Leaky Dog

[maggiedog]

I have a 1 yr old Dachshund/Chihuahua/Jack Russell mix that leaks urine while she is at rest and sometimes when she is awake. She used to get UTI's but we have gotten that under control. The vet says she has crystals in her bladder and has put her on prescription food, but that doesn't seem to work. Nothing is wrong with her anatomy - they looked when I had her fixed and I have had her ultrasounded. Anyone have any ideas/suggestions?

[Doxiedoxie]

I sure can sympathise with you, after spending a year dealing with UTI's crystals and stones in two dachshunds.

When was the last time you had a urinalysis? And did they tell you what type of crystals? There are Struvite and Oxylate that the dog could have..they are treated differently, so if they havent been analysed you may want to ask. Did she have evidence of bladder stones on the ultrasound? If the dog is still making crystals she will likely still keep getting UTI's because the crystals irritate the bladder/urethra.

Have you gotten a second opinion from a different vet? Thats what finally worked for me. They were much more agressive in trying to diagnose what was going on and although my Barahona was a challenging case, a year later she is completely recovered (although I give her a pill at night as a safety measure). Sometimes a different vet, or even a specialist in canine internal medicine if you live near one, can give fresh insight that your current vet may have missed...

[tatsxxx11]

Maggiedog: I have a husky/shep with the exact same conditon. For a while it was so exasperating trying to pinpoint the problem. She too initially had many UTI's but these were a RESULT of the condition that predispose dogs to this type of incontinence not the cause. (Incomplete emptying of the bladder frequently leads to urinary tract infections) Most often, they will leak urine while resting or asleep, totally unaware of doing it. It is a condition most frequently seen in spayed females. After their surgery, they have a hormonal shift that causes them to involuntarily leak urine. At first I did what you did. Urinalysis, ultrasound, etc. When all anatomical reasons were ruled out, such as ectopic ureter (wrongly positioned) incompetent sphincter, etc., my vet tried her on one of two medications frequently given for this condition. One is a hormone therapy; the other is a drug called "Phenylpropanolamine." It is a drug often found in many human medications, and has been in the news of late. The side-effects however are not the same for dogs as for humans, so don't be concerned if you hear negative things about it on TV. (It may, in rare cases, predispose young adults
to high blood pressure and stroke. NOT DOGS)
Anyway, after years of frustration over this problem (Cody was also so embarassed when this happened) the medication was like a miracle!! She gets 50mg 2x daily and only once a month or so she may have a teeeny, tiny bit of dribble. Many dogs I know are on this medication with the same positive result! Talk to your vet about it and don't despair! No one was a bigger doggie-dribbler than my Cody! Not she is leak-proof!

[tatsxxx11]

Wooops! That was supposed to be NOW she is leak-proof. Poor editing!!

[lhg0962]

I was dog sitting for my parent's 10 year old Golden/Lab mix, Scout. She started the leaking while she was here. I thought it was an infection and my vet treated her with antibiotics. It didn't help, so he put her on a female hormone (sorry I can't remember the name). She takes it on Sunday and Wednesday, and is much improved. The minute my parents forget to give her the medication, the problem starts again.
My vet said that it is age related, and as someone mentioned before, very common in females that have been neutered.
Good luck with the problem.

My dog just turned 4 and this problem started about 8 or 9 months ago. So, I don't think it really has to do with age. She would get up from the floor after sleeping or whatever and there would be a puddle under her butt. When I took her to the vet he said it was a hormonal problem or something. The presription he gave her was called D.E.S -- I guess it's like an estrogen suppliment or something. It worked like a charm. Just in the last few days it seems to have started up again but I am out of pills. It has stopped for now. I have a call into my vet to get more info and when he calls back I will update. I'm trying to see if I can get a refill on the D.E.S so I have it on hand in case her 'leaky butt' starts up again.

Angel

[Doxiedoxie]

My understanding was that it was age-related as well, when the hormone problem happens. A 1 year old dog seems awful young. I've seen older dogs do great on the DES therapy. I still would recommend a second opinion from a different vet...

[tatsxxx11]

Maggiedog: Are you familiar with the "Best Friends Animal Sanctuary" at Angel Canyon in Utah? It is a beautiful, HUGE ranch/shelter not far from the Grand Canyon and is the largest no-kill animal shelter in the U.S. A truly wonderful place where homeless, abandoned, abused, and "unadoptable" critters of all kinds, including dogs, cats, bunnies, horses, goats (you name it) from all over the world are given a "sanctuary" where they may be adopted or live out their natural lives in peace and with incredible love, compassion and suport. They have no less than 1,800 animals under their care at anytime! Much of their staff is volunteer, and includes a large teaching veterinary hospital and ambulance service for the surrounding area. Many families take an "Animal Sanctuary" vacation, where they lodge or camp outside of the Grand Canyon and spend their days volunteering, observing and caring for the critters. They also have a great internship program for those pursuing careers in various animal related fields such as CVT, pet therapist, animal behaviorist, vet. students, and those who just love animals. Their site amd Forum/Message Board is awesome. In the "Health" forum message board Dr. Muns (resident staff vet) as well as CVT's will answer all/any questions on doggie health problems in great detail. No question goes unanswered. Dr. Muns also posts lengthy discussions on several commonly shared health problems monthly and past posts are retrievable through their search engine. I remember several discussions concerning the "Leaky Dog Syndrome" as described by Maggiedog (you are not alone!) and they were a great source of guidance and clarification. Check it out at www.bestfriends.com and click onto their "Health" forum site. There are several other message boards including Behavior and most wonderful is their "Prayers, Healing and Support." It is a wonderful site for those whose furkid is ill or has passed over to the Rainbow Bridge. They offer such incredible emotional support for as long as is needed during this terrible time. Every Monday there is a world-wide Candle Lighting and prayer ceremony for ailing critters and in memory of those who have passed. There is even a Pet Memorial Site where you can post a loving message and photo of your furbaby. Even Oprah has a posting in memory of one of her beloved cocker's. Many of you are probably already familiar with this organization. For those who aren't, check it out. I think you will find it a very touching and informitive site. Sandra

[maggiedog]

Wow! Thanks for the wonderful feedback. I'm new to this site and everything I have read on it is amazing. What a great group of people!

I guess I should have given more info the first time. Maggie was diagnosed with both Struvite and Oxylate crystals. With the help of a prescription diet, we were able to get rid of the Oxylate crystals. I have her on Phenylpropanolamine 2x a day (which has only helped slightly). This has been a problem since she was a couple months old, so I know it's not age related. We tried DES, but with no luck.

I will definitely try out that web site to see what they have, but with working and going to school, I just can't fit in a trip to Utah (although I would if I could).

Again, thanks a million for all of the information everyone has provided!

[tatsxxx11]

MaggieDog:

As to the Phenylpropanolamine. When I first tried Cody on it, I gave up after a week or two and stopped it. Not much improvement. The next year I gave it a try again and stuck with it. After several weeks she was almost 100% better, so don't give up to too soon! Good Luck