Sheltie leaking urine.

Dr. Marie replied:

There is a good possibility that Bailey has something called USMI (Urethral Sphincter Mechinism Incontinence). It is also known as estrogen responsive incontinence.

This condition is relatively common in spayed females. In some spayed females, the bladder can lose its ability to stay tightly closed when they are relaxed. This causes urine to leak out when a dog is sleeping or relaxing. It is possible that the urine that leaks out of her when she stands up is urine that leaked out into her vagina and then drips out of her with gravity when she stands up.

It would be great to have your vet examine Bailey's urine to make sure there is no other medical issue. If a dog has a problem that causes them to produce more urine then we can see incontinence issues. Some examples are kidney disease or diabetes. Sometimes an infection or urinary crystals or stones can cause incontinence as well.

If the urine sample doesn't show any medical problems then your vet will talk to you about treating USMI. There are two types of treatments that can be used. The most common is PPA. This medication is given 2-3 times per day and it helps to tighten up the bladder. I usually prefer to prescribe small doses of estrogen. When we use estrogen dogs take one tablet a day for 5 days and then 1-2 tablets per week. Your vet will talk to you about the pros and cons of either.

The good news is that USMI is not a serious problem. But, if it is USMI then she will likely need treatment for the rest of her life.


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