Female Dogs Who Wet Their Beds—Your Veterinarian Can Help This Physical Disorder

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Your Veterinarian Can Help This Physical Disorder by JeffNichol, DVM (NAPSA)—Have you ever had a female dog who always finds the outdoor bathroom during the day but wets her bed at night? Waking up, smellin’ kinda funky, is uncomfortable and truly embarrassing for her. Dogs who follow the house rules can be horrified when they realize that they’ve leaked—even though it occurs during sleep. Plastic sheets aren't much fun for anybody; your longsuffering girl wouldn’t be happy alone outside either. Urine soiling isn’t something pet owners enjoy discussing. Many assumeit’s a behavioral problem, believing that they’ve failed to properly train their pets. Poor bladder control following spaying is actually a physical disorder that’s seen mostly in middle-aged female dogs but it can occur any time after spaying. It’s more common in large breed girls and those who struggle with obesity. A rolledup newspaper can’t solve this problem but punishment won’t improve behavioral house soiling either. Leaking urine duringrest or sleep is not your dog’s fault. Thereis great value in spaying our female dogs but, having given up their ovaries during the procedure, the sphincter muscle in these girls’ bladders can beleft just weak enoughto relax and release urine. It may happen anytime they drift off. The result is that telltale wet spot on their beds. About 20 percent of spayed dogs face this messy downside. There is a commonly prescribed treatment for urinary incontinence in spayed female dogs that is unknown to many pet owners. Liver-flavored Proin tablets, given twice daily, can make a difference in a pet’s life. This is so valuable because urine leakage can damage relationships; 18.5 percent of the dogs in shelters were surrendered by frustrated owners because of house soiling. So much of this angst is unnecessary. There are other possible causes so it’s essential to allow your veterinarian to make an accurate diagnosis before medication is started. Poor bladder control in female dogs after spaying is actually a physical disorderthatis treatable. Urinary tract infections are common, especially for indoorgirls. Bladder stones can also cause housesoiling. And elderly dogs may urinate indoors becauseof senile brain changes, a problem called cognitive dysfunction syndrome. Pets with urinary symptoms need to see their doctors—soon. If a thorough exam and urinal- ysis come up normal a healthy female dog who leaks only when resting or sleeping mostlikely has urinary incontinence due to reduced estrogen. You can explain all of this to your dog, ending “the talk” by telling her that she has urethral sphincter hypotonus. With her leader so well-informed she is sure to be impressed. Veterinarians actually like to uncover these cases because almost all of them can be turned from frustration to success. Proin is often chosen because it is the only nonhormone treatment option, it’s palatable, and it’s easy to dose. For other information on Proin, includ- ing important safety material, pet owners can visit the manufacturer’s website: http://www.prnpharmacal. com/proin. But there may be cases, due to pet irritability, restlessness or certain medical conditions, where Proin may be inappropri- ate. For those dogs, an old standby treatment: a synthetic estrogen called diethylstilbestrol (DES) maybe used. There are lots of undiagnosed girl dogs struggling with nocturnal incontinence. The good newsfor spayed female bed wetters is that they can enjoy campouts and sleepoversjust like everybodyelse. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION:Not for human use. Keep out of reach of children. Contact a physician immediately if accidental human ingestion occurs. PROIN is only for oral use in dogs under veterinary supervision. Store securely, away from pets to prevent accidental overdose. Dogs may willingly consume too many PROIN tablets or chew through closed vials of PROIN and eat the tablets, causing overdose and possibly death. Contact a veterinarian immediately if overdose occurs, if other pets consume PROINorif restlessness, irritability, appetite loss, continuing incontinence, or any other unusual signs occur. Most commonside effects are vomiting, appetite loss, diarrhea, excessive salivation, agitation, tiredness, vocalization, confusion, increased thirst, weight loss, weakness, fever, panting, and reversible skin color changes (bright pink). In some cases death, including euthanasia, has been reported. Sudden death was sometimes preceded by vocalization or collapse. Safety of PROIN in breeding, pregnant or lactating dogs has not been evaluated. For a copy of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or to report suspected adverse drug events, contact Pegasus Laboratories at 1-800-874-9764.

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