Urinary Problems in Dogs

Signs of Urinary Problems in Dogs

• Peeing often, in small amounts^1,2
• Straining or pain when peeing^2,10
• Blood in the urine^1,2
• Accidents in the house^1,10
• Foul-smelling urine or licking the genitals a lot¹
• Leaking or dribbling urine, often while lying down^11,6
• Drinking and peeing more than usual^6,12

Some dogs with bladder infections show no signs, especially those with diabetes, kidney disease or Cushing's disease.¹⁰ See blood in dog urine and dog drinking a lot of water.

Common Causes

Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Bladder infections are relatively common, especially in female dogs, whose urethra is shorter and close to the anus.^1,2 E. coli is the most common germ.² Risk factors include bladder stones, incontinence, diabetes, Cushing's disease, kidney disease, spinal disc disease and a hooded vulva.¹ Untreated infections can spread to the kidneys.¹⁰ Read more: urinary tract infection in dogs and bladder infections in dogs.

Bladder stones

Small stones often cause no signs, while larger ones cause painful or bloody urination. X-rays can detect stones as small as 3 mm.³ Stones can lodge in the urethra and block it, which is more common in male dogs.³ Read more: bladder stones in dogs.

Urinary incontinence

Incontinence is passive, unconscious leaking of urine, not a behavior problem.^12,11 The most common cause is a weak urethral sphincter, which mostly affects spayed females.⁴ Birth defects such as ectopic ureters cause leaking in young dogs.^4,13 Read more: urinary incontinence in dogs.

Kidney disease and hormone disease

Kidney disease and hormone (endocrine) diseases such as diabetes and Cushing's disease make dogs drink and pee more, which can worsen leaking.^13,6 They also raise the risk of urinary infections.¹ Read more: kidney disease in dogs.

Bladder cancer

Transitional cell carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor of the lower urinary tract, and lower urinary tract tumors are diagnosed at an average age of 9. It causes blood in the urine and painful or frequent urination, often with infections that don't clear, so it can be mistaken for simple, recurring infections.³ Read more: bladder cancer in dogs.

Prostate problems

In male dogs, prostate infection needs a longer course of treatment than a simple bladder infection.⁵ Read more: prostate cancer in dogs.

Comparing the Main Urinary Problems

Incontinence in Female Dogs and After Spaying

Most spayed females that leak urine have urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI), a weak urethral sphincter that is usually, but not always, linked to hormone changes after spaying.^4,6 Dogs with USMI most often leak when lying down or at rest, and many seem unaware of it.^6,11 It's common and treatable, and it isn't something your dog does on purpose.^6,12

Does spay age matter?

The evidence is mixed. A US study found that, in dogs expected to weigh more than 25 kg (55 lb), spaying later in the first year was linked to a lower risk, but timing made no significant difference for smaller dogs.^9,15 A UK study found no clear link with spay age, though larger dogs and some breeds had higher odds.⁸ US breed studies found higher rates with early spay in some breeds but not others.^16,17 The 2024 specialist consensus makes no recommendation on spay age.⁶ If you're planning a spay for a future dog, talk timing through with your vet. For a dog who is already leaking, the focus is on finding the cause and treating it.

When leaking starts in a puppy

Spay incontinence usually starts years later: the median was about 3.7 years after spay in one US study.⁹ Leaking that starts in puppyhood, or constant dribbling at rest and during activity, is typical of ectopic ureters, a birth defect of the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys.^6,14 It's more common in young females and in breeds such as Siberian Huskies, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and West Highland White Terriers.^6,14 The two can look alike, so testing matters: ultrasound is a reasonable screen, and cystoscopy (a camera into the bladder) is more definitive.⁶ Ectopic ureters are corrected by laser through a scope or by surgery.⁴

Treatment

• Medicine first. Spayed females with USMI are usually treated with a urethral-tone medicine (alpha-adrenergic agonist class) or an estrogen-class hormone, sometimes combined. Allow at least 28 days to judge the response.^6,4 One owner-facing source estimates about 70% of dogs respond to medicine alone.¹¹ Most can be managed long term with medication.¹²
• Procedures for dogs that don't respond. Over 80% of dogs become continent after urethral bulking injections, but leaking returns in many within a year. An artificial urethral sphincter gives good to excellent continence in 82% to 92% of dogs.⁶

Your vet can tell you what to expect for your dog. For more, see urinary incontinence in dogs.

