Diagnosing Urinary Problems in Dogs
We often think of urinary problems to be associated with cats--the frustrating sprayers and the severely sick blocked toms. But dogs can also have urinary tract diseases that require attention. In both male and female dogs, owners may notice something obvious such as peeing inside the house, peeing blood or urinating more frequently than normal. Owners may also notice more subtle clues like drinking more water, leaking in their beds at night or acting a little off. If you notice any of the above signs, your veterinarian may recommend the following tests:
Physical exam--used to determine if your pet has a fever, seem uncomfortable in their abdomen, has any physical abnormalities involving the external parts of the urinary system or any palpable abnormalities of the internal urinary system. Some diseases that effect a dog’s urination, may also affect other parts of the body like the skin.
Urinalysis--used to look for signs of bacteria, infection, crystals or any other type of pathology. Ideally, a urine sample is collected sterilely by your vet, straight from the bladder. Often, veterinarians will use an ultrasound machine to help them locate the bladder for the urine extraction and at the same time, if able, evaluate the bladder for stones, masses, abnormal wall thickness or lumen content.
Abdominal radiographs--used to look for masses or stones in the kidneys, urethras, bladder and ureters. Sometimes a special dye is used to help view these structures properly.
Blood chemistries--Depending on the severity of disease, bloodwork is usually recommended to check to see if other organs, most commonly the kidneys, are involved. Bloodwork can help rule-out other diseases (such as diabetes or Cushing’s) that may contribute to urinary tract infections or pathology.
While all of the above tests may not be appropriate for each patient, they all contribute to an accurate diagnosis and therefore make treatments more likely to be effective. The treatments, of course, depend on the underlying disease and can range to something as simple as encouraging more water consumption and changing dog foods to more complicated regiments of antibiotics, other medications and surgery.
Photo from flipflopcrazy123's photostream.
--Dr. Olson
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Dr. Olson practices small animal medicine in Denver, CO and is a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.
Jack Reid on March 17, 2009 at 02:31 PM
that is a cute pic
Jack Reid on March 17, 2009 at 02:33 PM
This is an interesting article. I think that my dog may suffer from a tract infection
urinary retention on February 16, 2010 at 01:01 PM
The lower urinary tract includes the bladder, a balloon-shaped muscle that stores urine, and the urethra, a tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body during urination. If the urinary system is healthy, the bladder can hold up to 16 ounces—2 cups—of urine comfortably for 2 to 5 hours.
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Muscles called sphincters squeeze shut the tubes from the bladder to help keep urine from leaking. The sphincter muscles close tightly like a rubber band around the opening of the bladder, which leads into the urethra.
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Owners may also notice more subtle clues like drinking more water, leaking in their beds at night or acting a little off. If you notice any of the above signs, your veterinarian may recommend the following tests: