3 Common Dog Urinary Problems

Dog urinary issues are common. Most canine urinary issues are simple to treat once there is a proper diagnosis. Understanding the common issues and their symptoms will help you understand what your dog may be suffering from.
1. Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)

Dog urinary infections are not unusual. Female dog urinary tract infections are more common than urinary tract infections in male dogs. There are several types of bacteria that can cause urinary tract infections in dogs. Dogs suffering from urinary tract infections may have accidents in the house when they are otherwise housebroken. Dogs may also display frequent urination, strain to urinate or appear to be in pain. Treatment for urinary tract infections usually involves a course of antibiotics prescribed by your veterinarian. Urinary tract infections are easily diagnoses, so complications are rare, however, left untreated urinary tract infections can cause kidney infections and kidney disease.
2. Canine Incontinence

There are several types of dog urinary incontinence. There is urge, stress, paradoxical, overflow, hormone responsive and urethral sphincter incontinence. Some incontinence is a product of spaying and neutering, particularly after a female is spade. Treatment of canine incontinence varies based on what is causing the dog's incontinence in the first place. Treatment can include surgery or it could be as simple as adding a hormone to the dog's diet to help restore muscle control, this is a much more common treatment for female dogs. Also, dogs that develop incontinence as a symptom of diabetes will most likely have their incontinence cured with the addition of insulin to treat the diabetes.
3. Canine Bladder Stones

While commonly known as canine bladder stones, the proper medical term is urolithiasis. Bladder stones can develop in the bladder, the kidneys or the urethra. Canine bladder stones are usually in the bladder, as their name implies, 85% of time. There are several types of bladder stones that a dog can develop. There are struvite stones, which develop from magnesium ammonium phosphate due to a bacterial infection. Other stones include calcium oxalate, calcium apatite, cystine or ammonium urate. These types of stones develop when a mineral separates from the urine and then other minerals attach to the crystal over time. Bladder stones can lead to a blocked urethra making it impossible for the dog to empty its bladder. Surgery may be necessary to treat the bladder stone. Following surgery changes in the dog's diet will be necessary to prevent more bladder stones from developing.

Symptoms of all these common canine urinary issues are similar. The symptoms include uncharacteristic accidents in the house, straining to urinate, inability to urinate, clear discomfort while urinating and then as the symptoms progress, dogs may stop eating or begin vomiting. Usually a urinalysis done by your veterinarian will lead to an accurate diagnosis of your dog's symptoms. With proper diagnosis treatment of your dog and a full recovery are possible.

3 Common Dog Prostate Problems

Canines that have not been neutered are at the highest risk to have dog prostate gland problems as they get older. Neutered dogs are at a lower risk because the prostate either never develops or shrinks to a much smaller size depending on the dog's age at castration. However, it is not outside the realm of possibility for a neutered dog to develop prostate problems.

If at all, they usually will start to appear around the age of 6, but younger dogs that are intact but not sexually active can also show symptoms. Listed are three common dog prostate problems: enlargement, inflammation and cancer. They should be taken seriously for they, especially cancer, could lead to further problems, such as kidney failure in dogs. The longer it takes for any problems to be detected, the more unlikely that the prognosis will be good, so it's important to pay attention to warning signs.
Prostrate Enlargement

Known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, this is the most common prostate ailment for non-neutered dogs. It is part of the normal aging process of dogs, usually occurring when 4 or 5 years old, and it is not cancerous. The prostate swells and presses against the rectum which causes discomfort for the animal. Untreated, enlargement can affect the dog's ability to both urinate and defecate.
Inflammation of the Prostrate

A dog urinary infection can be caused by bacteria getting into the urinary tract which in turn can cause inflammation. Bacterial infections may cause blood to be present in the urine which leads to discomfort during urination. The blood is likely to come after the urine.
Dog Prostate Cancer

Although relatively uncommon, dog prostate cancer can affect older dogs. It can strike neutered dogs as well, but it is not as likely. Prostate cancer in dogs can be life threatening due to the difficulty of removing the affected region by surgery. Radiation and chemotherapy can treat the disease, but on average, dogs only live six weeks after the treatment. It is difficult to treat, as well, because by the time of diagnosis it is usually advanced, possibly to other regions. The best ways to prevent this from happening to your dog are to neuter him early and to watch for warning signs.
Warning Signs of Prostate Problems

As can be the case, the visible symptoms of prostate problems in dogs may be similar to those of other ailments, but in general, watch out for these signs:

* Frequent urination, blood following urination, or straining to urinate
* Bloody or pus-like discharge from the penis
* Lethargy
* Fever
* Constipation
* Arched back, stiff hind legs with shortened steps

Not all prostate problems in dogs are terminal, and if you detect any symptoms early, they can be treated. Depending on the age of the dog and the extent of their problem, treatment might not prevent a shortened lifespan, so do your best to prevent any prostate problems by neutering your dog, maintaining a healthy diet and active lifestyle and watching for any warning signs.

Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe - Renovating With Pets

Renovations are stressful for everyone and your pet is no exception. However, with everything going on during a renovation, pets are often overlooked so I want to share some tips on how you can help your furry friends get through the chaos.

Tip #1 Create a Safe Place

Have a safe place for your pet to be while work is going on; maybe a bedroom that you can close off. Make sure you put food and water in the room and you have a cat like I do don't forget the litter box. I also put some of her favorite toys in the room and some of my clothes. My cat Alora loves to sleep on my clothes so I leave a little pile of dirty clothes for her. Basically whatever your pet loves put them in there with them. This room needs to be off limits to the workers. Tell the general contractor so he can tell his crew and also put a sign on the door so they know to keep out.

Tip #2 Clean Up

Clean up after the work is done everyday - especially nails or sharp objects. Put hazardous items such as paint or adhesives out of reach and be sure to unplug all of the power tools and put them on a table out of reach. Let your pet explore after the work is done and things are cleaned up, if it is safe. Pets are curious to see what was happening so let them smell around and that should put them more at ease.

Tip #3 Spend Quality Time With Them

If you are doing the work yourself I know you will be tired, but try to spend a few minutes with your pet letting them know everything is ok. Taking your dog for a walk or just spending time with them in their safe place will mean the world to them.

Tip #4 Try to be calm

I know that is easier said then done during a renovation but animals know when we are stressed and they will get stressed as well. Remember, they don't know what is going on and they will take their
cues from you. If you are happy and relaxed they will be as well.

Renovating With Pets: Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe
By Kathryn Haley
ezinearticles.com

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