Leaking urine and urinating in inappropriate places are two very different problems in dogs. Inappropriate urinating usually happens because a dog is not house-trained and often does not realize it is doing anything wrong. Urine leaking is unintentional, and many dogs do not realize they are doing it. Talk to your vet to determine if your dog needs medical help.
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Submissive or Fear-Based Urination
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Submissive urination is when a dog lies on its back and urinates when faced with something scary. Puppies and fearful dogs more commonly suffer from submissive urination. Loud noises, arguments, scolding, new people or over-affectionate greetings overwhelm some dogs, causing them to urinate submissively. Socialization and positive reinforcement training can rid puppies and dogs of this undesirable behavior.
Blockage
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A stone or tumor in the urethra can cause a dog to leak urine. The blockage prevents the dog from completely emptying its bladder, which causes a back-up of urine behind the blockage. The backed-up urine causes the bladder to expand, and the pressure causes small amounts of urine to leak around the blockage. A urethra blockage can be fatal if left untreated.
Hormone-Responsive Incontinence
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Hormone-responsive incontinence most commonly affects female spayed dogs, but can also affect male neutered dogs. This condition can occur days, months or years after a spay or neuter surgery. These dogs urinate normally with no problem, but tend to leak urine while laying down and resting.
Old Age
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Old age often causes incontinence in dogs. While older dogs are prone to certain medical problems which cause incontinence, such as kidney disease, a weakening of the bladder muscles is also the cause of incontinence in senior dogs.
Vulvovaginal Stenosis
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Vulvovaginal stenosis is an uncommon medical condition that affects female dogs. The vagina narrows at the point where the urethra ends. Small amounts of urine become trapped at the narrowed end of the vagina, which can leak when the dog stands up. A vet can often surgically stretch the narrowed part of the vagina.
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