- Common Disease Name:
- Leaking urine
- Medical Term for Disease:
- Urinary Incontinence Acquired Urethral Incompetence (i.e. reproductive hormone responsive urinary incontinence) NOTE: there are many causes of urinary incontinence- this addresses a common one.
- Species Affected by Disease:
- Dogs
- Age Animal Usually Affected:
- See Sex Usually Affected
- Commonly Affected Breeds:
- Any,
but medium to large-breed dogs most often affected - Sex Usually Affected:
- Most common in middle-aged to old, neutered female dogs. Also observed in juvenile females and old neutered males
- Disease Symptoms:
- Urine leaks often while dog is sleeping.
- Method(s) of Diagnosis:
- History of neutering at early age, symptoms reported by owner and no urinary tract infection present.
- Disease Causes:
- Neutering increases the risk of development of urethral incompetence. The dog's bladder conformation or any abnormalities in the vagina may increase the risk of urinary incontinence in female dogs. As well, obesity may increase the risk of urinary incontinence in neutered female dog.
- Treatment:
- When incontinence is due to a reduction in sex hormones such as estrogen &
testosterone, replacing these hormones with medication usually stops the incontinence. - Prognosis:
- Guarded
- Complications:
- Leaking urine can burn the skin around the genitals. Dogs with urethral incompetence can also be more prone to bladder infections.
- Prevention:
- Spayed/neutered dogs run the risk developing urethral incompetence due to reduction of sex hormones.
- Medicines Used for Treatment of Disease:
- Reproductive hormones such as stilbesterol, diethylstilbesterol, and testosterone or alpha adrenergic agonists such as phenylpropanolamine, phenylephrine, and pseudoephedrine. Sometimes, these two can be administered in combination for an improved synergistic therapeutic effect.
