Owner Tips and Tools for Living with a dog with UI

 

In most cases UI is manageable, but it can still be a difficult condition for you, as an owner, to live with.

 

Your dog’s skin can occasionally become scalded from leaking urine, this problem is called urine scalding. It is like the dog version of ‘nappy rash’, the skin will become irritated around the genitalia region.

 

More often it is the smell and the mess that makes the UI hard to live with. There are steps you can take to make living with UI more comfortable for your dog and easier for you.

 

Puppy Pads - an absorbent pad that you can lay down where your dog is likely to leak. Popping one of these on your dog’s bed will help in keeping it clean and means you do not need to put the bed in the wash every day. These pads are very absorbent they will hold onto the urine and help prevent any smell.

 

These are easily available and several places will sell them, including vets, pet shops, supermarkets and online stores.

 

Vet bed® - you are able to purchase specialised beds which have unique drainage properties, are machine washable and are quick drying. To find out more about these talk to your vet.

 

Outdoor Access - it will help your dog to have easy access to the outdoors. A dog flap could help with this. If they are able to wander outside easily and relieve themselves regularly it may help with leakage as they can keep their bladder empty.  This is only an option if you have a secure garden.

 

Dog Nappies - believe it or not you are able to purchase dog nappies. These are specially designed to absorb the urine while also letting them wag their tail freely. To find out more about these talk to your vet.

 

Cleanliness - it is really important to keep your dog clean to prevent  urine  scalding, smell and to keep your pet more comfortable. This maybe more necessary with an older dog as they are more likely to be arthritic and may not be flexible enough to clean themselves.

 

Steps to take to help with this:

• Trim the hair in that area

• Wipe the area regularly; this could be done with baby wipes or a wet cloth. First thing in the morning is a good time to do this to remove any accidents that have happened during the night.

• Regular bathing

• Some dogs hate having a bath, make sure you follow it with a positive behaviour then they start to associate it as a happy experience. You can do this by following the bath with a treat, a game, a toy etc.

• Shampoos are easily available in your local vet practice.

• Bath weekly or when needed to prevent a build up.

 

Observation - it is important to observe your dog regularly when they urinate, you may notice changes which you need to report to your vet.

 

• Dogs with UI are more susceptible to ‘Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)’. This is an invasion of bacteria in the bladder and/or the upper portion of the urethra. Dogs of all ages can be susceptible to this infection, but chances can increase with older dogs.

 

Symptoms -

not all dogs will show symptoms but if they do these are a few of the common ones:

• Difficulty urinating

• Cloudy urine

• Blood in the urine

• Small but frequent urges or trips to urinate

• Urinating in unusual places, due to being unable to hold it

• Rarely, urination when the bladder is touched

• Pain when urinating

• If you suspect your dog has a UTI, take them to your vet for diagnosis. To identify this, your vet is likely to require a urine sample which will then be tested to identify the bacteria.

 

• It may help to keep a diary of your dog’s urination activity, this may help your vet when treating your dog and also when you are trying to establish whether the problem has got better or worse.

 

​DOWNLOADYour dogs historyDOWNLOADIncontinence diaryDOWNLOADProgress plotter chartDOWNLOADMedication record

 

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