When housetrained dogs experience unexpected urinary incontinence, a medical problem may be to blame. The most common form of incontinence is estrogen-responsive incontinence, which occurs most frequently in unspayed female dogs and is characterized by urination while resting or sleeping. Other causes of incontinence include arthritis, bladder stones, bladder tumors and polyps, chronic kidney failure, congenital disorders, Cushing's disease, diabetes mellitus, infections, liver disease, trauma to the spinal cord or brain, and urinary-tract infections. In addition, some drugs may lead to an increase in urine.
If your dog is having accidents, have him first seen by your veterinarian. Also remember that scolding or reprimanding your dog for his incontinence, if a medical condition is to blame, is unproductive and unfair. |