Urinary Problems in Senior Dogs

New leaking or accidents in an older dog aren't "just old age" and deserve a checkup. Several things can be going on:

• USMI can become more noticeable in middle-aged and older dogs, and leaking while asleep fits this pattern.^4,11
• Drinking more: kidney or hormone disease increases urine volume and can make leaking worse. Tell your vet if your dog is drinking more.^13,6
• Infection: risk rises with diabetes, Cushing's disease and kidney disease.¹
• Stones or bladder tumors. Lower urinary tract tumors are diagnosed at an average age of 9.³
• Cognitive dysfunction can cause loss of house training, which is different from passive leaking.^18,12

Your vet will usually start with urinalysis and a urine culture, then blood tests and imaging as needed.^6,11 At home, more frequent bathroom trips help.¹¹ Senior care guidelines advise limiting diapers to avoid secondary infections.¹⁸ Don't cut back your dog's water without your vet's advice. See incontinence in old dogs.

Urinary Signs in Puppies

Frequent urination in a female puppy isn't always a bladder infection. Puppy vaginitis causes frequent urination, licking, scooting and discharge, and often clears up after the first heat cycle.¹⁹ Constant dribbling in a young female suggests ectopic ureters.^14,6 A urine culture confirms whether there's a true infection.⁵

What Can Be Mistaken for a UTI?

• Bladder stones cause painful, bloody urination.³
• Bladder cancer can be mistaken for repeated simple infections.³
• Incontinence causes wet spots and dribbling.⁴
• Puppy vaginitis causes frequent urination and licking.¹⁹
• Polypoid cystitis (benign bladder growths from long-term inflammation): in a US study of 112 dogs, it was usually tied to infection or stones, and the outlook was good.²⁰
• Overactive bladder, which can occur with no infection.⁴
• Excess thirst from kidney or hormone disease.⁶

We found no reliable data on how common sterile (non-infectious) cystitis is in dogs. A urine culture is what tells infection apart from other causes of bladder inflammation.⁵

How Vets Diagnose Urinary Problems

• Urinalysis with a look at the sediment is the minimum.²
• Urine culture is the gold standard for infection. A dipstick white-cell test shouldn't be relied on in dogs.^2,5
• Blood tests, X-rays and ultrasound to look for stones, tumors and kidney or hormone disease.^11,3
• Cystoscopy for suspected ectopic ureters.^6,4

Repeat infections

Two or more infections in six months, or three or more in a year, count as recurrent.^1,2 Vets then look for a cause such as stones, polyps, a tumor, a prostate or kidney infection, or a hooded vulva.^2,10 Routine retesting isn't needed after a simple infection clears, but it's used for recurrent or complicated cases.⁵ Specialists don't recommend preventive antibiotics, and there isn't enough evidence to recommend cranberry products.⁵

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the treatment for incontinence in dogs?

Your vet first rules out infection and other causes with urine tests. Spay-related incontinence is usually treated with daily medicine that tightens the urethra or replaces hormones, and most dogs improve. Injections or a surgical implant can help dogs that don't respond.

Is there a home remedy for dog incontinence?

No home remedy has been shown to treat it. More frequent bathroom trips, washable bedding and keeping the skin clean help your dog stay comfortable. Don't cut back water without your vet's advice.

Why is my senior dog suddenly peeing in her sleep?

A weak urethral sphincter often shows up as leaking during sleep, but new leaking in an older dog can also come from infection, stones, kidney disease or diabetes. Have your vet check a urine sample.

What are the symptoms of bladder problems in dogs?

Peeing often in small amounts, straining, blood in the urine, accidents in the house, strong-smelling urine, licking the genitals and leaking. Straining with little or no urine is an emergency.

Can puppies get UTIs?

Yes, but frequent peeing and licking in a female puppy can also be puppy vaginitis, which often clears after the first heat. A urine culture tells them apart.

What can be mistaken for a UTI in dogs?

Bladder stones, bladder tumors, incontinence, puppy vaginitis, bladder polyps and increased thirst from kidney or hormone disease can all look like a urinary infection.

Did spaying cause my dog's incontinence?

Spay-related hormone changes are linked to a weak urethral sphincter, but studies disagree on whether spay timing matters, and many spayed dogs never leak. It's common and usually treatable, so focus on getting your dog checked and treated.