Removing Urine Smell From Poodles Rear End

[Shaar]

My 3 year old poodle bitch has urinary incontinence. We have yet to find a medication that works and she is urinating in her sleep at least half a dozen times a week.

She has had the problem her whole life and we manage it by washing her rear end when she has a big accident and wiping with baby wipes for small accidents, but all of a sudden it has started making her coat REEK of ammonia.

She usually drinks water quite a lot which makes her urine very diluted and pale, my theory is that she has been drinking less so her urine has been a more concentrated but that is not the issue...

I bathed her earlier in baby shampoo, and by bathed I mean DROWNED in shampoo but the smell is exactly the same.

What can I use to get rid of the smell? I have searched on the internet but all I can find in searched is how to remove pet odor from furniture.

Any ideas/suggestions/advice welcome on both the smell and the urinary issue.

Thankyou.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

This would be hard to cope with. I've had an elderly female malt with this issue, Stiboestrel was what worked for her although the dosage needed adjusting at times. She began to wet when she was sleeping, she was a very clean girl otherwise.

I think you can get nappies for dogs now but hopefully there will be a medication that helps. What has the vet tried?

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

I wonder if a vinegar/water rinse followed by a shampoo would work?

One rule I follow is never to use any human shampoo on a dog, their skin is different from ours.

I always use Alloveen which is expensive - I had to go to a pet store last week and found some new shampoos that are very similar but one third of the price, eg about $12 for a bottle. Still exy but this stinky little foster dog I have smelt a million dollars after a bath.

[Shaar]

Thanks dogmad, I was also wondering about the vinegar, I usually soak her bedding in a vinegar solution before I wash it and it smells fine, not sure about how it would go on their skin though?

She had been on Propalin for about 6 months and it worked great for a few weeks but just gradually stopped working so I never refilled the prescription. Going to go back soon to see what else the vet recommends.

Is Stiboestrel for spay incontinence?

[t-time]

I actually would be a bit concerned that the urine concentration has changed......

An enzyme shampoo like EZ Groom would definitely help with the smell.

Contact "Love My Fur Babies" - they advertise here on DOL and make great little bitch panties which may be a big help to your girl particularly at night.

[Shaar]

Thanks t-time.

So you think I should look into the urine concentration changing? I just assumed it was because it's been cold and she hasn't been drinking as much, I will look into it though thanks, wouldn't want to ignore it and it turn out to be something nasty.

I'll check out that website too, I've seen the ad pop up before. At night it's not too bad because she is in her crate and has very absorbent bedding (washed daily) but of an evening when we watch television she usually lays on the floorboards in front of the heater or on the leather couch where there's nothing to soak it up but her coat.

[Rappie]

When you say she's had the problem her whole life, is that before desexing (if she is desexed))?

The smell may be a result of a urinary tract infection, which can also cause them to drink more water. They are at increased risk is there is an anatomical factor causing the incontinence. If she's really always done it even since a very young dog then I would considering the possibility of something like an ectopic ureter. I think if she's only just started to smell bad it is time for a check up and urine test.

[frufru]

Good luck with your girl

You could try making a paste from bi-carb-soda and applying this to the area - let it dry and brush out. With male poodles in show coat who pee on their front poms it is just daily washing with shampoo to keep the smell and discolouration to a minimum.

[Shaar]

Thanks rappie and frufru, it's a hereditary problem, it's been happening since she was a pup and wasn't spayed until after 12 months.

The bicarb mix would work for the small areas, but when she 'lets go' on the floorboards it's literally her whole side and legs that get soaked.

[Rascalmyshadow]

Has she had ultrasounds and x rays done? We had an airedale puppy like this and we found out his urinary tract wasn't connecting to his bladder which is rare for a male but apparently not so rare in females.

[frufru]

Ohhh the poor thing! I don't know what to suggest - with the suggestions of Nappy type things I would be worried about scalding of her skin if she had to have a wet nappy on for any length of time. Do you use "dry bed" for her sleeping areas to take the moisture away?

[Shaar]

I have been meaning to purchase a dry bed for a while now but haven't had the spare cash :rolleyes:

In her crate she has a single bed quilt folded over twice so it's 4 layers thick, all the moisture just goes straight to the bottom so she never comes out of her crate in the morning even damp.

I feel so sorry for her, she doesn't know when it's happening but when she wakes up and notices she is wet she starts cleaning herself straight away. She's such a good girl in the bath now though, when she wets herself and I stand up she just toddles along to the bathroom with me.

I haven't had x-rays or ultra-sound done, vet didn't even mention anything like that actually, I'll have to ask him about it, thanks.