My Puppy Has an Ectopic Ureter

A puppy with an ectopic ureter has no control over when and where he urinates. A ureter connects the kidney and the bladder so that urine can be transported for elimination. An ectopic ureter occurs when the ureter channel leaves the kidney and connects to an inappropriate body part, such as the vagina or urethra. This will cause the puppy to drip urine. This can be a difficult condition to live with, for both the pet and the owner.

  1. Causes

    • An ectopic ureter is a birth defect. Ureters run between the dog's kidney and bladder. This is how urine is transported to the bladder for elimination. An ectopic ureter refers to a ureter that is not connected to the bladder appropriately. By connecting to another body part, the ectopic ureter bypasses the bladder which controls urination. In these cases, the dog will not be able to control where or when it urinates. An ectopic ureter is often attached to the vagina or urethra instead of the bladder, causing urine leakage.

    Most Likely Dogs to be Affected

    • Siberian Huskies are particularly prone to this problem. Also, female dogs in general are much more likely to experience an ectopic ureter than males. The Miniature Poodle and Labrador Retriever are two more popular breeds of dog that have a high occurrence of this birth defect.

    Other Problems

    • Dogs that have ectopic ureters are more prone to develop bladder infections. While these infections can be treated with antibiotics, the likelihood of the infection recurring is very high. Infections are especially prevalent in puppies with ectopic ureters because the immune system is not completely developed at the puppy stage. Another problem occurs when the urine is not transported out of the kidneys in its entirety due to the defect. This can cause the kidneys to be damaged over time.

    Treatment

    • Surgical procedures can attempt to move the ectopic ureter to its correct location. When the ureter is the only problem, this should allow the animal's bladder to learn to manage urination normally. Some dogs continue their patterns of incontinence because of other urinary defects. It can be very difficult to train these dogs to urinate at appropriate times and places once cured because they have been unaware of it for so long in their life.