Natural Treatmentoptions For Dog Urinary Incontinence
Important Disclaimer: I am not a vet. Not even close. Im just sharing my own personal experience and information I have read. If you think you want to try something you read about here, talk to your vet! But first read this and many more articles to empower yourself for a good discussion in which you can ask your vet great questions about what you want to try.
Knowledge is power never forget that!
If you choose to treat your dogs incontinence with natural remedies, kudos to you! As with all natural treatments, be aware it can take a few weeks or months to see results. The advantage, however, is that there are fewer side effects most have none.
What Are Treatment Options For My Dog With Usmi
Medical management of USMI includes the use of drugs aimed at improving urethral tone via the alpha-1 adrenoceptors . Phenylpropanolamine is currently the drug that results in continence in the most dogs. Side effects in dogs include restlessness, anxiety, hypertension and tachycardia. This class of drugs is not recommended in patients with cardiac disease or hypertension.
Estrogens may also be used for USMI and these hormones are thought to sensitize the 1-AR to the norepinephrine and indirectly result in an improvement in the closure pressure. The lowest possible dose of estrogen should be used. Diethylstilbestrol is still the most commonly prescribed form of estrogen for this disease. Bone marrow suppression has been described in dogs receiving older generation depot estrogens and in those receiving very high doses of DES. If the patient is still experiencing UI while receiving an 1-AR agonist, estrogen can be given concurrently.
A Combination Of Treatment Choices
Maggie required surgery to correct this defect. The surgery was successful and allowed Maggie to urinate normally, but she continued to have problems with dribbling during any kind of stress. The specialist had told me at the time of surgery that it is common for dogs with an ectopic ureter to not be fully continent post-surgery. Within a couple of months after surgery, Mags was greatly improved but she would still leak from time to time, and the leaking made her susceptible to bladder infections.
Fenton tried DES, which didnt help at all, but she had success using Proin. She preferred more natural methods, however. I used a number of supplements, including vitamin C, cranberry capsules , and Animals Apawthecary’s Tinkle Tonic. I would make my own tincture using corn silk in an alcohol base and I added uva ursi. I tried adding corn silk directly to her food, but that did nothing. Switching to a raw, grain-free diet helped quite a bit. Mags was nine years old when I made the switch.
This approach worked most of the time, but under stress, the dribbles would return. When she would drip, I would give her PPA, twice a day, which I usually had to do only for about three days at a time. I also used PPA as a preventative when I knew there was going to be stress and thus a high likelihood that she would drip.
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Dog Urinary Incontinence: Natural Remedies Can Work
Its important to remember that if you are dealing with dog urinary incontinence, natural remedies may take longer, but they are so much less risky for your dog that for me, it was worth the trade-off.
The best dog incontinence solution are going to be different for each dog. You may have to try a number of remedies before finding one that helps.
I was SO grateful to be able to stop incontinence without pharmaceuticaldrugs google proin side effects and you will see why.
I have friends who have tried Proin, experienced success forawhile, then it stopped working. They had to keep increasing the dose not an uncommonscenario.
Have you found a dog incontinence remedy that worked foryour dog? Tell us your story in the comments below: you never know when yoursolution will change another dogs life.
Naturally,
Karen
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How Is Urinary Incontinence In Dogs Treated
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Urinary incontinence in dogs can often be successfully treated or managed with surgery and medications.
Specific treatment of an underlying disease or condition with surgery or medications may resolve incontinence. When no specific cause can be identified for the incontinence, drugs may be given that increase the tone of the muscles that hold urine in the bladder. Drug therapy for incontinence may be based on a trial of different drugs in various doses until an effective combination is identified.
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What Should I Do If I Think My Dog Has Urinary Incontinence
Support Your Dogs Overall Health
Finally, as with all chronic health problems, its important to keep your dog as healthy overall as you can.
- Maintain healthy digestion with pre- and probiotics, digestive enzymes.
- Minimize toxic exposures, including home, garden, and anti-parasitic pesticides .
- Secure your stash! In many states, there is one other important consideration: THC, the psychoactive component of , is highly toxic to dogs. One of the adverse effects of THC is incontinence. THC intoxication is increasingly seen in veterinary emergency clinics. Keep those edibles locked securely away from pets and kids!
- Minimize vaccinations. Most adult dogs, under average circumstances, do not need any vaccinations other than rabies as required by law.
