Guide to dog difficulty urinating, treatment & prevention tips
Dog difficulty urinating? If so, your dog could have a urinary tract infection (UTI) or bladder stones. Since these conditions can be as painful in animals as they are in humans, you’ll want to get your pet to the vet. Before you do, read this article and learn what other signs to look for, what to do and how to prevent your dog from ever having to suffer like this again.
Although a dog urinating problem may be aggravating to you, it can be painful and even life-threatening for your dog. Since the bladder is full of toxins, the inability to empty it means those toxins could be reabsorbed. Worse yet, if left unchecked, the bladder could rupture, causing a host of complications. And if your dog has a urinary tract infection, it can spread throughout the system to the kidneys and shut them down.
Dog Urinating Problem Symptoms
If your dog has a calcium stone or stones blocking the urethra (the tube that empties the bladder), this may be why it is difficult and painful to urinate. This problem occurs more frequently in male dogs and is more common in certain breeds.
Stones are formed from phosphates which occur in urine that is too alkaline (which is why giving your dog a supplement that balances the urine pH (or makes it slightly acidic) is essential to bladder health.) The stones are made up of tinier gravel-like bits of calcium that combine together to form bigger stones.
Signs of Calcium Stones
If the stones are large, the only way to remove them may be to operate. Don’t wait on this as this condition is very painful for your dog. Other possibilities include laser treatment and changing the acidity of the urine to help dissolve the stones.
Another problem associated with dog difficulty urinating is a urinary tract infection (UTI). (Keep in mind that calcium stones can go hand in hand with UTI’s). Since an infection can spread to the kidneys, it is important to get medical treatment right away.
With a UTI, you will see symptoms like increased or decreased urination, incontinence, or excessive thirst (which could indicate dehydration). Since there are a number of different symptoms to pay attention to, this is why it makes sense to know your pet’s elimination habits.
As with calcium stones, you’ll want to take your dog to the vet. Most likely, your dog will be prescribed antibiotics which can clear up the infection, but may also have side effects.
Preventing a Dog Urinating Problem in the Future
To prevent your dog from having more pain and suffering in the future, do the following 3 steps: make sure your pet can urinate as needed (install a doggie door if you leave your dog inside for extended periods of time), provide fresh, clean water and give your dog a daily supplement that supports bladder health with natural antibiotics that keep the bladder infection free and ingredients that create the proper pH level to prevent the formation of bacteria and calcium stones in the first place.
If your dog has already had a calcium stone or UTI, your pet will be more susceptible to these conditions in the future. This is why giving a preventative supplement is the key to health.
I give my dog a supplement that is granular and easy to administer because it dissolves instantly upon contact with the saliva. Just a few granules in the mouth daily help ensure my furry companion stays healthy and builds a strong immunity against the bladder issues that are inherent in her breed.
Before giving your dog any supplement, make sure to do your research.
