home All hormones Reasons why a dog often urinates, specialist recommendations and treatment. Polyuria - frequent urination in dogs Why does a dog often go to the toilet

Reasons why a dog often urinates, specialist recommendations and treatment. Polyuria - frequent urination in dogs Why does a dog often go to the toilet

Many people refuse to live with animals for only one reason - “a puppy is like a child”; after buying it, part of the house (or even the whole house) will not look quite appropriate. These, as they say, are production costs and nothing more, with proper upbringing, from the age of 4 months the puppy will relieve its needs only on the street, but there are exceptions. Your pet is over 4 months old and you still step into puddles on the floor? Has the presence of a dog become a problem and annoys your household? Are you trying to stop your dog from peeing at home, but your efforts are getting nowhere? Apparently, you are doing something wrong or do not understand the reasons for the incorrect behavior. Let's figure it out.

Trying to solve the problem, owners resort to extremes, get offended by the pet, consider it stupid... in most “dead-end problems” it is the dog’s owner who is wrong - this is an axiom. The first thing to do is stop getting angry, even if your pet has already peed on the carpet or bed - start with a clean slate! Approach the issue from a physiological point of view and everything will work out - 100% guarantee.

Important! The methods below do not involve physical punishment, but are based on the methodology of working with mentally healthy dogs!

Puppies up to 4 months old

So, until 4 months, your puppy is a “baby”, he does not feel the urge to urinate, so there is no use in being offended by puddles! The optimal solution for this period is to train the dog to a certain place in the house. The toilet is covered with oilcloth and newspaper, a moisture-absorbing diaper (expensive, but convenient), and a piece of natural fabric. The method is viable, since before receiving basic vaccination, it is not advisable to bring the puppy to public walking areas, and it is necessary to maintain cleanliness in the house. Perhaps the baby will make mistakes if he gets too excited. However, by accustoming your puppy to a diaper, you can be sure that the apartment will not turn into an “ocean” when no one is home. The training algorithm is quite simple and will take no more than 2 days:

From the moment of drinking water, the puppy will want to pee within 15–20 minutes (provided that the dog actually drank and did not wet its throat).

Observe your pet as soon as he moves away from the bowl.

As soon as the baby begins to pee and squat (males pee like bitches in puppyhood), carefully pick him up and move him to the approved place.

If the puppy tries to run away, return him to the diaper, stroke him and move away again.

Repeat the return until the ward relieves himself.

Praise your puppy profusely!

Cut a piece from the described paper (diaper) and place it on top of the new bedding - now the puppy will also be guided by the smell.

Important! Some puppies are embarrassed by their owner and will not relieve themselves in front of them. The solution is to make walls (without a roof) from a cardboard box or hang a makeshift curtain over the toilet.

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Puppies aged 4 to 10 months

Teenage puppies are comparable to children aged 3-5 years - peeing in their pants is no longer common, but troubles do happen, and there is no need to be ashamed of them. It's time to wean your puppy from peeing at home, but it's too early to remove the diapers. The first difficulty you will encounter is the dog's adaptation to new conditions. For the first few walks, the baby will endure and carry all the “treasures” home, because it’s more familiar and safer. Don’t be upset, this behavior does not indicate the dog’s stupidity; on the contrary, not a single animal will eat or leave its smell where it may be unsafe. The education algorithm is as follows:

The puppy needs to be accustomed to the street - games, praise for obedience, maximum positive emotions and goodies will let the baby know that it is safe to go for a walk.

Try to water and feed your puppy at least 30–40 minutes before your walk. This is approximately the amount of time it takes for the puppy’s kidneys and intestines to “do” 80% of the work.

Remember! When walking after eating, heavy loads and jumping are not recommended. The best way out is to walk in the company of older puppies who are already accustomed to relieving themselves on the street. Dogs learn rules of behavior, including by imitating their relatives.

As soon as the puppy is tired, go home and it doesn’t matter whether he went to the toilet or not.

By adhering to this tactic and gradually increasing the walking time, you will achieve a miracle - the dog will pee on the street. To speed up the results, take water for a walk and give the puppy a drink after a run or play.

Once the goal is achieved, emotionally praise your pet! Pet him and reward him with a treat, but don't let the dog jump on you (otherwise you'll get another problem, not related to puddles).

