Helping a Dog with a Lazy Bladder After Prostate Enlargement
by Diane
(Bristol)
A “lazy” bladder (bladder atony) can develop when the bladder has been overstretched for a while, for example when an enlarged prostate makes emptying difficult. The stretched muscle loses some of its ability to contract, so urine builds up and may dribble out.
The good news is that the bladder often recovers if it is kept from overfilling while the muscle heals. This can take weeks. Your vet may empty the bladder regularly, by gentle expression or with a urinary catheter, and may prescribe medication that helps the bladder contract and the urethra relax. At home, frequent chances to go out help, and so does telling your vet if he passes only small amounts or seems to be straining. If he can’t pass urine, or his belly seems swollen or painful, see a vet the same day, and don’t try to express his bladder at home unless your vet has shown you how.
Treating the prostate itself, often with neutering or medication, removes the cause. Because urine left in the bladder makes infection more likely, ask your vet about periodic urine checks with a culture.
Our page on urinary incontinence in dogs covers overflow leaking and other bladder control problems.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
