Dog incontinence is when your dog has urine leakage that he can’t control. Your Bichon may be upset or embarrassed when he pees and leaks urine, or he may not even know that it is happening.
Unfortunately, canine incontinence is common in the Bichon Frise breed, as these little dogs age. However, there are traditional medical and natural remedies for your incontinent dog.
The trouble with dog incontinence for most pet owners, is that it is hard to decide if your dog has a real medical problem or he is just misbehaving.
If your dog is older and has never leaked urine before, do give her the benefit of the doubt! A Bichon who cannot control her urine should not be punished. She just needs a little help.
Pet Care Sciences Bladder Strength and Kidney Function is a natural herbal product that strengthens the bladder and helps prevent accidents and dribbles. It is guaranteed to work, or you can get your money back.
Ways to Prevent Incontinence
Of course many dogs are incontinent as they get older, and there is nothing that you could do to prevent the problem. However, sometimes involuntary loss of urine is preventable:
- Improper Diet – If your Bichon is eating too much protein, magnesium or phosphorous, she may have trouble holding her urine.
- Holding Urine Too Long – If you work and your dog is home alone for long periods of time, it may affect her bladder control.
- Drinking Too Much Water – Excessive water intake may also cause canine incontinence due to the bladder overflowing. Over consumption of water is usually triggered by a disease, like diabetes.
- Anxiety and excitement – Some dogs, especially younger dogs, involuntarily pee when they are overly excited and anxious. These dogs are able to pee normally, with proper training.
Other Causes of Dog Incontinence
So what causes incontinence in dogs? Here are some of the probable reasons that you dog might have incontinence:
Injuries caused by accidents
We don’t usually think about injury to our dogs. They seem so agile and strong, but they can get hurt. Spinal cord injury or injury to the nerves can slow down the way muscles in a dog’s bladder work. When this happens, your dog can even lose control of his bladder.
Infections
Dog urinary incontinence may be caused by a urinary or bladder infection, whether bacterial, viral or fungal. Mighty Petz Urinary Tract Health for Dogs is a safe and natural treatment that will ease urinary irritations. If your dog is prone to UTIs (urinary tract infections), this is also a great way to strengthen your dog’s system and prevent attacks.
You can save time and money by doing a UTI test at home. The HEALTH MATE VET test strips will test for urinary tract infections, kidney failure and diabetes. While it won’t take the place of your veterinarian, it can save you costly trips to the vet and unnecessary fees for expensive tests. It will help rule out diagnoses quickly and help your vet get to the core of the problem.
Birth Defects
Some dogs are born with congenital defects that cause dog urinary problems. This includes defects in the urethra. The urethra is the tube in mammals that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. This flaw can cause canine incontinence.
Age of Your Dog
As your dog ages, her body produces less reproductive hormone, and this can lead to loss of bladder control. Older dogs are prone to this urinary problem since the muscles at the base of the bladder that control the passage of urine, become weakened.
Bladder Stones
Bladder control loss may also be caused by bladder stones. These are common in Weimaraner breeds and Bichon Frise breeds, among others.
Diabetes
A dog who develops diabetes mellitus will often start having accidents in the house, even if she has never done so before. She may not be able to hold her urine as long or she may not even know that she is peeing on the floor.
Natural Remedies for Dog Incontinence
Once you have determined why your dog is incontinent, you can try some safe natural remedies.
Saw palmetto, pumpkin seed, olive leaf extract, couch grass, cranberries, blueberries and corn silk are some of the herbs and foods most commonly used to treat dog urinary problems.
Natural products like Pet Care Sciences Bladder Strength and Kidney Function could certainly be a safe and smart first step in helping your dog.
If your dog does not respond to natural remedies for her incontinence, you can purchase disposable dog diapers, or a diaper holder that will keep disposable dog diapers in place. The Dog Diaper Keeper hides the diaper, and helps it stay in place.
You can find lots of wonderful products to help with dog incontinence, unlike just a few years ago.
Dog diapers are available in disposable and reusable designs (washable), and for male or female dogs. Dog diapers will keep your home and your dog’s sleeping area cleaner.
Lastly, you might want to invest in a little UV black light flashlight that will help you find any little puddles that you missed. Designed to detect urine, it will help you get rid of any stains and odors that linger.
Medical Treatment for Canine Incontinence
Medical treatment for canine incontinence usually involves the use of oral medication. Phenylpropanolamine or PPA is a non-hormonal drug that is most commonly prescribed, for both males and females.
Other medications may also be administered. You may want to check with your local vet for further info.
Determining the reason for your Bichon Frise’s incontinence is important so that you can decide what kind of treatment is appropriate for your dog.
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