Important! Puppies aged 4-6 months need to be walked 5-6 times a day, if necessary at night.

Adult dogs – education and behavior correction

Nonsense for many theoretical trainers is, in fact, a common problem for ordinary people. An adult dog peeing in the house is not uncommon. Theorists label the four-legged animal as “stupid,” while trainers look for the cause and eliminate it. The first thing you should do to wean an adult dog from peeing at home is identify the cause of incorrect behavior:

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Mental disorder- typical for dogs that have experienced violence, hunger, long wandering on the streets, or severe trauma. This is the most difficult case to correct; it requires a purely individual approach, affection, patience and complete disregard for material values on the part of the owner. That is, either you set yourself the goal of stabilizing the dog’s psyche and make any sacrifices (no matter how much a carpet, bed, chair, laminate flooring costs) or you admit defeat in advance.

Physical illness– in other words, urinary incontinence. The pathology can be a consequence of a cold, infection in the genitourinary tract, spinal cord injury, or complications after surgery. In this case, the dog requires treatment, during which time you can resort to using diapers.

Physiological features– a weak or small bladder is not only a human feature. In addition, it happens that the dog suffers from a hidden kidney ailment, which is why he wants to go to the toilet more often. In this case, “there’s nothing you can do”; you’ll have to adapt to the rhythm of your pet’s life. By the way, “vomiting from emotions” refers specifically to the category of problems with a weak bladder or urinary tract infection.

Bitches first heat– not understanding what is happening, but experiencing nagging pain in the peritoneum, trying to relieve the discomfort, the dog instinctively pees. Urination occurs frequently; sometimes the dog sits down, but does not pee because there is nothing left to urinate with. This behavior will not last long and you will have to endure literally 1 day.

Psychological trauma– after being kept in small cages, for example, in a shelter or quarantine site. The dog tolerates it on the street and basically relieves itself at home, because it considers this behavior to be correct. In this case, training begins with the puppy algorithm (in the diaper), after which the dog is gradually accustomed to walking and socialized.

Diffidence– fear of the unknown, and in some dogs a feeling of embarrassment, can interfere with normal behavior – relieving themselves on the street. There is an unshakable law - an animal does not eat when it feels danger. Teach your dog to eat outside, and then toilet problems will become solvable.

Instincts– puddles in the corners and lifting of paws on the curtains indicate a desire to mark territory. Sexual instinct and the desire to protect the territory from invasion are much stronger than ethics and methods of education. If you suppress instincts, it will come to the point that the dog will make a puddle demonstratively, looking into your eyes. In such a situation, the only way out is castration (removal of the testicles in males, the uterus and ovaries in females). After the operation and rehabilitation period, the animal becomes calmer, its sexual instinct “evaporates”, and with it the desire to protect its home from competitors for mating.

"For evil"– it is more correct to formulate this reason as “out of a feeling of deprivation,” but this behavior looks like the dog is intentionally mischievous. Puddles appear in the absence of the owner or right before the eyes of the taken aback owner. Dogs pee on the bed, shoes and carpets suffer. A pet can jump on the sofa when you are sitting on it and defiantly make a puddle... and all for the same purpose - discontent, screaming and even punishment. Moral violence is an act of showing attention! If a dog does not receive the communication and affection it needs, it achieves its goal in other ways. This situation resembles a vicious circle: the pet behaves normally for some time, and then problems with puddles return, regardless of age and quality of upbringing. The problem is not the dog or its habits, the problem is you!

Important! An adult dog can tolerate and pee only 2 times a day, but this has no health benefits. If you have the opportunity, walk your pet 3-4 times a day. Even going outside for 10-15 minutes will give your dog a chance to relieve himself, which will reduce the strain on his kidneys.

01/16/2017 by Eugene

Urinary incontinence in dogs can indicate the presence of various types of diseases. Such an unpleasant moment, by the way, can occur not only in elderly dogs, but also in small puppies. It should be remembered that any dog is a living being. It is guided by instincts and various emotions. And for sexually mature males, the smell of urine is a sign of their own dignity and superiority, and therefore they can begin to mark their own territory.

