Changes in a dog’s urinary habits can be frustrating for pet parents, but they can often be signs of important underlying disease. Changes may include needing to go outside more frequently, straining to urinate or having “accidents” indoors. Some causes of urinary illness can be serious or even an emergency. Paying attention to your pup’s habits can help you detect changes that may be critical to investigate and treat for his urinary or overall health.
Urinating More Frequently
You might notice your pup heading for the back door more often or you may hear him begging to go outside earlier in the morning, unable to hold it for his usual amount of time. There are multiple possible causes for a dog to start urinating more often. Such an issue may be a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI). The inflammation associated with a UTI can make a dog feel like they have to “go” badly even if their bladder isn’t full. In such cases, you may observe your pup voiding small amounts at a time more frequently than usual.
Alternatively, some diseases of the kidneys or hormone systems may cause a pup to drink more than usual. Naturally, more fluid coming in results in more fluid going out, causing the dog to have to urinate more frequently. In such cases where the increased urination is related to increased intake, you will likely observe the dog voiding a lot at a time as well as more frequently than usual. You may also notice you are filling the water bowl more than you used to.
In either event, urinating more than usual may also result in accidents indoors since the dog may not be able to “hold it” as long. If a previously housebroken dog starts having unexplained accidents, he should visit his veterinarian. Some hormonal causes of increased urination, such as diabetes mellitus, can become extremely serious and more difficult to treat if care is delayed.
Straining or Inability to Urinate
If you see your pet straining to urinate, carefully observe whether any urine is coming out. UTIs sometimes cause an animal to feel the urge to go very frequently and the frequency can result in only small amounts being passed each time. But if this straining occurs without any urine passing in multiple attempts, this could indicate a blockage in the system.
While urinary blockages are most commonly seen in cats, they can also occur in dogs, and an inability to urinate at all is a medical emergency that must be addressed immediately. Possible underlying causes may include bladder or urethral stones or tumors blocking either the bladder’s exit or the urethra through which urine travels out of the body. In either case, relieving the obstruction quickly is critical to avoiding damage to the bladder or kidneys as well as to preventing dangerous or even fatal electrolyte imbalances in the blood.
Injuries or illness of the nervous system can also cause a dog to be unable to pass urine, as urination requires complex communication between the brain, bladder and associated muscles. When this communication is interrupted, urination may not be possible. This situation can cause the bladder to overfill, which can permanently stretch and damage bladder cells. In such cases, having your veterinarian quickly drain the urine medically may improve chances of regaining proper function when the primary neurologic issue is resolved.
Leaking and Incontinence
Another change you may notice in a pup with a urinary condition is incontinence or an inability to adequately control “holding it.” Pups with continence issues often have episodes while sleeping, and it may appear as leaking of urine or as a damp spot or puddle under the sleeping dog. Accidents may occur while the dog is awake as well.
Leaking urine is sometimes a sign of increased urination, as noted above. However, it can also occur as a result of weakness of the muscles used to “hold it” or increased pressure of the muscles used to squeeze urine out of the body. This problem most often occurs in spayed, middle-aged females. Such incontinence is often treatable with prescription medication from your veterinarian.
Leaking and incontinence may also be a sign that the nervous system is unable to adequately communicate between the urinary system and the brain. This may be due to nerve dysfunction or problems along the spinal cord. Your veterinarian can help determine whether the issue is related to the urinary system itself or the nervous system, as the treatments or management indicated for each are quite different.
Discoloration of Urine
Astute owners may recognize a change in the color of their dog’s urine. Darkening of the urine to a red or brown hue may indicate the presence of blood. Alternatively, one may observe fresh red blood at some point during the urine stream. This may indicate an infection of the urinary system or, less often, cancer in the urinary tract. Not all red or brownish urine contains blood. Waste products from excessive destruction of red blood cells or of muscle breakdown in the body can pass in the urine and look like blood. Such waste products can indicate a very serious problem, so red or brown discoloration of urine should always be treated as an emergency.
Alternatively, a lightening of typical urine color to a near-water appearance may be observed. If this occurs consistently, it is possible the kidneys are not functioning efficiently. This should be tested and addressed with your veterinarian.
Changes in Behavior
If thorough veterinary examination of a pup with accidents fails to identify a physical cause, behavioral changes might be considered. Stress or fear may cause changes in your dog’s urinary habits, as can introductions of new animal or human family members. Dogs may develop a marking behavior, particularly if previous accidents have not been effectively cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner. Young puppies may regress in their housebreaking skills if changes occur in their routine or they are given more unsupervised freedom as they age. If a behavior issue is suspected, it is essential that health-related causes are ruled out prior to focusing on behavior concerns. When addressing urinary behavior issues, positive training techniques are more effective than punishing or scolding.
Changes in urinary habits are often a helpful clue in noticing, as well as investigating, serious health concerns in a dog. Working with your veterinarian to get to the bottom of any changes as quickly as possible can keep your pup healthy and both of you happy.