Dog Frequent Urination

Dog frequent urination is a common symptom that indicates some underlying health problems, most likely related to the urinary system, such as bladder infections, and kidney failure. However, it can also indicate other issues such as liver failure. Read on and learn more about the possible causes of frequent urination in dogs.

One of the common urinary problems in dogs is frequent urination.

Dog frequent urination is a symptom that may be indicative of some underlying health problems. On the other hand, it may also be the result of something less serious, such as a recent change in the dog's diet, hot weather (which makes the dog drink more and therefore urinate more), and so on.

The bottom line is, if your dog is house-trained but has suddenly started to urinate more excessively and frequently, try to see if there has been some recent changes in your dog's lifestyle, and at the same time pay more attention to his physical health conditions.

Below is a list of health problems and other possible factors that may cause frequent urination in dogs. If you suspect that your dog is suffering from any of these problems, get him to the vet for a proper diagnosis.

Possible Diseases that Cause Dog Frequent Urination

Any of the following health problems can cause dog frequent urination:

Bladder Infections
Bacterial infections of the bladder can cause frequent urination in dogs. However, every time the dog urinates, usually only a small amount of urine is passed. Other signs and symptoms of a bladder infection painful urination, or blood in urine. The dog may also show signs of weakness and lethargy and may also have a fever.

Bladder Stones
Dogs with bladder stones urinate frequently. They usually strain to urinate due to pain and the urine may contain blood. Bladder stones can cause partial or complete blockage of the urethra which is a serious problem and requires immediate veterinary attention.

Kidney Failure
Dogs suffering from chronic kidney failure drink water excessively and as a result urinate frequently and excessively. The color of the urine is usually rather pale. Other signs and symptoms of canine kidney failure include dehydration, appetite loss and weight loss, depression, and dry haircoat.

Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) also causes a dog to drink more water and urinate more frequently. Other symptoms of canine diabetes include a gain in appetite but weight loss.

Cushing's Disease
Cushing's disease causes a dog to eat and drink more, and urinate more frequently. Other typical signs include a sagging pot belly, excessive panting, and hair loss. Most cases of Cushing's disease are due to tumors in the pituitary gland.

Liver Disease
Certain liver diseases such as liver shunt or inflammation of the liver cause a dog to drink more. The result? Frequent urination. Other symptoms associated with liver disease in dogs include appetite loss, lethargy, diarrhea and vomiting.

Bladder Tumors
Bladder tumors (usually transitional cell carcinomas) are rather aggressive and cause symptoms similar to a bladder infection, such as frequent urination, blood in urine, and straining to urinate. It is therefore important to get to the vet for a proper diagnosis if your dog shows any of the above symptoms.

Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is rare in dogs but is aggressive and invasive. It causes enlargement of the prostate resulting in symptoms such as frequent urination, straining to urinate, and blood in urine. Other symptoms include constipation, walking in an abnormal gait, fever and lethargy.

Vaginal Tumors
Vaginal tumors (usually occur in older female unspayed dogs) can also cause frequent urination. Other symptoms associated with this problem include vaginal discharge or bleeding, a mass protruding through the vulvar lips, and frequent licking at the vulva.

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Other Possible Causes of Dog Frequent Urination

Besides the above diseases, dog frequent urination can also be caused by:

Poisoning
Some forms of poisoning - methylxanthines (chocolate) and organophosphates (poison baits) - can cause frequent urination in dogs. Other signs of poisoning usually include hyperexcitability, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures.

Psychogenic Polydipsia
Rather than a physical problem, psychogenic polydipsia is a behavioral problem - the dog exhibits the obsessive-compulsive behavior of drinking water frequently and excessively, which naturally results in increased frequency in urination. Exactly why some dogs do that is unclear, but many veterinarians believe that it is due to some form of stress or just simply boredom, and suggest distracting the dog from the obsession by games and long walks.