Practice shows that most often a dog urinates for the following reasons:

fright;
stress;
fear resulting from contact with other, more aggressive animals;
painful sensations.

No therapeutic action is required if the dog urinates for the above reasons. The only thing that is necessary is to make some adjustments to your own actions.

But it also happens that urination is caused, for example, by urolithiasis. In this case, it is simply impossible to do without the intervention of doctors.

Features of behavior

Urinary incontinence in pets may also be due to behavioral characteristics. Believe me, in this case, you should not scold and punish your dog, since this will not bring any expected effect. Even if the animal urinates, the owner only has to be patient and persevering in order to wean the animal from this action.

If a male dog pees because he wants to mark his own territory, it will simply be impossible to wean him off this. Bitches, in turn, try to go to the toilet in a small way somewhere in the corner.

The best way to treat this type of incontinence is to sterilize or castrate the animal, since after this procedure their sexual instincts disappear.

Age characteristics

Urinary incontinence can also be caused by age-related changes that have occurred in the dog's body. The fact is that as an animal ages, its smooth muscles weaken. In this case, you simply cannot do without the help of a veterinarian. The dog will need to be given special medications on which it will live for the rest of its days.

It should be remembered that if the smooth muscles weaken, the dog experiences nagging pain in the lower abdomen, which can only be relieved by emptying the bladder.

It is also not worth scolding the dog, since the previously obedient, but now sick, dog already understands perfectly well that it is impossible to act in this way, but cannot do anything about it. Treat a pet who has started peeing due to old age with understanding and respect.

A pet may also go to the toilet unscheduled because it drinks too much water. Then you should take him out for walks more often, and also deal with the problems that result from excessive fluid intake.
Incontinence due to illness

Incontinence in a dog can also be caused by incontinence associated with inflammatory processes in its body. The most common diseases causing incontinence are:

Cystitis. It is most often possible to identify such a problem simply by passing a general urine test. Cystitis is directly related to hypothermia, as well as the presence of microbes in the dog’s body. This disease can be overcome with a course of antibiotics. You should not delay starting treatment, as soon there may come a time when blood appears in the animal’s urine. In this case, the treatment process will drag on for quite a long time.
Polydipsia. If an animal consumes two or even three times more water than it needs per day, and at the same time it experiences incontinence, this may be associated with a disease called polydipsia. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis after a preliminary ultrasound examination. Unfortunately, it is unrealistic to cure this disease using conservative methods.

Among other things, the manifestation of this disease indicates that the dog has a predisposition to diabetes mellitus, as well as some other serious diseases. Therefore, a dog that has been diagnosed with this condition requires constant care.

Ectopia. This disease is not acquired, but congenital. Most often it affects representatives of the fair canine sex. Ectopia is usually diagnosed in a dog that is in puppyhood or adolescence. The disease can be cured only by surgery.

Incontinence in a puppy

But incontinence in a puppy is absolutely normal and natural. Veterinarians say that by about four months of age, puppies should learn to control their own urges to go to the toilet. However, we should not forget about the characteristics of various breeds, due to which the period of the puppy’s awareness of the need to go to the toilet can drag on for much longer.

Very often, people who have pets (in our case we will talk about dogs) are faced with the fact that their pet often pees. This is especially felt by city residents who keep their pupils in apartments and devote very little time to walking them.

Let’s put it this way: dog breeders deal with this in their own way, but not everyone understands the reason for their pupil’s frequent urination in the wrong place, therefore this is not acceptable for owners, not pupils. Next, we will look at the occurrence of the problem and methods for eliminating it. What are the reasons for frequent urination in your pets? Let's try to understand everything in more detail.

Causes

If your dog begins to pee a lot not only as an adult, this indicates some kind of problem in its body. You need to realize that your pupil lives according to his instincts and physiological laws, since he is very emotional.

So, it has been noticed that a very frequent desire in dogs to mark territory appears in the following cases:

sexual desire. During this period, the four-legged animal imagines that it is ready for copulation (this happens not only in boy dogs, but also in girls during the period of heat, when they often pee in small portions). It has also been proven that by the smell of urine, which contains a significant amount of information, for example, it can be used to determine the individual, gender, physiology and much more;
innovations in the house. For example, buying new furniture, the appearance of a baby, or another pet - all this brings unknown smells to your dog, and they make them familiar, i.e. theirs;
social status in the family. Since dogs are pack animals, therefore, when their importance in the family decreases, this serves as an excuse to leave feces in the bed or urinate on the furniture. This often happens when you get a new pet, or when your grown child begins to raise an adult dog.

