Urinary incontinence is the inability to control urination. It can occur in pets of any age and sex.
Whether due to age, injury or illness, incontinence is no fun for anyone. When your dog can't hold his urine, accidents happen. Are you wondering what are the causes of incontinence in dogs and what you can do to help your snout and yourself?
Incontinence in dogs
Incontinence in dogs means that the pet cannot hold urine in the bladder. In other words, the bladder gives way and urine flows out uncontrollably.
The urinary system is very sensitive. Urine is produced by the kidneys and is brought to the bladder through the ureter. The sphincter (circular muscle) keeps the passage to the outside closed until we decide to relax it to urinate.
When the sphincter is not fully compressed, uncontrolled leakage occurs. If the bladder is too full, urine can overflow into the urethra and "escape". This often happens while the dog is resting, sleeping or when trying to get up from a lying position.
Uncontrollable urination can also happen when your dog is too excited or very scared.
Signs of incontinence in dogs
The most common sign of incontinence in dogs is wet spots where your dog sleeps.
You may also notice…
- Moist parts of the body (buttocks and thighs)
- Urine drips as the dog walks
- Irritated skin and redness from dripping urine (urine is caustic and can cause redness)
- Excessive licking of the pubis or penis
- Leaking urine when the dog is excited, frightened, submissive or stressed
What causes incontinence in dogs
There are many potential causes of incontinence, including:
- Low estrogen level (most common cause in spayed bitches)
- Spinal cord injury, nerve damage or other injuries
- Osteoarthritis
- Overstrain, strain or injury to the muscles of the lower back. The inflammation can interfere with the nerves that pass through the area.
- Urinary tract infection
- Kidney stone
- Enlarged prostate
- Hereditary anatomical anomalies
- Masses, cysts or polyps that obstruct the sphincter
- Hormonal irregularities that cause excessive thirst and urination, such as thyroid disease, Cushing's disease, kidney disease or diabetes.
Cushing's syndrome in dogs
Due to the large number of possible causes, it is IMPORTANT to do one or more tests in order to determine the exact cause of incontinence.
Castration increases the chance of incontinence
Urinary incontinence occurs more often in castrated bitches, especially if they are castrated young. In a study with 492 dogs, the following conclusion was reached…
"Castration and early castration (< 6 months) are a major risk factor for early incontinence in dogs".
Another study showed that the size of castrated bitches also affects the possible development of incontinence. For each month of postponing castration in the first year of a dog's life, the risk of incontinence decreased in dogs weighing more than 25 kg. The risk did not change in dogs under 15 kg.
If you have a larger dog, it is better to postpone castration until full maturity and do not castrate a young, developing dog.
How vets diagnose incontinence
Your vet will do (at least) a thorough physical exam, standard blood work and urinalysis. If these tests do not show the exact cause, the veterinarian can do more tests such as specialized blood analysis, urine culture analysis, ultrasound, X-ray, or some other type of scanning (analysis).
If the uncontrollable urination started when your dog was very young, the vet might suspect an anatomical anomaly such as an ectopic urethra and perform urography (imaging of the urinary organs with the help of contrast) to see where the urine goes and passes.
You want to determine the cause of the incontinence so that it can be properly treated. For example…
- There is a high probability that an older bitch has problems with incontinence due to a lack of estrogen after castration. You don't want to spend time and money treating it if the real cause of the incontinence is something else that requires a different treatment.
- An ectopic urethra or some other anatomical anomaly can be corrected with surgery
- Incontinent dogs are more susceptible to urinary tract infections
- If the problem is a urinary tract infection or a urinary stone, then solving these problems will quickly solve the problem of incontinence
- The same is true of hormonal problems that are appropriately treated
Advice! If your dog suffers from incontinence or any kidney problem, and urinates uncontrollably - protect your belongings!
Waterproof or medical beds, as well as washable mats, can make it easier for you to maintain the space and improve hygiene. If your muzzle sleeps on the bed, you will definitely need it waterproof bed and preferably waterproof cover.
Conventional treatments for incontinence
There are several conventional approaches to treating incontinence.
Phenylpropanolamine (Propalin)
Medicines like Propalin release chemicals that strengthen the bladder sphincter. It is not a drug that will completely cure incontinence. It is also not effective in all cases, and brings with it numerous side effects. Like any medication, it burdens and can harm your pet's organism.
Possible side effects, as stated by the manufacturers, are:
- Vomit
- High blood pressure
- Diarrhea
- Decreased appetite
- Weight loss
- Proteinuria
- Excessive thirst
- Restless sleep and sleep problems
- Anxiety
- Lethargy
More severe side effects are possible with large doses. These include heart attack, tremors and difficulty urinating.
At low doses, the risk of side effects is small, so some holistic veterinarians they know how to use this preparation together with alternative therapies.
