie and airedale terrier;
dogs with a nervous temperament (choleric or sanguine). These dogs are characterized by mild excitability and mobility.

But the propensity does not mean that the dogs listed above will definitely incontinence. To understand whether the treatment will be effective, it is necessary to find out why involuntary urination occurs.

Video "Incontinence in Pets"

In this video, a qualified veterinarian will talk about the causes of urinary incontinence in animals, symptoms, treatment and prevention.

Main reasons

Urinary incontinence in domestic dogs can occur for a variety of reasons, which can be roughly divided into three categories:

behavioral or natural;
pathological;
result of surgery.

Behavioral

A male or female can empty their bladder involuntarily in the following situations:

if the animals are old - incontinence is due to the physiological relaxation of the sphincter (muscle weakness);
the animal has experienced a strong emotional shock (joy, fear, pain) or stress;
instinctive selection. Males thus demonstrate their dignity;
marking your territory. Usually the corners in the house suffer from this;
"for evil" to the owner.

In such situations, the pet may “leak” and this will be a completely normal reaction of the body. It does not require treatment. All you need is patience and proper education. In some situations, sterilization will help solve the problem. Only in the case of an old dog can a veterinarian prescribe certain medications.

Pathological

In this case, true incontinence is manifested. And here, feces, and not just urine, can involuntarily stand out. This can be the result of both congenital and acquired defects. As a result of disruption of the genitourinary system, a weak contraction of the muscles of the urethra occurs, which leads to "leakage".

Often this situation is a sign of a developing disease (especially an inflammatory one). To identify the exact cause, the animal must undergo clinical studies and a full diagnosis.

Often a dog does not control urination when cystitis is present. Also, pathological phenomena that provoke enuresis include spinal injury, nervous breakdown, or ectopia (a physiological disorder in which the ureter is directly connected to the urethra or rectum, and not to the bladder).

Such disorders are rarely treated completely. However, the condition of the pet can be controlled with medication. In this case, periodically you need to do certain manipulations prescribed by the veterinarian.

Complication after surgery

Also, the cause of involuntary urination may lie in the transfer of various operations by the dog. This usually results in castration (complete removal of the ovaries and uterus) and sterilization (the uterus or ovaries may remain).

This deviation occurs in about 5-10% of cases due to hormonal imbalance in the pet's body. This condition is quite well controlled by hormonal agents.

How to treat a pet

Treatment of urinary incontinence in a dog is carried out on the basis of what reason provoked the development of such a deviation. Usually the doctor prescribes symptomatic treatment.

Conservative therapy involves the use of hormonal drugs that have progesterone or estrogenic characteristics. Sympathomimetics (alpha-agonists) may also be prescribed. They are able to increase the tone of the muscles of the smooth muscles of the urethra and bladder.

In especially severe cases, the dog is prescribed sympathomimetics simultaneously with hormonal agents. It is also acceptable to use antidepressants. Such drugs have a relaxing effect on the neck of the bladder, as well as on the organ itself as a whole. Folk remedies in this case are ineffective.

Urinary incontinence medication in pet dogs is used until the disorder resolves. If a positive trend is not observed, re-diagnosis and correction of the treatment regimen are prescribed. Tablets and injections are used in strictly measured doses. Preparations are accepted according to all the requirements given in the instructions.

Uncontrolled, involuntary urination - urinary incontinence in dogs occurs for various reasons.

If a domestic dog has such a problem, then this cannot but disturb the owner and make him suspect the worst. The opinion that incontinence is inherent only in older dogs is largely erroneous, so owners often turn to the veterinary clinic very late. It is much easier for them to put the animal on the street, or many even insist on euthanasia, believing that this is the only way to solve the problem.

Incontinence is not a death sentence, with the help of modern veterinary medicine treatments, this disease is very easy to cure.

Forms of pathology

It is customary to distinguish between several groups of diseases that are accompanied by urinary incontinence:

Cystitis, or other infection of the genital tract;

Diseases that are accompanied by polydipsia (high fluid intake);

Bladder sphincter weakness, common in females;

Ectopic ureters. A condition where the ureter originates in the kidneys and empties into the rectum or vagina. This pathology is characteristic of puppies (mainly Labradors and Retrievers) and is treated surgically;

Damage to the spine in the lower part of the lumbar region and spinal cord. An operation is required, which consists in decompressing the pinched area, which is directly responsible for the innervation of the sphincter and bladder.