Many pets urinate frequently due to an incorrect daily routine. For example, consider this situation: the owner is in a hurry to go to work, naturally, there is not enough time to walk his pet, and as soon as his four-legged friend relieves himself, he immediately takes him home. In this case, if your dog likes long walks, in order to take a longer walk he will relieve his needs at home. Due to unfair punishment and poking his nose into the puddles he made, the pet develops fear and in your presence will be afraid to do his need. But after you leave, he is free to do whatever he wants.

And your pet’s frequent urination may also depend on behavior, and kicking, screaming and poking the nose will not help correct the situation, but will only worsen it. Also, using a variety of treatments will be a waste of your time and money spent on purchasing various drugs. In this case, you need to thoughtfully raise your four-legged friend, show patience, but confidently and calmly insist on your own.

And male dogs have a natural intuition to mark their territory; they often pee in the corners. Sterilization, after which the animal’s sexual instincts decrease, will help in such a situation.

Of course, even in the presence of various abnormalities, dogs often experience urinary incontinence; it can be congenital or acquired; this is associated with weak contraction of the urethral muscles. In this case, even the use of various medications or other additional means of urine will flow out.

All owners are interested in the question, what to do about this problem? First of all, we advise you to contact a veterinarian. If this disease is detected at an early stage, it is still treatable. However, the disease may be incurable, but not uncontrollable.

Another answer to the question “Why did the dog start peeing often?” is her age, this is due to the fact that smooth muscles soften in old age and in this case it is necessary to support the pet with the help of medications.

In young bitches, this problem occurs during the period of estrus, and they experience nagging painful sensations, which lead to urination to ease their well-being and reduce excess pressure. The main thing is not to scold your dog, because he understands why this is happening, but is not able to cope with it. It is recommended to walk her more often.

Another factor of frequent peeing is that your pet consumes a large amount of water, because of this it cannot wait until a walk. In this case, anxiety is considered to be enormous thirst, which may indicate various health difficulties. Now let's look at the causes of diseases in dogs.

Diseases associated with frequent urination

Due to various diseases, your pet also has problems with urination. These can be all kinds of inflammations, which are difficult to identify even with a complete examination of the body. But still, something needs to be done. And what?

To begin with, we recommend recording the unusual diet and regime, walking your pet and what he encounters, how much liquid he drinks. This is very important information that will help the veterinarian quickly deal with this problem. At the same time, there are diseases such as: cystitis, polydipsia, spinal injuries, childbirth, ecotopia, and we will briefly talk about them now.

What to do if your pet has cystitis? To provide accurate assistance, you should first take a urine test; this is one of the important laboratory tests. Incontinence and frequent urination, even if your pet is sleeping, indicates cystitis. What causes this disease? In normal cases, hypothermia contributes to this. Antibiotics are used to treat dogs; improvement is noticed after a few days from the start of use. But if the owner treats this negligently and does not treat his pet, then the problem will worsen. The animal will begin to pee in blood, and then will be completely unable to relieve itself, and a long and thorough course of treatment will be required.

With polydipsia, your pet drinks two to three times the daily amount of water, and frequent peeing should not be surprising. In bitches, this phenomenon is observed in the presence of pyometra. In these cases, it is recommended to do an ultrasound and not self-medicate. The main root cause of this disease is diabetes mellitus, kidney failure, infections in the genitourinary system, etc. And this cannot be done without the intervention of a veterinarian.

With various injuries to the vertebra, the nerve endings and spinal canals may not function, and it is not possible to get rid of this problem. During childbirth, in some cases, nerves are pinched and limbs weaken, your pet looks sick and may abandon her baby. This will require a full comprehensive examination by a veterinarian to choose a treatment method. You may be offered to operate on your dog, but it is still better when tests are done first and treatment is carried out.

There is also a disease called ecotopia, which is congenital in nature and most often occurs in female dogs. It is diagnosed using a medical history for puppies at a young age. Corrected - with the help of surgery or urography.

