Can dogs have bladder infections?

My Chihuahua has had a huge problem not peeing in the house today. He is totally potty trained and he is normally very good at holding it, and when he has to go outside he will sit in front of the door and stare at me. However, today he has peed in the house three times, and I have taken him out four or five times. He never pees this much. Is there something wrong with him?

(02-02-2014 10:30 AM)as0372641 Wrote:  My Chihuahua has had a huge problem not peeing in the house today. He is totally potty trained and he is normally very good at holding it, and when he has to go outside he will sit in front of the door and stare at me. However, today he has peed in the house three times, and I have taken him out four or five times. He never pees this much. Is there something wrong with him?

Any abnormal behavior is something that needs to be watched. You could have anything from bladder issues to anxiety to diabetes. We would not know for certain unless we had you in a Vets office running blood work and checking his urine.

You asked if something was wrong. Well yes, something is wrong. Monitor his closely this weekend. Watch for blood in the urine. If you have to take him to a Vet, they will ask if you have noticed any blood. DO NOT withhold water!

If you notice any other abnormalities, note them so that you can give your Vet a solid picture of the situation.

Don't panic or anything Just watch your kiddo like a hawk and if he doesn't improve, I definitely recommend taking him. This unfortunately is something that SHOULD be monitored since frequent/excessive urination is associated with many conditions.

Good luck and report back your findings

Update: He seems much better now. He is much more active and his bathroom breaks seem to be back to normal. Maybe it was just a temporary thing?

Dogs can absolutely get bladder infections. Urinating in the house or a change in behavior is generally your dog trying to tell you something. Always know your dogs habits and take them to the vet.

My 5 year old rescue bulldog was in heat when she was spayed. On the 2nd day after surgery she started urinating a little blood and whining. We promptly went to the vet and he tested her urine and she had a bladder infection. He prescribed her antibiotics and administered a shot. After a few days she wasnt getting any better we returned to vet. His suggestion was to stop the pills and come in every morning for a shot to be administered. After 2 weeks she finally got better.

If that happens again soon, probably its a health issue indicated by sudden change of behavior or habit, especially holding pee/poop. Hope it is not for your chihuahua..

(02-14-2014 08:59 AM)Kteabc Wrote:  Dogs can absolutely get bladder infections. Urinating in the house or a change in behavior is generally your dog trying to tell you something. Always know your dogs habits and take them to the vet.

My 5 year old rescue bulldog was in heat when she was spayed. On the 2nd day after surgery she started urinating a little blood and whining. We promptly went to the vet and he tested her urine and she had a bladder infection. He prescribed her antibiotics and administered a shot. After a few days she wasnt getting any better we returned to vet. His suggestion was to stop the pills and come in every morning for a shot to be administered. After 2 weeks she finally got better.

This is correct. Dogs get UTI's quite often. Especially smaller breed dogs. My vet told me to always watch for sudden changes in behavior when it comes to potty issues. My Mandie (a Yorkie) is totally pee pad and outside trained, but one day she just peed right on my bed. I didn't think much of it - I just thought she was mad at me for working late. Then, the next day, she peed in the kitchen floor.

I took her to the vet and she sure did have an infection. Put her on antibiotics as mentioned above and she's been all better ever since.

As a side note, don't give dogs cranberry juice for it (like we people do when we get UTIs). The acidity in it is not good for their systems.

I heard lots of dogs getting UTI, as well as lepto which is a kind of diseases that attacks bladder and kidney.

Just like humans, dogs are prone to having urinary infections. Especially when, as you have mentioned, they hold it in and when they lack water. They may also get the infection from dirty intakes of food or liquid. You must make sure to always have accessible clean water and there is always an available spot to pee onto and avoid making him wait for you just for him to go pee. If your dog continues to act te same way, you must take it to the vet as soon as possible to check any further infections.

I am glad to hear your dog is back to normal so quickly. To answer your questions, yes, dogs can get bladder infections. My previous dog experienced them as she got older. In her case the symptoms were noticeable. She would suddenly need to urinated frequently. In fact, she would sometimes need to go outside every 5 to 10 minutes. However, little to no urine would come out. It was disturbing to watch. She was so uncomfortable.

I have heard there is such a thing as a silent UTI. This means that the dog might not really show symptoms. I would suggest if you see anything abnormal again, a veterinary visit might be in order or at least a discussion about the issue.

Beyond that, I would watch water intake. Your dog's strange day may be do to drinking too much. I have had this problem with my Jack Russell in the past. When she gets excited, like when we have visitors, she drinks too much. Her little bladder can only hold so much. In her case it is behavioral. It could be a sign of a different type of medical issue, so it's worth making note of.

Hope your dog is doing well from here on in.

As distressing as urinary issues may be, there are ways you can treat the symptoms and ease the discomfort for your best friend and even help him to fight off any recurrence. A build up of bacteria in the urinary tract leads to bladder infection and, if left untreated, can further lead to bladder or kidney blockage. In order to avoid these serious and even life threatening complications, it is important to get all urinary tract issues properly diagnosed as quickly as possible. This means you need to be aware of your dog's regular routine and take immediate action if you notice any change in that routine.