Incontinence In 1 Year Old Bitch

[StaceyB]

Hi Guys,

I'm really worried about Gypsy, she seems to be incontinent. She has recently had a Urinary Tract Infection and finished her anti-biotics 3 weeks ago and everything was fine, but for the last few nights she doesn't seem to notice when she needs to go to the toilet and has wet herself - on my bed tonight! But she doesn't make any attempt to move to go out to wee, nor does she move afterwards unless told to. And it's not just a little bit of urine either, it's a pretty decent amount. This (and obsessive licking) was the symptom that prompted me to take her to the vet when she was diagnosed with the UTI in the first place, but now I'm thinking that the UTI may have comeback and thats what is causing it (hopefully).

I'll be taking her back to the vet ASAP, but I was hoping someone might be able to suggest any other causes that I can ask about.

This sort of thing is just not normal in a dog her age (11.5 months), and it's got me really worried about her.

Oh, and it only ever seems to be at night at around the same time, which seems really weird! I only took her out for a loo break half an hour before it happened tonight and I watched her wee while she was out there. Same thing happened last night, but it was about an hour after her loo break and it's always between about 8.30pm and 10.30pm.

Any ideas you guys might have would be really great!

[aranyoz]

Is she entire or desexed because if it is the latter it may be spay incontinence which is controlable with medication?

[StaceyB]

She has been spayed, just under 6 months ago. I'll ask the vet about it this arvo, I have an appointment at 4pm.

[benny123]

I'm watching this thread too as my girl has become quite incontinent (during the night or when he is sleeping during the day).

Mine is 18 months old and this has been getting worse over the last couple of months. My girl was speyed at 8 weeks as she was a rescue. She's had numerous UTIs that have been treated with ABs, ahe's had ultrasounds and Xrays totry an determine the cause of the UTIs - too no avail. the incontinence seems to have started about 6months ago.

We've tried Stilbestrol tabs but they no longer work. I don't want to give her Propalin as I've heard the side effects can be quite drastic and she's hyper already without help from drugs.

I really don't know what to do now - I'm washing bedding twice a day.

Poor girl - she has no idea that she's doing it

[GSDlover]

She has been spayed, just under 6 months ago. I'll ask the vet about it this arvo, I have an appointment at 4pm.

Can i ask what age she was spayed?

[TiffanyAmber]

Oh, and it only ever seems to be at night at around the same time, which seems really weird!

Do you feed her late at night?

I found with my dogs that if I feed them after 7.00pm, I am up all night with them to take them out. Now I feed around 4.30pm and 5.30pm and it has been fine. They sleep all night.

[StaceyB]

She has been spayed, just under 6 months ago. I'll ask the vet about it this arvo, I have an appointment at 4pm.

Can i ask what age she was spayed?

She was a few days over 6 months.

I've been reading up in Spay Incontinence and it sounds pretty spot on with whats been going on, I'm going to bring it up with the vet and see what she says. I'm trying not to assume that this it whats going on.

I really wish the vets told people about this sort of thing when they take their dog in to get spayed, there is a 30% risk of this developing in bitches over 20kg. That is huge amount!!

[StaceyB]

I'm watching this thread too as my girl has become quite incontinent (during the night or when he is sleeping during the day).

Mine is 18 months old and this has been getting worse over the last couple of months. My girl was speyed at 8 weeks as she was a rescue. She's had numerous UTIs that have been treated with ABs, ahe's had ultrasounds and Xrays totry an determine the cause of the UTIs - too no avail. the incontinence seems to have started about 6months ago.

We've tried Stilbestrol tabs but they no longer work. I don't want to give her Propalin as I've heard the side effects can be quite drastic and she's hyper already without help from drugs.

I really don't know what to do now - I'm washing bedding twice a day.

Poor girl - she has no idea that she's doing it

Have a look at this Benny 123, I found it on a google search as an alternative to Propalin.

[StaceyB]

Oh, and it only ever seems to be at night at around the same time, which seems really weird!

Do you feed her late at night?

I found with my dogs that if I feed them after 7.00pm, I am up all night with them to take them out. Now I feed around 4.30pm and 5.30pm and it has been fine. They sleep all night.

I normally feed her between 5.30 - 6.30pm, except on Wednesday nights when we go to training and she gets fed at about 8.30 - 9pm when we get home.

She is normally really go at holding on all night and we've never had a problem before.

[benny123]

Many thanks for that StaceyB. I also searched and found the info. OH took Beanie to the vet (while I stayed home with Spud) to discuss her probs and get the Incurin as it looked great in terms of limited side effects etc. Our regular vet was not on and the other vet sent him home with Propalin .

We have to do something as our dogs also sleep on the (human) bed.

I bought several of those plastic backed picnic rugs and I put them plastic side up where she sleeps and then put one of her washable rugs on top. Every morning I have to wash her rug, replace the picnic rug, and clean the previous night's picnic rug with disinfectant.

I tried putting her in a pair of disposable pull-ups, with a hole for her tail, but she shredded them .

[Dogsfevr]

We have plenty of dogs in boarding on propalin & not one has had any issues but the results have been amazing.

I would be changing her sleeping habits & waking her up to go outside during tha time frame.

Edited April 11, 2008 by settrlvr

[StaceyB]

We went to the Vet this arvo, she thinks that given Gypsy's history and the type for UTI she's had it is probably a re-occurrence of that. Gyps is going in to spend the day on Monday so they can get a urine sample and get the cultures done straight away.

She said if it's not the UTI again it could be spay incontinence so they will check it out if the urine sample is clear.

