Ask Dr. Jenn: My Dog is Having Urinary Problems. How Can I Tell What's Wrong?

Your poor dog. This must be so frustrating for you and hard to watch him be so uncomfortable! I will tell you some of the common conditions it could be, but a visit to the veterinarian is necessary in order to determine what the cause is and help to treat it.

Many of your dog’s symptoms indicate inflammation in the urinary tract. This could be due to a simple urinary tract infection. However, urinary tract infections alone are very uncommon in male dogs because they have a longer urethra and bacteria has a harder time ascending into the bladder than it does in the female urinary tract. Even if the urinalysis test indicates a urinary tract infection, the infection is usually due to another underlying cause. Additional tests may be recommended.

Based on his behavior on walks – urinating frequently but only a small amount at a time – he may have a partial blockage in his urethra. The blockage may be due to urinary stones, an enlarged prostate, a growth or tumor, or inflammation that narrows the urethra.

The first thing we need to know is whether or not your dog is neutered. If a dog is neutered, his prostate shrinks and is almost nonexistent. However, in an intact (non-neutered) male, the hormones cause the prostate to grow throughout the dog’s lifetime. As he ages, the prostate can enlarge so much that it presses up on the urethra, making it difficult for urine to pass, which can lead to straining and blood. This condition is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. BPH can also press on the colon making it difficult or painful for dogs to defecate. Medications are available to treat BPH but in most dogs, the prostate shrinks dramatically within a few weeks of being neutered so this is the treatment of choice.

Intact male dogs are also more prone to infections in their prostate and prostatic abscesses. These are much less common than BPH but can occur. Unlike BPH, an infection in the prostate is very painful. Palpation of the prostate can help distinguish between BPH and an infection, but an ultrasound may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.

Neutered males do not develop BPH or prostatic infections, but they are more likely to develop cancer in the urinary tract. Masses in the bladder can be visualized with an ultrasound machine. Masses in the prostate and urethra may be harder to see on an ultrasound because the hip bones are in the way.

A much more common cause of urethral obstruction is urinary stones. Stones form in the bladder. If they are small enough, they start to pass through the urethra with urine. Male dogs have a bone called the Os Penis. At the end of the Os Penis, the urethra narrows, and urinary stones often lodge there. The dog is still able to pass urine around the stone, but there is often a lot of straining, and the dog may not have a good urine stream.

Larger stones won’t pass through the urethra, but they will bounce around in the bladder causing a lot of pain and irritation. Most stones are visible on an x-ray or ultrasound. Some stones can be dissolved with a special diet, but other types of stones need to be surgically removed.

There are other less common causes for the kind of urinary issues you are describing. He could have arthritis that is pressing on the nerves he needs to empty his bladder. It could be a behavioral issue, such as stress or dementia.

Unfortunately, there are no simple over-the-counter cures you can try at home to help your dog. But your veterinarian can learn a lot from an exam and a urine test. Call and make an appointment today.