Estrogen
Synthetic estrogen is often used when incontinence is caused by castration of the bitch. It comes with a long list of side effects. Studies have shown adverse effects such as:
- Vomiting
- Swollen pubis / itching in the pubic area
- Lethargy
- Great aggressiveness
- Hyperpigmentation and lichenification of the vulva (black skin spots and thickened skin)
- Hair loss
- Vaginal bleeding
- Attack
These are quite unpleasant side effects. Unfortunately, there are much worse possible problems with these drugs. They can cause tumor and bone marrow toxicity. Fortunately, there are good alternatives.
Operative procedure to solve anatomical anomalies
If the cause of incontinence is an anatomical anomaly, the veterinarian will suggest surgery. The most common anomaly is an ectopic ureter. It appears very rarely, and was diagnosed in less than 0.1% dogs.
The ureter carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder. An ectopic ureter means that one or both ureters bypass the bladder and are connected directly to the urethra, uterus, or vagina.
This problem can already be seen in puppies at the age of 3-6 months, and bitches are eight times more prone to this problem. Breeds at high risk of ectopic urethra:
- Siberian husky
- Miniature poodle
- Labrador retriever
- Scottish shepherd
- Welsh Corgi
- Sharp-haired fox terrier
- West Scottish white terrier
This problem can be solved by surgery to connect the ureter to the bladder. A less invasive method is cystoscopically guided laser ablation.
Natural treatments for incontinence
Chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathy and osteopathy
These treatments are an excellent choice that can be very successful in dealing with incontinence. They are especially effective if incontinence in dogs is caused by physical problems such as an irregular spine, muscle spasms, nerve damage or immobility.
Photo: Holistic Vet
Herbs and nutraceuticals
These are some effective options, depending on the cause of the dog's incontinence
- CBD oil can help with urinary incontinence, without the harmful side effects of traditional drugs.
- Wild yam extract has estrogenic and antispasmodic effects, but requires rather high doses (100 mg per 11 kilograms). It is often included in herbal mixtures with rehmannia, licorice root, red clover, cranberry and other herbs.
- Soy isoflavones are the best natural substitute for estrogen, but be sure to choose an organic product.
- Herbs that are good for a urinary tract infection include cranberry, ginger, turmeric, olive leaf, and red bearberry.
- Anti-arthritic herbs, such as turmeric, ginger, boswellia, yucca and barberry, have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Chinese herbs are very useful. If you want to use Chinese herbs, it is very important that you make an agreement with a veterinarian who is an expert traditional Chinese veterinary medicine.
- Medicines for hormones on a natural basis
- Omega-3 fatty acids from a marine source have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Proteins and collagens are important for any muscle, including the bladder sphincter. The bladder itself is a muscle. Proteins are also a natural acidifier of urine.
CBD oil and incontinence
Research on the effect of CBD in human incontinence
The meta-analysis describes two different controlled studies and one open-label study that together included 426 subjects who used CBD. The scientists found that CBD treatments “significantly reduced episodes of incontinence in all three studies”.
It turned out that CBD affects CB1 and CB2 receptors throughout the body, including receptors located in the suburethral sensory apparatus. It is where the bladder responds to mechanical stimuli, such as the sensation of filling with urine. In many studies, cannabinoids, including CBG, THC, and CBD, have been shown to help with bladder control issues. This is thought to be because CBD works together with cannabinoid receptors in the bladder and human urinary system. Which shows that CBD products can help with urinary incontinence, without the possible harmful side effects of traditional drugs.
Take care of the dog's overall health
Finally, it is important to note that, as with all chronic diseases, it is important to maintain the general health of the nose.
- Find it holistic veterinarian
- Feed the muzzle with premium food
- Keep digestion healthy (prebiotics and probiotics)
- Reduce exposure toxins. Be careful what you keep in your home or garden. Also avoid insecticides (necklaces, oral insecticides, spot-ons). Check it out natural repellants.
- There are many CBD oils on the market, most of which have not passed any controls and can be harmful to your nose.
- If it does not have an organic certificate, it contains toxins from cultivation such as pesticides, mold, fungi, heavy metals and others that can be harmful to your dog's health.
- higher amounts of THC are toxic to dogs. Be sure that the products are not homemade and have passed laboratory testing.
- Reduce vaccinations. Most adult dogs do not need any vaccinations, except against rabies which is required by law.
- Let the dog spend time in the sun, let him sniff, exercise, do his own thing fun time and of course caress and care for him every day 😊
Not all noses with incontinence can be completely cured. But with the right therapy and approach, that unpleasant problem can be well controlled...so the muzzle and you can enjoy a long, happy and dry life 😎
#addlove #woffwoff #tvornicapsecihsnova #self-verified
Author: Morana Barbara Lučić
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All information on the Woff Woff website is informative and educational in nature, as such it cannot replace the advice or diagnosis of a veterinarian.
Product performance descriptions are based on the traditional use of their individual components and do not necessarily include all precautions.
Do not use the information contained on this website for diagnosis or treatment without consulting a veterinarian.