[pesh]

Other than what has been suggested, I would talk to the breeder if you know them? Ask has this occured in their dogs before? Just gives the vets more to work with.

Good luck to everyone.....................

[StaceyB]

Other than what has been suggested, I would talk to the breeder if you know them? Ask has this occured in their dogs before? Just gives the vets more to work with.

Good luck to everyone.....................

Gypsy's a mongrel, not from a breeder. I joined DOL after I get her and I had no idea about a lot of what happens in the dog world. I was on of those people who just though that if you want a pet dog you just look in the newspaper and get one - Now I know better.

[Mizzi]

I'm watching this thread too as my girl has become quite incontinent (during the night or when he is sleeping during the day).

Mine is 18 months old and this has been getting worse over the last couple of months. My girl was speyed at 8 weeks as she was a rescue.

Matilda has this problem too. She was also speyed at 8 weeks, as she was a pound rescue.

She developed an incontinence problem when she was about 10 months old. My vet couldn't find anything physically wrong with her, but suggested it might be psychological, so she put her on a course of Pulsitilla drops.

I also gave her Bladder biochemics (Schuessler Tissue Salts), and her problem improved dramatically.

She still has the odd bout of bed wetting, for which we now give her 'anxiety' drops for a few days, until her problem is under control again.

Since we can never be sure when her incontinence will recur, we now have her sleep in specially made diapers every night. Makes life much easier to deal with, for when those little accidents do happen.

The Bladder biochemics are no longer in tablet form, but here is some info on the same product in a spray.

Martin and Pleasance - Bladder 25ml Spray

This homoeopathic medicine has been prepared by traditional methods for the temporary relief of symptoms associated with:

* Incontinence

* Urinary tract infection

* Prostate disorders

* Bed wetting

Martin & Pleasance oral sprays are a lactose free homoeopathic formulation, prepared by traditional methods and created with the inclusion of Schuessler Tissue Salts. Homoeopathic formulations stimulate the body's own ability to assist in restoring natural equilibrium and health.

This is the link for purchasing made to order diapers, if you're interested.

http://www.lovemyfurbabies.com.au/Diapers.htm

[StaceyB]

We have her basic tests back, there was no bacteria but they are testing the cultures to see if there is anything hiding they couldn't detect before.

There was a lot of blood in the sample they took and there were also some crystals.

If the cultures come back clear they will be doing an ultrasound to see what is going on, but the vet suggested that she may have a birth defect with her bladder.

[Miranda]

There was a lot of blood in the sample they took and there were also some crystals.

She could also have bladder stones.

[aranyoz]

I'm watching this thread too as my girl has become quite incontinent (during the night or when he is sleeping during the day).

Mine is 18 months old and this has been getting worse over the last couple of months. My girl was speyed at 8 weeks as she was a rescue.

Matilda has this problem too. She was also speyed at 8 weeks, as she was a pound rescue.

She developed an incontinence problem when she was about 10 months old. My vet couldn't find anything physically wrong with her, but suggested it might be psychological, so she put her on a course of Pulsitilla drops.

I also gave her Bladder biochemics (Schuessler Tissue Salts), and her problem improved dramatically.

She still has the odd bout of bed wetting, for which we now give her 'anxiety' drops for a few days, until her problem is under control again.

Since we can never be sure when her incontinence will recur, we now have her sleep in specially made diapers every night. Makes life much easier to deal with, for when those little accidents do happen.

The Bladder biochemics are no longer in tablet form, but here is some info on the same product in a spray.

Martin and Pleasance - Bladder 25ml Spray

This homoeopathic medicine has been prepared by traditional methods for the temporary relief of symptoms associated with:

* Incontinence

* Urinary tract infection

* Prostate disorders

* Bed wetting

Martin & Pleasance oral sprays are a lactose free homoeopathic formulation, prepared by traditional methods and created with the inclusion of Schuessler Tissue Salts. Homoeopathic formulations stimulate the body's own ability to assist in restoring natural equilibrium and health.

This is the link for purchasing made to order diapers, if you're interested.

http://www.lovemyfurbabies.com.au/Diapers.htm

Really interesting info on the homeopathics. Kudos to your vet for thinking outside the box. I will be storing this info as I have an older girl I am considering having spayed sometime this year but was not keen on puting her on mediaction for the rest of her life...

[StaceyB]

There was a lot of blood in the sample they took and there were also some crystals.

She could also have bladder stones.

It could be, an ultrasound will pick that up wont it?

She has just been vomiting and had a bit of diarrhea, I called the vets and they said to keep an eye on her tonight and just give her a very bland dinner, but if it gets worse we can take her in as they are 24 hour for emergencies. Otherwise I will bring her into work with me tomorrow (my vet is on the same site as work - very convenient) and board her until an available appointment.

She seems happy enough at the moment, she's currently running around the yard with a squeaky toy, and showing no signs at all of being distressed.

Damn, I don't think I've ever been this worried!

[aranyoz]

There was a lot of blood in the sample they took and there were also some crystals.

She could also have bladder stones.

It could be, an ultrasound will pick that up wont it?

She has just been vomiting and had a bit of diarrhea, I called the vets and they said to keep an eye on her tonight and just give her a very bland dinner, but if it gets worse we can take her in as they are 24 hour for emergencies. Otherwise I will bring her into work with me tomorrow (my vet is on the same site as work - very convenient) and board her until an available appointment.

She seems happy enough at the moment, she's currently running around the yard with a squeaky toy, and showing no signs at all of being distressed.

Damn, I don't think I've ever been this worried!

Finger crosseds she will be fine, she looks like at absolute sweetheart.