- Provide adequate sunshine, snuffling opportunities, exercise, fun time, and quality petting and cuddle time
Not all incontinent dogs can be completely cured. But with the right management and therapies, it can be well controlled so you and your dog can enjoy a long, happy, and puddle-free life together.
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Home Remedies For Urinary Incontinence In Dogs
Next to teaching your dog to do Kegel exercises, what do you do about urinary incontinence in dogsand leakage?
If your dogs leaving little puddles of urine around the house, it its probably not just bad behavior.
Whether its due to old age, injury or illness, incontinence is no fun for anyone. When your dog cant hold her urine, accidents happen.
So lets talk about the possible causes of your dogs incontinence, and what you can do to help her .
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Incontinence Secondary To Other Diseases
Kathy Moffett of Le Roy, Illinois, has a Brittany Spaniel named Abby who began having major incontinence issues associated with drinking lots of water at age 11. Abby turned out to have a rare condition called diabetes insipidus, Moffett explains. The only symptoms of this condition are drinking lots of water and increased urination, including problems with incontinence.
The treatment for DI involves injections twice a day with desmopressin, which controls the excess drinking and also the incontinence.
My own dog Nattie developed some incontinence when she was diagnosed with kidney disease and put on subcutaneous fluids. I did not give her medication for this, but solved the problem by getting up during the night to let her out one extra time, and by using washable waterproof pads under her bedding to protect the beds and furniture.
I found the mattress pads and liners made for childrens beds to be the most cost-effective and reliable way to keep dog beds and other places she liked to sleep dry. You can also find waterproof liners and pads made for dogs and dog beds in pet supply stores and catalogs. Bath mats are another option. Diaper garments made for both female and male dogs can also be purchased.
Incontinence has also been known to develop following corticosteroid treatment. Steroids such as prednisone cause excess drinking, which may lead to temporary incontinence, but sometimes the incontinence continues even after the steroids are stopped.
How Do You Treat Dog Incontinence
If you find urine around the house, or you suspect urinary incontinence, you need to take your dog to the vet to discuss the details of your observations.
The doctor will perform a physical examination to note changes in your pets body, as well as some diagnostic tests. This usually starts with urinary testing and blood work. These tests can decode many medical causes of the changes in urination. Other tests may be required depending on the results of these tests.
Once your vet understands more clearly what the medical condition is, they can address it specifically:
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Urinary tract infection: Antibiotics are used to clear a urinary tract infection.
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Bladder stones: Diet and medication can help with some bladder stones. Pain management can be started if indicated. Many urinary bladder stones require surgical intervention.
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Diabetes and Cushings disease: Urine issues caused by diabetes and Cushings disease can improve when you address the primary condition.
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Ectopic ureters: Surgery is commonly indicated if ectopic ureters are found.
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Weak bladder: Dogs are started on medication or they may require surgery.
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Treating Incontinence In Dogs
Some cases of incontinence will resolve when the underlying cause is treated. Examples include urine infections and bladder stones. For these cases, your dog may be placed on medications like antibiotics or asked to start a special diet. In some cases, surgery will be needed to correct the underlying cause of the incontinence for instance spinal problems, perineal hernias, and some bladder stones.
In some cases, including USMI, your dog will need to go on lifelong medication. Up to 97% of USMI cases resolve with medication , although they will recur if the medication is stopped. Your vet might also recommend a pain relief trial to see whether back pain is a cause of your dogs USMI.
Unfortunately, there are far less well-established methods for treating fecal incontinence. While some dogs will recover, ongoing fecal incontinence is often a cause for euthanasia.
How Is Urinary Incontinence Diagnosed In Dogs
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Incontinence can be confused with diseases and infections that cause a pet to urinate frequently. The tests performed to evaluate a pet with incontinence depend upon the age of the pet and clinical signs.
A dye study of the bladder is usually performed, and it is common to collect a urine sample for bacterial culture and to see if the urine is dilute or shows evidence of an infection that could be the cause of incontinence.
Blood tests can detect evidence of kidney damage from infection or for the presence of diseases that might lead to increased urine production.
X-rays or ultrasounds may be used to look at the parts of the urinary tract.
