Dogs may lose bladder control due to illness and/or old age. A medical problem is typically at fault if a house-trained dog suddenly begins urinating indoors. If a health problem is ruled out by your veterinarian, the accidents may be a behavioral issue and can be addressed by retraining the dog as you would a new puppy.
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Urinary Tract Infection
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Urinary tract infections frequently cause dogs to lose control of their bladder. This condition causes a painful, urgent need to urinate frequently. UTIs can be diagnosed by urinalysis and treated with antibiotics.
Kidney Disease
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In older dogs especially, kidney disease may cause the loss of bladder control. Some kidney problems can be treated through diet changes, while others require extensive veterinary care.
Diabetes
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Dogs with diabetes may consume large amounts of water and urinate frequently with little control over when and where they urinate. Diabetes in dogs can be treated with insulin injections.
Decreased Estrogen
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Some older female dogs lose bladder control due to decreasing levels of estrogen in the bloodstream, causing decreased urinary sphincter tone. A veterinarian can prescribe phenylpropanolamine to treat this problem.
Anxiety
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Dogs may develop anxiety, such as separation anxiety, at any time in their life. The sudden onset of anxiety may lead to inappropriate urination when left alone or when exposed to stimuli that cause anxiety.
Old Age
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Aging dogs often become incontinent due to deteriorating urinary sphincter tone and/or canine cognitive dysfunction, a neurological disorder in senile dogs that is similar to Alzheimer's disease in humans. Medication can address both problems temporarily, but, of course, there is no cure for old age.
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