Dog Incontinence Treatment

On this page you'll find help and advice for treating incontinence in dogs which is due to:

• Bladder Infection
• Spay Surgery
• Physical Defects
• Anxiety or Stress
• Disease
• Spinal or Neurological Conditions
• Age Related Incontinence

Managing Dog Incontinence takes organization and patience but it's very do-able and you'll find helpful tips and advice towards the bottom this page.

There are lots of different reasons why your puppy or dog is having trouble controlling her bladder. 

• Puppies can have immature nervous systems
• Older dogs often lose muscle tone which can affect any part of their bodies
• Several common dog illnesses and conditions can have incontinence a symptom

Figuring out what is at the root of your dog's problem is the key to treating her effectively.

Bladder infections are a fairly common cause of incontinence in dogs and happen most often in female dogs due to their shorter urethras.

They're caused by bacteria which can flourish in the bladder for a number of different reasons and the only real cure for a dog bladder infection is a course of the correct, and specific, antibiotics.

When diagnosed early and treated promptly the antibiotic is usually efficient in eliminating bacteria.

Bladder stones, which can cause UTI's in dogs, can sometimes be treated with dietary changes, or there are surgical options available if these fail.

To find out everything you need to know about treating dog bladder infections, CLICK HERE.

Sometimes localized swelling or 'trauma' from  surgery, or the effects of anesthesia or strong pain-killers, can cause your dog to lose control of her bladder for a few hours, or a few days after surgery. This is temporary and your girl should be back to normal soon.

In other cases the change in hormone levels (drop in estrogen) can be behind the sudden leaky faucet. This can happen immediately after surgery or weeks, months or even years later.

If your dog has problems with bladder control after being spayed, and they don't resolve themselves within a few days, then this is something to consider.

Luckily the treatment for spay-related incontinence is usually easy, and effective.

A medication that tightens the sphincter muscles (between the bladder and ureter) might be used. There are several to choose from including Propalin and Proin which contains the active ingredient Phenylpropanolamine (aka PPA), a form of decongestant.

The drug Imipramine is also sometimes prescribed by veterinarian to treat incontinence, either by itself or alongside other medications. 

Estrogen supplements or replacements are often effective too.

In 2011 the FDA approved a drug called 'Incurin' which contains the natural estrogen hormone estriadol.

If your pup or dog has some type of malformation or defect in her urinary tract that is causing her loss of bladder control, then surgery is her best option.

Ectopic Ureter, which is a congenital defect where the ureter doesn't carry urine to the bladder, can often be corrected surgically, but it isn't a 'sure thing'.

If your vet suspects this is a problem for your pup, first he'll use a physical exam, urine analysis and most likely X-rays, ultrasound or a CT scan to make an accurate diagnosis (and to see exactly how the ureter is placed and where it empties).

Studies show that approximately half of these surgeries will be a complete success. 

For the other half, the dog's incontinence will usually be improved, but not necessarily completely removed. 

In those cases medication can often help clear up remaining symptoms.

This means that any injuries or disease of the brain, spine or nervous system can cause problems in any other part of the body, including bladder/bowel control.

In these situations it's not the incontinence that needs to be fixed so much as the injury or disease that's causing the incontinence.

Because there are so many different possibilities such as brain or spinal tumors, degenerative diseases, injuries, inflammation and so on, there's no way to give you one treatment option.

If your dog's incontinence is also accompanied by other symptoms such as weakness or lameness in the rear, loss of co-ordination or balance, seizures, difficulty with bowel movements and so on, then it's worth considering neurological issues being at the root of his problem.

You'll need your vet to give him a thorough check-up and take it from there.

As with the incontinence that is a result of a neurological or spinal problem, it can also show up as a symptom in a whole host of other illnesses and diseases.

Loss of bladder control or excessive urination can be caused by:

• Diabetes
• Cushing's Disease
• Addison's Disease
• Kidney
• Liver problems
• Tumors
• Diseases of the urinary tract
• Prostate problems

......and more.

The key to which disease/condition is at the root of the problem is usually found in the other symptoms that you're seeing. 

Excessive thirst, hair loss, weight loss (or weight gain), changes in appetite, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, panting/pacing or signs of stress or pain, and so on are all symptoms that you should pay attention to.

If your dog has problems controlling her/his urine, and other symptoms of illness (or just seems 'off' to you in some way), it's definitely worth having your veterinarian take a closer look and find out what's at the root of the problem.

Once you treat the underlying health condition, her bladder control will return.

Losing bladder control (and sometimes bowel control too) can be a symptom of psychological problems as well as physical ones.

A puppy or dog who is seriously stressed or in a state of high-anxiety can get so upset that their emotions literally overtake their physical self-control and the result can be a puddle (or worse).

The first step is to rule out diseases as an underlying cause for the loss of control, so a full vet work-up is in order.

If everything looks good in that area and your dog is fit apart from the loss of bladder control, your vet will possibly prescribe medication that can help.

Generalized poor muscle tone with causes a weak sphincter can often be treated with medication.

There are also a couple of surgical options which your vet can discuss with you.

Natural products such as PetAlive Better Bladder Control Granules (also available as a spray) can be very helpful too.

This is a homeopathic product that strengthens the bladder and sphincter and can help combat age-related weakening and dribbling.

Older, or senior, dogs often have liver or kidney's which function at less-than-optimal levels. This can be a factor of incontinence, or compound the problem. 

A wonderful natural remedy that can help strengthen all of these areas is the PetAlive Urinary Wellness UltraPack for Pets. It's perfect for senior dogs.

Older female dogs may be experiencing hormone-responsive incontinence as their estrogen levels drop and there are several options for treatment (check out the section on Incontinence After Spay Surgery above).

If Fido also seems confused or distressed, he may have canine Alzheimers. Anapryl (which contains the active ingredient is Selegiline-Hydrochloride) can help behavioral changes related to age, which includes dementia-related incontinence.

Older male dogs can suffer from prostate problems the same way older men can. This often leads to an excessive number of trips to pee, not to mention discomfort and urgency.

You can help your senior boy to sidestep these issues by keeping his prostate healthy and supporting his immune system. PetAlive ProsPet Drops are a gentle, natural and effective way to do this. Especially necessary for dogs who haven't been neutered.