And in conclusion, we can say that in order to save your pet from the above problems, you need to accurately determine the cause of their occurrence, and only then engage in treatment. In any case, every problem can be solved. You just have to want it!

Good owners always notice if the dog has any changes in appearance or behavior. Any deviations from the norm are a reason to be wary. For example, your dog may be very thirsty and urinate frequently.

The amount of fluid consumed should normally be up to 100 ml/kg, the volume of urine excreted should not exceed 50-75 ml/kg. These indicators may vary depending on breed, gender, and exposure to external factors. In some cases, polyuria and severe thirst are temporary and associated with natural causes. But often it is a sign of pathological disorders in the body (inflammation, diabetes, kidney pathologies). Therefore, it is necessary to show the dog to a doctor and conduct a thorough diagnosis.

Natural causes

When the body loses moisture, the dog develops a feeling of thirst as a reaction to the demand for water deficiency. This symptom may be associated with exposure to exogenous factors. A common cause of thirst is high air temperature indoors or outdoors.

Other causes of thirst and polyuria that do not require medical intervention:

Eating salty and spicy foods.
Feeding exclusively dry food, in which the humidity does not exceed 15%.
Increased physical activity, which increases heat transfer.
Insufficient amount of protein food in the diet.
Estrus, pregnancy and lactation.
Having long hair.
Taking certain medications (diuretics, hormones).

Sometimes polyuria is emotional in nature and is associated with the behavioral characteristics of the dog. A pet can pee under the influence of:

stress;
fright;
premonitions of threat.

If thirst and frequent urination are not associated with the presence of diseases, then, as a rule, the animal does not have other symptoms indicating pathological conditions.

Pathological causes

Secondary polyuria and polydipsia can occur due to certain health problems. Very often they are associated with inflammatory processes in the dog’s body. In such cases, it is important to pay attention to the accompanying symptoms.

Cystitis

This is an inflammation of the bladder. With cystitis in dogs, urine leakage and frequent trips to the toilet are observed.

The causative agents of cystitis are activated in the event of a weakening of the body’s protective functions against the background of:

hypothermia;
sexually transmitted infections;
intestinal dysfunction;
peritoneal injuries;
helminthic infestations;

The animal cannot always control the process of urination and makes puddles in the wrong place. When a dog has a high temperature, it becomes dehydrated and becomes very thirsty. When the bladder becomes inflamed, urine becomes cloudy, mixed with blood, pus, and has an unpleasant odor.

Kidney diseases

The need for increased fluid intake arises due to a lack of electrolytes, which are excreted from the body due to renal pathologies such as pyelonephritis, nephrosis, glomerulonephritis.

Alarming symptoms:

heat;
dark color of urine, the presence of mucus, blood, pus in it;
pain when urinating;
refusal of food;
lethargy.

Warning! If nephrons die, renal failure may develop. The compensatory function of the organ is disrupted, and the animal experiences polyuria. This is a dangerous condition that leads to damage to the kidney tubules and a drop in blood pressure. If not treated promptly, kidney failure can lead to the death of the dog.

Diabetes

Extreme thirst and frequent urination are some of the characteristic signs of diabetes mellitus. This is a disease in which there is a chronic increase in blood sugar levels.

The exact causes of diabetes are not fully understood. Predisposing factors for the development of the disease are:

genetic predisposition;
hormonal imbalances;
excessive consumption of carbohydrate foods;
obesity;
autoimmune diseases;
pancreatitis.

Excess glucose draws a lot of fluid from the body. As a result, the dog becomes very thirsty. The animal has gluttony. In this case, the dog can rapidly lose weight.

Additionally, diabetes is signaled by:

dry mucous membranes;
tachycardia;
blurred vision;
wounds and erosions on the paws that do not heal for a long time;
lethargy.

Pyometra

Inflammation of the uterine cavity in females. The disease can only be diagnosed with the help of a doctor. Its symptoms are similar to other inflammatory infections, so this cause of polyuria and severe thirst is difficult to determine by eye.

Pyometra is accompanied by purulent vaginal discharge, temperature fluctuations, severe abdominal pain, and apathy. There may be nausea and vomiting.

