Canine Incontinence: or why is my dog wetting indoors ?

Your dog has been housebroken for a while and then suddenly, you notice wetting accidents which seem to increase as time goes by. Puddles on the floor, wet crates or damp fur around the rear end are just a few signs of this problem. Dogs are by nature, very clean animals and do not soil their crate or home if they are properly trained and can possibly avoid it. There are also other signs of canine incontinence which include increased frequency of urination, straining to urinate, but unable to pass very much and blood in the urine. These changes in urinary patterns can be early signs of serious health problems and you need to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Illnesses such as kidney failure, Cushings disease, diabetes and liver disease can cause a dog to be excessively thirsty which can result in frequent urination. Sometimes, geriatric incontinence may be caused by senility, reduced bladder capacity or reduced control and this shows up in older dogs. Severe arthritis may restrict a dog's mobility and also cause problems. Certain breeds such as racing greyhounds have a higher incidence of this problem. There are also dogs who will wet when over-excited, fearful or when being punished and the best remedy is to stay calm and put the dog or puppy outside so they don't observe you cleaning up their mess. Often puppies will naturally outgrow this behavior.

There are a wide range of causes of canine incontinence and stones are the most common cause of blockage, but cancerous or other growths may also be involved and so a vet needs to be consulted. When the bladder empties out there is some urine left and if the amount increases, the normal, cleansing process is compromised. This can result over time in inflammation within the bladder itself and such an inflammation will weaken the mucous lining of the urethra (the tube that leads from the bladder to the outside) and decrease the dog's defense against external infective agents entering via the urethra.

There are also structural causes of incontinence and the most common cause of structural incontinence is spay incontinence which may develop a few months to a few years after spaying. There are some very specific herbs which improve the muscle tone of the sphincter, which include: Saw Palmetto, Mugwort, Comfrey, Horsetail, Couch Grass. Please consult a holistic vet if you decide to use these herbs.

A change in urinary patterns from a previously housebroken dog, is always a valid reason to investigate the problem further under the guidance of your family veterinarian.