Treatments For Urinary Incontinence In Dogs

Is your dog showing signs of urinary incontinence?You may be unpleasantly surprised by puddles of urine showing up in your home.You're shocked to notice that not only is your old friend dribbling urine, but he can't seem to control it either.  You know when he's around because you can smell him. 

Many dog owners don't realize that urinary incontinence in dogs is usually not difficult to treat.  If your dog is showing signs of this problem, you need to take him to the vet for a check-up. 

What Are The Causes of Urinary Incontinence In Dogs?

• Bladder infections
• Drinking too much water
• Weak bladder sphincter

Bladder Infections In Dogs

Female dogs are much more likely to develop bladder infections than males.  This is because the urethra is shorter and broader in females, which allows bacteria easier access to the urinary tract.

Your vet may want to do a urine culture to determine exactly what is causing the infection.  Most bladder infections in dogs are caused by E. coli or staph, although some may be cause by a fungal infection.  This will help your vet to decide which antibiotic to treat your dog with.

If a bladder infection is causing incontinence in your dog, you'll be relieved to know that this problem will go away as the infection is cleared up.  However, you need to be sure to give your dog the full antibiotic course to keep the infection from coming back.

Drinking Too Much Water

This may be obvious, but if your dog is drinking too much water, he'll probably have trouble with bladder control.  He just can't hold it long enough to get outside.

Why would a dog drink too much water?  There can be several reasons:

• Diabetes
• Cushing’s Syndrome
• Kidney failure

If you notice that your dog is drinking excessive amounts of water, it's important to take your dog for a vet check-up to check for these conditions.

Weak Bladder Sphincter

This sometimes happens as your dog gets older.  The muscles in the sphincter don't tighten and close as well as they did when your dog was younger, which leads to urine dribbling.  If your dog is overweight, this can compound the problem. 

Your vet may treat this condition with hormone therapy.  Male dogs are given testosterone, while females receive estrogen.  Another treatment is a drug that stimulates the nerves in the sphincter muscles.If necessary, these two treatments can be given together.

Do Natural Remedies For Incontinence In Dogs Work?

Conventional medicine focuses on the symptoms, but not on the underlying causes.Holistic medicine has as a basic premise the idea that your pet naturally maintains a healthy balance in his body that helps him to resist disease.  If this balance is upset, your dog gets sick. 

Holistic medicine looks at your dog as a whole, not as a urinary tract, or a digestive system, or a nervous system.  Natural remedies work by stimulating your pet's immune system so he's able to fight off infections better.Herbs and homeopathic remedies treat the underlying problems that cause the symptoms.

You may want to consider this.  People are becoming more careful about the drugs they take, and it's to be expected that they'll take extra care with their pets, too.  Herbal and homeopathic remedies for urinary incontinence in dogs are safe and effective, with no risk of side effects.  They're also inexpensive and readily available.

Now that you know this, you'll want to learn more about how natural remedies for incontinence in dogs can solve your dog's bladder problems.

Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health.  Discover how herbal and homeopathic remedies can help your incontinent dog at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com