Canine Urinary Tract Problems

The Facts

• Canine urinary tract problems are more common than many people think. There are three different types of urinary conditions that are seen in canines including urinary tract infections, bladder stones and incontinence. Some dogs seem to be more susceptible to these issues than others, and if your dog has suffered from one of these conditions she is more likely to have a repeat occurrence in the future.

Symptoms

• Each of these canine urinary tract problems exhibit many of the same symptoms. The most common symptoms of a urinary condition include difficulty urinating, apparent straining and discomfort when urinating, loss of appetite, vomiting and uncharacteristic urination in the home if the dog is house-trained.

  Symptoms will first begin to present themselves at the onset of the urinary tract problem, and will progressively worsen if left untreated. As some of these symptoms will only present themselves when the dog is actually urinating, it is important to frequently monitor your dog when it is going to the bathroom to make sure there is no problem.

Treatment

• For a canine urinary tract infection, your veterinarian will prescribe a treatment of antibiotics that will remove the harmful bacteria that has caused the infection. For canine bladder stones, medication, surgery or both may be used for treatment depending on the severity of the case. If the stones are caught early, a course of medication may be all that is needed. If the stones are blocking the urethra and preventing urination, surgery will be the only option.

  Treatment of canine incontinence involves treating the cause of the incontinence itself. There are different types of incontinence including urethral sphincter incontinence, stress incontinence, diabetic incontinence and hormone responsive incontinence. Your veterinarian will first determine what is causing the problem, then provide medication or surgical treatment to correct the condition.

Considerations

• Some dogs seem to be more prone to canine urinary tract problems than others. Dogs that have difficulties digesting certain proteins are at a higher risk of developing bladder stones than others. Urinary tract infections are more commonly seen in female dogs than in male dogs, though both are susceptible.

  A dog with diabetes or dogs that are older have a higher chance of becoming incontinent, so it is important to monitor them frequently for problems. Additionally, any dog that has already suffered from one of these conditions will need to be routinely checked by the veterinarian to ensure the condition has not started to occur again.