Injuries

Often, spinal injuries cause damage to the nerve endings of the spinal cord. As a result, the animal cannot control the process of urination. When nerves are pinched, paresis or paralysis of the limbs can occur. An indirect sign of problems with the spine may be an increased need to drink and frequent urination. Dachshunds, basset hounds and other breeds with an elongated spine are more susceptible to back injuries.

Possible complications

Depending on the causes of severe thirst and polyuria, complications that are dangerous for the animal may occur. Unpleasant consequences are often observed with renal pathologies, pyometra, and spinal injuries. Pinched nerves can lead to complete paralysis and immobility of the dog.

Pyometra is a powerful source of severe purulent inflammation, which can spread to other organs and infect them. The most dangerous complication is sepsis, which can lead to the death of the dog.

When to contact a veterinarian

If your dog becomes very thirsty and begins to urinate more often, you should first rule out the influence of external factors. Check what your pet ate, whether its food was salty or spicy, and rule out overheating.

It is necessary to take your dog to the doctor if additional symptoms appear:

refusal of food;
apathy;
whining during urination;
hot dry nose;
sudden weight gain or loss;
nausea, vomiting;
the presence of pus, blood in the urine, changes in its color and transparency.

Diagnostics

It is first necessary to measure the daily fluid intake and the volume of urine excreted. This observation should be carried out over several days.

The necessary diagnostic tool is laboratory tests:

measurement of urine density (normally it is 1.03 kg/l);
determination of the level of electrolytes in the blood (potassium, sodium);
hormonal tests (thyroxine, cortisol, insulin, etc.);
general urine test to identify the inflammatory process;
bacterial culture to determine the pathogen;
blood for sugar.

To clarify the diagnosis, radiography, scintigraphy, ultrasound, MRI and other studies may be required.

Treatment method

The doctor can determine the need for treatment and its regimen only after finding out the exact causes of thirst and frequent urination. The most difficult conditions to correct are those associated with congenital pathological conditions, age-related changes, and psychological factors.

General rules

If thirst and polyuria are the result of diseases, first of all, the dog needs to be provided with proper care so as not to aggravate its condition.

Necessary:

Place it in a secluded, dry and warm place without drafts.
Give enough water to avoid dehydration.
Water should always be fresh, at room temperature.
Eliminate from your diet foods that contribute to the development of thirst, salty and spicy foods.
Do not feed the animal from your table.
Limit physical activity.

Medicines

The doctor selects medications based on the diagnostic results and the complexity of the disease. If there are signs of dehydration against the background of polyuria, infusion therapy (saline, Ringer's solution, glucose) is prescribed. It is important to use all medications with caution until renal and liver failure are ruled out. This especially applies to drugs that accumulate in the tissues of the kidneys and liver.

For pyometra, antibiotic therapy is prescribed. The medicine is selected taking into account the type of infectious agent and its sensitivity to antibiotics. To influence the contractile activity of the uterus and remove pathological contents from it, hormonal drugs are used.

Inflammatory processes in the bladder and kidneys also require the use of antibiotics. In the clinic, the bladder can be washed with antiseptics (Furacillin, potassium permanganate). For systemic use, antibacterial drugs Furadonin, Urosulfan, Cystenal can be prescribed.

If a dog is diagnosed with diabetes, treatment and monitoring of the condition will be required throughout its life. The diet must be adjusted. It is better to switch to special food for diabetics. This makes it easier to control the nutrition process. In the insulin-dependent form of the disease, insulin is prescribed. The dosage is selected taking into account the weight of the animal, its constitution, and physical activity.

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Surgical intervention

Severe cases require surgery. With advanced pyometra, purulent foci of inflammation of the urinary system, which threaten the development of sepsis, it is necessary to remove problem areas. Pinched nerve roots of the spinal cord can also be corrected surgically. The method of intervention in each case is determined individually.

Any unusual symptoms or changes in behavior are a reason to observe the dog and find out their causes. Extreme thirst and frequent urination are not always a sign of serious problems. But to be sure of this, you need to show your pet to a specialist and carry out the necessary examinations.

