What You Can Do About Incontinence in Female Dogs
Monday, February 23rd, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
If your female dog leaks urine, it’s important for you deal with this problem.You need to face the problem of female dog incontinence and get treatment for your dog.
Signs And Symptoms Of Female Dog Incontinence
The most noticeable sign of this problem is a wet spot or urine puddle where your dog has been sleeping. You’ll see it when she gets up.It comes as a surprise to finally understand that she’s not able to control the urine leakage.
Your dog’s bottom may also be red and raw due to urine scald. Urine is caustic and irritates the skin if it’s in contact with it for too long. You may also notice that she’s licking her bottom more often, in an effort to keep the area clean. This can lead to further irritation. All in all, it’s an uncomfortable situation for your canine friend.
Another sign of incontinence in female dogs is frequent bladder infections. Bladder infections in dogs are more common in female dogs anyway, because the urethra in females is shorter and broader, which makes it easier for disease-causing bacteria to get into the urinary tract. A pet with female dog incontinence may also have a relaxed urinary sphincter, which makes it even easier for pathogens to enter.
How Can I Help My Incontinent Female Dog?
Your vet can offer several treatments. The first thing to do is to treat the bladder infection, if one exists.
Many times incontinence in female dogs is hormone related. Estrogen is very important for keeping the bladder muscles tight in female dogs. When a dog is spayed, her ovaries and uterus are removed, so her body no longer produces estrogen.This is the answer to the question why this condition is so common in spayed female dogs between three and five years old. Vets will often treat hormone-related incontinence with DES, or diethylstilbestrol.
Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) is another common treatment for incontinence in female dogs. This used to be an ingredient in diet pills until it was banned by the FDA for human use.It can still be used for animals, however. Your dog may lose her appetite, and become irritable. Another side effect is changes in blood pressure.
These drugs must be administered to your dog for the rest of her life.
Can Herbal Pet Remedies Help?
Many people are using herbal remedies for various ailments. These natural remedies have stood the test of time and are still being used in many places in the world. The question many pet owners have is, can these herbal remedies be used on their pets?
The answer is yes. Herbal pet remedies are safe and effective, as well as being inexpensive and readily available. It’s important, though to buy these remedies from a reputable company that specializes in producing formulations that are safe for use on pets. Buy only from a company that stands behind its products and offers a money-back guarantee.
Here’s some food for thought. As people are being more careful about their own medications, it’s only normal that they’re more careful about what their pets are taking.
Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Discover how herbal and homeopathic remedies can help your incontinent dog, and find the best place to buy them at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com
