Causes and Solutions For Dog Incontinence When Sleeping

Dog incontinence when sleeping can come as quite a shock to most pet owners. It can seem start to happen overnight with sleep areas becoming soaked with urine leading to both costly carpet cleaning bills and unforeseen long term veterinary expenses. But what causes dog incontinence when sleep and is there anything that can be done about it short of euthanasia?

First before we get started let me say the euthanasia is not an option for me, nevertheless I have had very close friends who were comfortable making this decision for their beloved pet. The way I look at this heartbreaking decision is that each person must make the decision they feel the most comfortable with regardless of the criticisms or concerns of others. Now if you have a few minutes why don't we get started.

There are many possible causes of dog incontinence including muscle control issues due to age or a less than perfect spay or neuter, an infection of the urinary tract normally bladder related, loss of bladder sphincter sensation and/or control, stones, arthritis or bone or joint birth defect such as hip dysplasia, and to a lesser degree serious illnesses such as kidney disease, diabetes, or Cushing's disease.

But in my personal experience by far the most common causes of dog incontinence when sleep is either loss of muscle strength or a bacterial bladder infection in an aging pet.

A bladder infection is disease of opportunity. It typically is seen in older dogs whose immune system can no longer repel bacterial as moves up through the urethra into the bladder. If this is the case you will notice your dog running a low grade fever, they will become lethargic, tend to drink more water than normal, and yes leak urine when sleeping. This condition can either be ruled out or confirmed with your help of your veterinarian. If a bacterial bladder infection is confirmed antibiotics will likely be prescribed and your dog should be better in 7 to 10 days. Nevertheless, keep in mind that these types of infections tend to become chronic in older pets about half of the time. The bacterial also may become immune to antibiotics over time.

Age related muscle control problems leading to dog incontinence when sleeping can be caused by a malfunctioning bladder sphincter (the tube for the bladder to the urethra). Risk factors for this incontinence cause are age, obesity, gender (females dogs), and reduced sensitivity of neurological receptors in the bladder sphincter. This condition is often treated with medications such as alpha-adrenergic agonists, estriol, or hormones such as estrogen (female dogs) and testosterone (male dogs). Most prescription medication to fight this condition have some side effect risks and may only be a temporary fix. Be sure to ask your vet about these concerns.

What else? Many pet owner have found homeopathic bladder and urinary tract conditioning supplements to be helpful in eliminating dog incontinence when sleeping. The great thing about these all natural products is that they can be used as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with prescription medications.