UTI and Bladder stones

Having potty accidents on an otherwise housebroken dog? Is your dog peeing in the house, when for as long as you can remember, has held for hours? Well, he or she may have a UTI, or even worse, a bladder stone.

I recently, this summer, have had many dogs here at the house. Many of you know I have 4 dogs of my own and from time to time I watch clients dogs in emergency situations. Well starting in June, I have had as many as 9 dogs in and out my door. Males and Females ranging in size of small and Large, puppies and adults. And I would be lying if I said I have not had any accidents. All together, maybe 3 or 4. So, when I caught my Female Pug peeing on top of another spot, I suspected she was marking. She tends to be territorial, marking on walks and barks at the occasional passer by, so I corrected her and took her outside when she was caught.

When I take my dogs to the bathroom, I walk them on grass here in my neighborhood. Being that my pug is a female, she squats; being she is small, she is very low to the ground. It makes it very difficult for me to see the urine coming out of her and I also don’t make it a practice to bend over and examine her pee while she is peeing.

Well as the months went on I noticed her “Marking” more. For the last month I have had a handful of accidents from her, only they have been in very random places. Next to the toilet in the bathroom, right in front of me on the balcony, in the crate in the car. So, yesterday I went on patrol to examine her urine. Low and behold, she had urine that was brown. I put a Urine catch under her as she was peeing, and was amazed at the dark color.

Now, keep in mind that I have had my female Aussie in the Vet for Staph infections in the bladder once or twice in 13 years, and I know the traditional signs and symptoms of UTI’s. However this one was traditional, but not out of the ordinary for this particular pug. She is the kind of dog that usually marks on a walk multiple times. She also will pee over the top of another dogs urine almost immediately after they have peed, and licks her “Twitter” daily to keep it clean. So although these are all signs, this is 100% normal behavior for her.

I took her to the Vet and she has a very bad Bladder infection, and has developed a bladder stone. The stone thickens and irritates the lining of the bladder causing it to bleed and is very uncomfortable for her. However, she shows no signs of being in pain. The “Marking” I was seeing was straining, other than that, she had no other symptoms.

So, if I have said it once I have said it a million times…”Before you try and solve Housebreaking problems, you must rule out infections first. Your dog will thank you for it.