Causes of Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

True incontinence is spontaneous separation, leakage or stress incontinence, predominantly occurs in overly impressionable and nervous dogs.

Uncleanliness that arose due to improper training or training of the dog.

Territory marking by males or females during sexual activity.

Senile, age-related incontinence, which is associated with a weakening of the reflex activity of the urinary system.

Incontinence cannot be called constant soiling by a dog in a residential area, conscious defecation is the result of poor education. If such phenomena are repeated too often, then you should observe the dog, and of course consult a veterinarian to rule out a possible disease.

Urinary incontinence in older dogs or other age categories requires determining the cause, for this it is necessary to conduct a series of studies:

A general urine test is taken several times to diagnose inflammatory processes in the urinary tract, diabetes or diabetes insipidus;

General and biochemical blood test (diagnosis of chronic renal failure);

Blood test for diagnosing endocrine diseases;

ultrasound. Exclusion of urolithiasis, prostatitis and ectopia of the ureters;

X-ray examination, for the diagnosis of urolithiasis and spinal injuries.

When the first signs of urinary incontinence appear in a dog, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian even before complications occur, which manifest themselves in the form of dermatitis and bedsores.

Urinary incontinence in an older dog may be due to weakness of the bladder sphincter. It is treated symptomatically with hormone therapy and the use of sympathomimetics.

Therapy and troubleshooting

Dog urinary incontinence treatment.Mostly symptomatic therapy using antibiotics, antispasmodics for urolithiasis or cystitis. In the presence of uralitis stones in the bladder, surgical intervention is performed. To restore the tone of the sphincter of the bladder, the sympathomimetic propalin is prescribed. With excessive nervous excitability and impressionability, complex anti-stress drugs are used.

Frequently Asked Doctor Questions.

Is it possible to do something if the dog pees with joy at the sight of the owner?

You can, usually this condition manifests itself in impressionable and excitable dogs. Usually prescribed sedatives.

How quickly can urinary incontinence be cured?

It all depends on the timeliness of contacting a doctor, only in this case it is possible to establish the cause and eliminate urinary incontinence.

Veterinary center "DobroVet":

If a previously trained dog urinates inappropriately, more than usual, or in the wrong place, you may be frustrated and annoyed and will likely want to punish your dog. But before acting impulsively, remember that man's best friend dedicates his whole life to serving the people who care about him, and tries every day to make you happy - therefore, he is unlikely to do something against you consciously. Urinary incontinence can be a sign of one of many possible health or care problems, and it's important to get to the root cause of why your dog is not urinating properly and take appropriate action - which should be more in the form of a veterinary visit and treatment than an insult or whatever. - any other punishment of the dog.

Condition of urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence refers to the involuntary or uncontrolled leakage of urine from the bladder, and does not refer to normal urination due to lack of training, or "submissive" urination (when a dog urinates out of fear, insecurity, or excitement over another dog or person). Involuntary urination typically occurs in older dogs when they begin to lose bladder control, a condition classified as urinary incontinence. If an old dog urinates incorrectly because of another dog, or because he forgot when and where to go to the toilet, this is another problem that is not classified as urinary incontinence.

Causes of Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

There are a number of possible causes of urinary incontinence in dogs, so the owner should work with a veterinarian to find out the true cause and respond accordingly. The following are some of the most common causes of incontinence.