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Are Certain Dogs At Higher Risk Of Developing Urinary Incontinence
Just like any human, any dog can develop urinary incontinence however, these are a few characteristics that may increase your little friends risk:
- Middle-aged to older spayed females
- Cocker spaniels, Springer spaniels, Doberman pinschers, Old English sheepdogs
- Dogs spayed before they are 3 months old
Surgery To Correct Anatomical Abnormalities
If your dogs incontinence is caused by an anatomical abnormality, your vet may recommend surgery.
The most likely kind of abnormality is ectopic ureter. Its fairly rare, with reported incidence of less than 0.1%.
This problem is usually seen in 3 to 6 month old dogs, and females are 8 times more prone than males.
High risk breeds for this problem are
- West Highland White Terrier
This condition may be corrected with surgery to redirect the ureter into the bladder.
A less invasive method is cystoscopic-guided laser ablation. Its done under anesthesia and involves inserting a ureteral catheter into the ectopic ureter. A laser then ablates the wall of the ureter. This effectively moves the opening from the urethra to the bladder. One study showed a 47% success rate for this procedure.
PRO TIP
However you decide to treat your dogs incontinence adjust and increase your dogs potty break time. This will help reduce the amount of urine in the bladder at any one time. Make sure she goes out to pee before you leave for work or school, and right before bedtime.
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What To Do Beforetreating Dog Incontinence
Before trying any dog incontinence treatment, the first thing you need to do is take your dog to your vet to rule out any possible causes that would require medical attention.
Your vet visit should include:
Next, I would strongly recommend a visit to a chiropractor.If spinal alignment or muscle spasms are causing your dogs incontinence, thisvisit may take care of the problem.
If these visits dont uncover an underlying issue, you will have to choose which treatment/approach you want to take for your dogs incontinence. If you have a natural vet you can discuss natural treatment options with them.
What Is Canine Incontinence
Urinary incontinence occurs when a dog involuntarily loses bladder control. This condition ranges from small to large leaks indoors due to a medical or behavioral disorder. Incontinence isnt related to a dog purposely causing mischief, and chances are your dog is not being spiteful or acting out.
If you diligently housetrained your dog and it has been consistently doing its business in the yard at proper times, it should be noted that incontinence is not a housetraining issue. Even if you missed a few steps in potty training or the process took longer than you anticipated, forgetting potty training likely isnt the culprit. A housetrained puppy who suddenly leaves wet messes indoors could suffer from a medical disease, such as Addisons disease or leptospirosisa contagious disease transmitted by drinking from a contaminated puddle.
The dog who leaves a bathroom boo-boo isnt purposely misbehaving, either. Feeling anxious over a change in the family or the environment, such as a big move or a divorce, can trigger inappropriate elimination. Although owners of older dogs often blame a puddle problem on their dogs age, the years alone often arent the sole reason. Theres usually an underlying issue, such as dementia or cognitive dysfunction syndrome, which explains why a senior dog forgets where to pee.
Some causes of incontinence include:
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What Are The Treatment Options For Dogs With Ectopic Ureters
The standard treatment for dogs with ureteral ectopia is surgical correction, but reported success rates vary between 50-75% after surgery. The poor success rate could be due to a variety of causes including a disease we call urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence . Newer therapies for EUs include treating them with a minimally invasive technique that involves the use of a laser. Although this technique has only been performed in a few animals, results are promising and recovery is very quick. To inquire about therapeutic options for ectopic ureters, please contact the UC Davis veterinary hospital Small Animal Clinic.
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Can Incontinence In Dogs Be Temporary
Incontinence in dogs can be temporary if caused by a disease or injury, and many dogs will make a complete recovery. For instance, in dogs with a urinary infection or urinary stones, the incontinence will resolve once the underlying cause is treated.
Dogs with spinal cord damage or disease are less likely to make a recovery, although it depends on the type of damage. USMI is a permanent cause of incontinence, but it can be managed with medication.
After graduating as a veterinarian from the University of Nottingham, Dr Joanna Woodnutt went on to practice companion animal medicine in the Midlands. She quickly developed a love of consulting and helping clients with medical problems such as dermatology, behavior and nutrition, and has written for countless online and print publications.
Signs Of Incontinence In Dogs
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I probably dont need to tell you how youll know your dog is incontinent. Its usually pretty obvious!
The most common sign of urinary incontinence in dogs is wet spots wherever your dog sleeps.
You might also notice
- Dampness around the hindquarters and thighs
- Dribbling urine as she walks
- Irritated skin or redness from the dripping
- Dribbling urine when she is excited, frightened, submissive, or stressed
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