Female dog leaking urine.

Dr. Marie replied:

There are a few reasons for a dog to leak urine, but the most common is something called urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI) . This used to be known as estrogen responsive incontinence.

USMI is always seen in dogs that are female and spayed. The theory is that the bladder needs a certain amount of estrogen to maintain its strength. When a dog is spayed there is less estrogen and this can make the bladder weaker.

What happens in a dog with USMI is that urine can leak out when they are resting or sleeping. So, if you are finding that your dog is leaking urine on the bed or couch or wherever she sleeps then this is likely what is going on.

There are two ways to treat USMI. One is with a drug called Phenylpropanolamine (PPA, or Propalin). The second is with a small estrogen supplement. There are pros and cons to each and possible side effects with each so it is best to talk to your vet about what they recommend.

Whenever I have a dog where I suspect USMI I always do tests on the urine first to see if there is another problem going on. If the dog has a problem that is causing more urine to be created, or if there is irritation in the bladder then this can cause urine to leak as well. Some possible causes for these include:

• Kidney problems


• Liver problems


• Diabetes


• A bladder infection


• Bladder stones


• Crystals in the urine

If the urine tests don't show a problem then my personal choice is to put the dog on an estrogen tablet that is taken once or twice a week. Most dogs need medication for the rest of their life.

I hope this helps!

Dr. Marie.

Related:

Article on USMI in dogs.




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