A bladder infection can cause a dog to feel an irresistible urge to urinate frequently, and if left untreated for a long time, this will lead to scarring of the bladder, which in turn can lead to an inability to hold urine. and its constant flow.
Excessive water intake can also cause urinary incontinence, which can be due to various causes such as kidney problems, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or Cushing's syndrome.
Urinary incontinence can be caused by weakening of the bladder muscles due to dog aging, which means that your dog will not be able to hold the contents of the bladder for a long time and will urinate inappropriately, or, more often, will suddenly lose control of it.
Weakening of the sphincter muscles can occur for a variety of reasons, including dog obesity, old age, and other factors. This condition is especially common in bitches, and happens to about one in five bitches as she gets older. Early spaying and spaying can also be causes of this condition, as early spaying stops the production of estrogen, which plays a role in the bladder and urination. Incontinence due to low estrogen levels can occur at any time in a dog's life, from immediately after spaying to many years later.
Back problems such as damage to the lower lumbar or pelvic region, abnormal development of the spinal cord and muscles, and a genetic predisposition to abnormal development can affect your dog's ability to control the bladder. Urinary incontinence in dogs quite often develops as a result of acquired injuries, such as road accidents and similar accidents in which the spine, pelvis, or hind legs are damaged.
Blockage of the urethra caused by stones or tumors can lead to incontinence. Channel blockage may mean that the dog is unable to empty its bladder completely.
Birth defects such as an ectopic ureter are a rare defect in which the ureters, which carry urine to the bladder from the kidneys, do not actually reach the bladder due to abnormal development and result in regular, slow urine leakage. This condition is especially common in breeds such as the Siberian Husky, Miniature Poodle, Collie, Corgi, Labrador, and West Highland White Terrier. The defect usually occurs in bitches and may involve one or both ureters. If only one ureter is affected, then the dog is likely to suffer from mild incontinence but will be able to urinate normally. If both ureters are affected, the dog will not be able to urinate normally at all.
There are several other relatively rare conditions that lead to urinary incontinence, including vulvar stenosis, in which urine can collect in the vulva and then leak out later. Due to the wide range of potential causes of urinary incontinence in dogs, it is important that your pet undergo veterinary testing and diagnosis to identify the root cause of the condition.

Methods for the treatment of urinary incontinence

The choice of the best treatment method depends on a wide range of different factors, including the dog's age and sex, general health, financial constraints, and the exact nature and cause of the incontinence. Depending on the final diagnosis, your veterinarian will discuss possible treatment options with you, which may include antibiotics to fight infection, hormonal treatment for low estrogen incontinence, or surgery to remove swelling or stones and correct defects. Treatment or management of diseases such as diabetes, which can lead to incontinence, is also often possible. In some cases, a simple close monitoring of the dog at home and minimizing the effects of incontinence on the dog is recommended.

Every dog owner at least once faced with the fact that the pet left a puddle on the floor. For small puppies that have not yet been accustomed to walking, this is normal. An adult dog may not tolerate a walk if we are suddenly late at work. But when urinary incontinence in a dog becomes frequent, it is imperative to identify the cause and take measures to eliminate it. The reasons can be different, and sometimes very serious.

If an unscrupulous owner has not accustomed his dog to walking at certain hours, at least twice a day, then you should not be surprised at the constant puddles on the floor. The dog, unaccustomed to the regime, simply does not know that he is doing a bad deed and does not understand why the owner scolds him. If a disciplined pet has problems with the toilet, then something is wrong here.

Conventionally, the causes can be divided into behavioral and pathological.

Behavioral reasons

Behavioral causes most often occur in young impulsive dogs, in males at the time of sexual activity, in some dogs of large breeds (more often in bitches), in certain breeds (poodle, collie, setter, Doberman), in neutered or sterilized animals.

With sudden urination, the dog expresses:

joy from any event, most often from meeting with the owner or with a friend dog. At the same time, the dog will vigorously wag its tail, spin in one place, bounce, whine joyfully;
fear - in addition, it may be accompanied by squatting on the hind legs or tipping over onto the back. In dog language, by this action, the dog confirms that he is weaker, does not claim territory or food;
self-confident males mark their territory by smelling a dog outside the window or hearing a bark;
in some cases, young, not yet trained males are trying in this way to show their superiority over the owner;
resentment against the owner, most often for some kind of punishment or for being left at home alone.

Behavioral incontinence is easy to identify if you analyze the situation: it does not happen often, usually after an unusual event. Because emotional incontinence is conscious in dogs, it can be controlled with immediate attention and training. Sometimes such an incident in a pet can happen once or be repeated once or twice a year.