More useful information about why a dog drinks a lot of water and urinates often can be found in the following video:

Cystitis in a dog is often detected too late: the symptoms of the disease are too vague, and the owner becomes alarmed that the dog often pees. An undetected pathological process develops in the dog’s bladder, and complications are brewing. How to prevent unwanted consequences and help your pet in time? Recommendations from veterinarians and experienced dog breeders will help answer this question.

Translated from Greek, “cystitis” means “bubble”. The mucous membrane of this organ of urine excretion is a nutrient medium for influencing microflora. Viruses, fungi, bacteria penetrate into it in different ways: through the blood or lymphatic flow, from the urethra (urethra), ureters, genitals, and gastrointestinal tract. The biggest threat to a dog's bladder is E. coli.

It has been proven that in 70% of cases, cystitis in dogs occurs due to the appearance of a source of infection in the body. Even banal stomatitis can provoke an illness. More serious diseases are of particular danger: urolithiasis, pyelonephritis, nephritis.

The source of infection is often the urethra, which is a target for bacterial growth. Normally, pathogenic microorganisms leave it in the urine. But certain conditions can lead to their intensive reproduction. Risk factors include:

stagnation of urine when the dog resists the urge to go to the toilet for a long time, incomplete emptying of the bladder;
weakened immune system;
hormonal imbalances;
hypothermia during long periods of exercise, when swimming in ice water, lying in a draft;
stress caused by severe fear, melancholy, resentment - rarely.

Less commonly, the culprits of cystitis are:

The development of cystitis is promoted by an unbalanced dog diet and a sedentary lifestyle.

Bitches are more susceptible to the described misfortune. Unlike male dogs, their urethra is shorter, wider and closer to the anus. Therefore, there are more pathogenic microorganisms in it and it is easier for them to get into the bladder. “Women’s” diseases – metritis, vaginitis – cannot be discounted. They often haunt bitches, and in the absence of treatment they become chronic.

How to recognize the disease?

In order not to cause cystitis in a dog, you need to know its symptoms. At the acute stage pathogenesis, the clinical picture is clearly expressed:

the previously neat dog begins to urinate in corners and dirty pieces of furniture in the presence of the owner;
pees often;
raises whining during or after urination;
after emptying the bladder, the dog moves slowly and carefully, the hind limbs are tense, growls or runs away when trying to touch the stomach (palpation reveals an enlargement and thickening of the bladder);
the color and smell of urine changes: it becomes cloudy, smells bad, sometimes pieces of mucus, purulent impurities, and blood clots appear in it;
acts of urination occur more often, while less fluid is released;
There is general lethargy or unusual aggressiveness, unquenchable thirst, indifference to food, nausea, and fever.

If cystitis in dogs is accompanied by infectious complications, antibiotics alone will not help. It is necessary to include sulfonamides (Urolex, Furagin), and sometimes immunomodulators (Vestin, Ribotan). If there are signs of intoxication, droppers are prescribed.

In case of allergic origin of cystitis, a course of therapy with antihistamines is carried out. Having identified the agent provocateur, they urgently replace the hygiene product or food. Getting rid of foci of infection in the body: rotten teeth, helminthiasis, vaginitis will help speed up recovery.

Disease Prevention

It is easier to prevent the disease than to look for ways to treat cystitis in dogs.

10 rules for preventing cystitis:

Do not allow your dog to get a cold in the bladder: lie under an air conditioner, a fan, in a draft, or on a tiled or concrete floor.
Regularly check “girls” for the presence of gynecological pathologies and treat them in a timely manner.
During the period of heat, do not walk the bitches in places favored by strays.
Do not bring a male dog to mate with an unexamined partner.
Trim the thick fur under the tail of long-haired dogs: this will reduce the chance of excrement getting on the animal's tongue or genitals.
Keep your pet and its “bed” clean.
Provide your four-legged companion with adequate nutrition, and give him plenty to drink, but only purified water. Pamper your dog with cranberry juice periodically: this natural antibiotic prevents stone formation in the bladder.
Don't be lazy to walk your dog three times a day.
Do not skip medical examinations at the veterinary clinic, take a urine test at the request of the veterinarian, immediately get rid of identified pulpitis, stomatitis and other sources of infection.
Do not hesitate to monitor the condition of your pet’s urine.

Keeping these simple commandments does not require much effort. But precautionary measures will save a lot of mental and material resources that will be needed to defeat cystitis.