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Tips on How To Live With An Incontinent Pet

Even when under the most watchful eyes, puppies may soil in the house. Until they have full control of their bladder and have figured out the importance of house training, accidents are bound to happen! Fortunately, most pups quickly figure out what they need to do. Why then, several years down the road, do we see signs that these same dogs seem to have forgotten what they learned? Urinary incontinence is a condition that can affect dogs of all ages, breeds, or gender. Most commonly observed in spayed females that are middle-aged and older, incontinence can cause health problems that require veterinary attention.

The first signs of urinary incontinence may include:

1. Wetting the bedding or floor where animal has been sleeping
2. Dribbling of urine
3. Increase in frequency of urinating
4. Voiding bladder when excited or stressed.

The initial signs of incontinence are sometimes overlooked. It can be easy to excuse away urinary mishaps, or we may incorrectly assume our pet was not been let out in time. However, incontinence won’t just go away. As the condition progresses, pet owners who may not have been aware of the issue in the beginning will soon recognize that their pet does indeed have a problem. It is important that pet owners of pets know that the symptoms indicate a need to bring their pet in for an examination.

Causes of Urinary Incontinence

#1. Age

  • When incontinence symptoms are observed only occasionally, such as when the animal has been sleeping, the cause may be related to the animal’s age and attributed to:
  • Weakened muscle tone of the urethral sphincter
  • Lowered estrogen levels or hormonal imbalance
  • Treatment:
    • Prescribed medication that works to increase the muscle tone of the urethral sphincter, such as phenylpropanolamine
    • Neutered male dogs also respond to being given testosterone

 #2. Illness

    • Certain diseases cause excessive water consumption which increases the animal’s production of urine as well as their need to urinate, and include:
    • Diabetes
    • Kidney disease
    • Cushing’s disease
    • Underlying conditions
      • Examples:
      • Bladder or urinary tract infections
      • Urinary stones
      • Spinal injury
      • Spine degeneration
      • Prostate disorders
      • Protruding intervertebral disc
      • Congenital abnormalities
  • Treatment:
    • Can be difficult, but may include:
    • Long-term catheterization
    • Antibiotics
    • Drugs that act on the function of the bladder
  • When the symptoms are related to Kidney Failure or Cushings Disease, the implications of the disease require much more than providing a treatment for incontinence

#3. Stress

  • When a dog shows signs of a loss of bladder control when in scary or tense situations, it be stress incontinence. Found to occur more often in younger animals, most will outgrow the condition. See Tip#6. below for tips on treating this condition.

What Your Veterinarian Will Need to Know:

Without knowing the exact cause, incontinence may be difficult to treat. Clients should be prepared to provide their veterinarian with the answers to such questions as the following:

  • When did the symptoms first appear?
  • Do the symptoms occur all the time or just on occasion?
  • Does the animal dribble as it walks? Or on where it sits and sleeps?
  • Does it seem to occur only when relaxed or when excited?
  • Is there anything unusual about the urine? Strange color or odor?
  • Does the animal seem to have difficulty urinating? Does it posture as usual?
  • Has the dog been drinking more water than usual?
  • Has the dog always signaled its need to go outside?
  • Has the animal’s need to go outside changed in frequency or in urgency?
  • Does the animal want to go outside?
  • Are there any other unfamiliar signs?

Tips on How to Live With An Incontinent Pet

Living with an incontinent dog will require extra effort on your part. The following tips may be helpful.

Tip #1. Monitor your pet’s condition closely, watch for any changes that may signal the start of a disease, such as:

  • Increased thirst
  • Increased frequency in urinating needs

 

Tip #2. Provide proper hygiene. When keeping the dog clean, watch for developing signs of:

  • Urine scalding
  • Skin infections

 

Tip #3. Living area cleanliness is absolutely necessary for the health and comfort of the animal.

  • Place waterproof pads under the dog’s bedding to absorb urine
  • Layer clean blankets, towels or sheets on the animal’s sleeping spot, changing frequently
  • To protect furniture and carpets, use doggie diapers

 

Tip #4. Increase the number of walks per day, make sure to the get animal outside quickly as soon as it wakes from sleeping.


Tip #5. Under no circumstances should the animal’s access to its water bowl be removed or limited.


Tip #6. If the animal experiences stress incontinence, apply behavioral modification techniques such as the following:

  • Avoid bending over the animal
  • Do not make direct eye contact
  • Keep stressful interactions brief and to a minimum
  • If possible, work with a canine behaviorist
  • Use stress hormone products such as Stress Away,  Adaptil Collars and Spray and Feliway

Tip#7 If you are concerned with the wear and tear on your home use the following products to assist you in cleaning up.  Urine Away Odour Remover and a Urine Finder Flashlight. to gently remove the harshness and smell of urine from your pet try using AOE wipes & spray and F.O.N. spray.

 I have lived with a pet with urinary incontinence, I know it can be frustrating. It will be important to discuss your pet’s incontinence with your Veterinarian.  And they can help you determine if it is a symptom that can be easily treated or a symptom of a serious illness.

To Your Pet’s Good Health,

Dr. Barry

Sources:

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/urinary-incontinence-dogs

Sep 12, 2017 2:20:33 PM By Barry Miller urinary-incontinence-dogs, Urinary

Q. Our dog’s urination is now causing burn spots in the lawn.

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Feb 29, 2016 11:40:35 PM By Barry Miller, DVM urine, lawn burn, brewer's yeast, Urinary
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