Pathological causes

The pathology that caused incontinence is not always quickly identified. Irregular urination can be caused by:

some diseases associated with the urinary system (cystitis, urolithiasis, other infectious diseases);
hormonal disorders caused by the dog's age or sexual activity;
diseases that cause intense thirst (diabetes, kidney failure, in bitches - inflammation of the uterus);
spinal injuries, often below the lumbar;
abnormal structure of the urinary system, when the ureters go not into the bladder, but into other organs of the pelvis (into the vagina, into the intestines). Such a violation is congenital and manifests itself at an early age;
weakening of the sphincter of the bladder. The sphincter is the muscle that keeps urine in the bladder. It works according to a signal sent by the brain - it relaxes at the right moment, and urine comes out. Violation of the sphincter can be caused by obesity, hormonal changes due to old age, pregnancy, disorders in the nervous system or brain.

The difference between pathological incontinence and behavioral incontinence

Pathological incontinence can occur in dogs of any breed and age. Its manifestation outwardly is very different from the behavioral one:

occurs often, at any time, regardless of walking;
when urinating, the dog may experience pain, this can be understood by whimpering;
there may be little urine, sometimes the dog sits down, but there is no urine at all;
urine can leak even when the dog is just lying or sitting, that is, this happens involuntarily, regardless of his behavior.

Age incontinence can be expressed in the fact that your old dog leaves puddles anywhere and often. He can do it even before your eyes, and then calmly move on without feeling guilty. This behavior is associated with the death of nerve fibers or hormonal disorders. In both cases, you should not be offended by an old friend and write him off. Senile pathology that causes incontinence can be corrected with a complex of medications that will be prescribed by a qualified specialist.

Diagnosing the causes of incontinence

To determine the exact cause of urinary incontinence in a dog and prescribe treatment, the doctor at the veterinary clinic will ask you to describe the clinical symptoms. You should tell in detail about the habits of the dog during involuntary urination.

If the behavior corresponds to the signs of behavioral incontinence, then it will be enough to do a urinalysis and an ultrasound of the urinary system to rule out the disease. If all results are normal, no treatment is required. It will be necessary to pay additional attention to raising a pet in order to wean from such habits in the future.

In another case, for an accurate diagnosis, a series of examinations will have to be carried out. They do a general and bacteriological analysis of urine to identify the presence of microorganisms and bacteria, determine their sensitivity to antibiotics, and establish an accurate diagnosis. Additionally, blood is taken for analysis, whether there are any other diseases, the optimal treatment for this case, the likelihood of side effects from medications.

If the likely cause is a spinal injury or spinal cord injury, an x-ray should be taken.

Sometimes it is difficult to establish an accurate diagnosis and a complex of studies is carried out to determine the disease by exclusion.

Treatment

Inflammatory processes in the urinary system are treated with antibiotics. The course of treatment is long, about two weeks. Positive results can be observed after a few days, but even with such dynamics, therapy cannot be interrupted. The prescribed course must be completed to the end, otherwise relapses are possible.

With hormonal disorders or weakening of the sphincter, hormonal therapy is prescribed. There are options when hormonal drugs are combined with antidepressants. All these drugs have side effects, so the possibility of treatment with such medications, doses and duration of administration is prescribed by a qualified specialist in a veterinary clinic.

In case of spinal deformity and pinched nerve, you will have to resort to surgical intervention. It happens that the spinal cord, damaged in the event of an injury, cannot be restored, and urinary incontinence cannot be stopped. A surgical operation is also necessary when a congenital pathology is detected in the work of the urinary system.

If urinary incontinence manifests itself against the background of another disease, then additional diagnostics are carried out, a diagnosis is established and a set of measures is prescribed for the treatment of the primary disease.

Prevention

If a young puppy, subject to the regimen of feeding, drinking and walking, does not stop leaving puddles at home, and it is constantly wet on his couch, then it is likely that he has a congenital pathology in the structure of the urinary tract. An examination is carried out, and the puppy is operated on.

The dog must be accustomed to walks at certain hours. It is important to know that a bitch can empty her bladder in one go, while a male needs to go around a large area and leave urine marks in different places. The time of his walk should be at least half an hour so that he can completely "walk".

If the dog is very emotional, and his excitement or fear manifests itself in incontinence, try to reduce the irritants. Behavior modification can be corrected at any age of the pet, but for this you will need perseverance and patience.

If you have even the slightest suspicion of a disease, you should contact the veterinarian, conduct an examination and treat your pet strictly according to the doctor's recommendation.