Many medical reasons lead to loss of bladder control, or incontinence, in elderly dogs, or dogs over 6 to 9 years old, depending on their size and breed. Small dogs tend to live longer than large dogs. Incontinence is often treatable in elderly dogs.
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Primary Causes
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Primary causes of incontinence include urinary tract infection, prostate infection and hormone deficiency. The sex hormone, estrogen in females and testosterone in males, helps to keep the urethral sphincter functioning.
Secondary Causes
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Some conditions make it too hard for a dog to hold onto its urine and get outside in time. These include diabetes, Cushing's syndrome and arthritis. Treating the condition will help to treat the incontinence.
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction
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Incontinence is also one of the symptoms of canine cognitive dysfunction, or the dog version of Alzheimer's disease. An afflicted dog cannot remember the location of the appropriate urination spot.
Warning
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A dog owner should never scold, hit or rub the dog's nose in its urine if it urinates in the home. The dog cannot help losing control of its bladder. Punishing the dog will make the dog scared, which can make it bite in order to protect itself, according to "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook."
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