He's Peeing A Lot!

[Guest monasmom]

My newest grey, Rocky, has been in our home for about 3 weeks. He's almost 11 and has never been in a home before. After about 10 days, we thought he was pretty much housebroken. He seemed to understand the routine, and aside from a couple of marking incidents, it seemed like he got it.

 

A week ago he went for his neuter surgery. Ever since then he has been peeing (and pooping--but not as often) everywhere. If I catch him, he does not respond to anything I do to try to get his attention. Clapping, VOG, tugging gently on the collar. He continues to pee until the tank is empty. This is not marking. These are LAKES of pee.

 

Sunday he had 4 separate huge pee "accidents" even though he was let out many times (well, about 5 or 6, anyway--it was frigging freezing, and we were all reluctant to go out). Anyway, I got paranoid about so many pees, and I took him to the e-vet on Sunday to rule out a physical cause. UA was negative and the culture they grew out was negative, but he has been on Clavamox since then in case there is some other infection that isn't showing up. The vet also did a blood analysis to rule out liver and kidney issues. (By the way, CHA CHING! $400!!) She did mention that his urine was a little diluted and that maybe he is drinking too much water. What, exactly, is too much water? We have three dogs, and the bowls are shared by all. Rocky is not crated or separated from the others during the day, so it is impossible to know how much he is drinking.

 

So... what is going on here? Is this behavioral? Emotional? Luckily we have hardwood floors that were already ruined by a previous dog, so it's not a big deal to clean it up--except that it kind of is. I feel really frustrated.

 

 

 

[JenniferS]

Has he lived in a kennel his whole life? If so, I would suspect he really just doesn't understand his new environment yet. Especially if the vet ruled most medical stuff out. Maybe crating him if he is used to being kenneled?

My Murphy has had major pee accidents since I got him, had him vet checked, can't figure out what is going on. I also can't measure his water consumption since I can't separate him from QM. Then one day, the accidents stopped. I thought he was "cured" and just getting used to the routine here. But, now he's started having them again. Not daily like he used to, but randomly. I cannot figure out what is going on with him. There are further, more invasive tests the vet can do, but he is almost 13, and at this pint I'd rather just deal with cleaning up accidents. I bought a steam cleaner, one of the best purchases I have ever made

[Guest monasmom]

Has he lived in a kennel his whole life? If so, I would suspect he really just doesn't understand his new environment yet. Especially if the vet ruled most medical stuff out. Maybe crating him if he is used to being kenneled?

My Murphy has had major pee accidents since I got him, had him vet checked, can't figure out what is going on. I also can't measure his water consumption since I can't separate him from QM. Then one day, the accidents stopped. I thought he was "cured" and just getting used to the routine here. But, now he's started having them again. Not daily like he used to, but randomly. I cannot figure out what is going on with him. There are further, more invasive tests the vet can do, but he is almost 13, and at this pint I'd rather just deal with cleaning up accidents. I bought a steam cleaner, one of the best purchases I have ever made

 

Hi Jen!

I'm sure he doesn't understand his new environment. Poor guy is totally confused. Tonight for the first time I admit to wondering if it wasn't cruel to take him away from what he was used to for so many years. Am I imposing what I think he should prefer? I don't know. He seems to enjoy his comfy pillows, though.

 

It's late. I'm going to bed. Thanks for the thoughts. I appreciate it.

Laura

 

[Batmom]

About how much more water are you having to put out (or refill) now that you've added a dog? While you're thinking about that , could just be that he's nervous. Or that it's cold enough out that he isn't completely emptying when he goes outside.

 

Clavamox being given after a meal, just in case it irritates his tummy? (Sometimes that will make a dog overdrink.)

 

Was it a simple neuter? Everything 100% healed?

 

Are you leash walking or do you have a fenced yard?

 

How are his stools? Nice and firm, or?

 

How often does he pee? When someone is home, take the time between pees, subtract half an hour, and take him out and make sure he goes that often.

 

Hugs and best luck.

[Guest EmilyAnne]

Did they rule out diabetes? I had a diabetic dog who peed lakes and lakes of pee in the house until we got his glucose level under control.

[Guest monasmom]

Did they rule out diabetes? I had a diabetic dog who peed lakes and lakes of pee in the house until we got his glucose level under control.

 

I think that is one of the things they check with the blood panel... ?

 

[Guest monasmom]

About how much more water are you having to put out (or refill) now that you've added a dog? While you're thinking about that , could just be that he's nervous. Or that it's cold enough out that he isn't completely emptying when he goes outside.

 

Clavamox being given after a meal, just in case it irritates his tummy? (Sometimes that will make a dog overdrink.)

 

Was it a simple neuter? Everything 100% healed?

 

Are you leash walking or do you have a fenced yard?

 

How are his stools? Nice and firm, or?

 

How often does he pee? When someone is home, take the time between pees, subtract half an hour, and take him out and make sure he goes that often.

 

Hugs and best luck.

 

Thanks for the hugs and luck! Let's see:

 

1/3 more water (another bowl, but not empty more often than before I don't think, unless DH is filling them as well)

 

If he isn't wandering around outside looking aloof, he does seem to empty

 

he was peeing before we put him on clavamox

 

simple neuter--as simple as it could be for an 11 y.o. dog. Still have stitches, but healing well

 

leash walking--he seems to do better when the other two aren't with us bouncing around--wants his privacy--we are putting in a fence this summer (if the ground ever thaws)

 

stools are firm and regular (but STINKY--even for a greyhound)

 

Yeah--were you a math major? I can't imagine being organized enough to time his pees, but I'm game to try.

Laura

 

[JenniferS]

You didn't mention his history yet. If he was crated/kenneled for 11 years, I would suggest crating him, full run of the house might be too tempting to a dog his age

Edited January 29, 2009 by JenniferS

[Guest andrealynch]

One of the best things I can suggest is to get a belly band/male diaper--which is a piece of cloth that wraps around his mid section. Also--don't buy the liners they sell at PetsMart--instead buy the biggest size baby diapers you can. Line the wrap with the diaper, and make him wear this. Once he figures that going with the wrap on means that he will be moist in that area, he should stop.

 

www.dog.com has something called a "Mark Out" and I use this too on my dog that marks. It is like a big ace bandage that I lightly wrap around his middle--I also use a diaper with this too--these have been life-savers on the inside of the house--so much easier to throw away a diaper than to have to clean up pee all the time. He'll get the message soon. You might just have to work with him a bit to get him to wear it if he never has--but all my guys wear them pretty much all the time. Just be sure to check and change his diaper often.

 

Good luck!

[Batmom]

I can't imagine being organized enough to time his pees, but I'm game to try.

 

Didn't mean to the minute or anything. Just, if he seems to have to go (or have an accident) @ every 3 hours, take him out every 2-2.5 hours when you're home. Some dogs aren't very good about asking, and in cold weather, some will wait until they're bursting unless you make them go out.

[DofSweetPotatos]

Rocky was in the kennel for a long time IIRC. I would try crate training him and weaning him from it, that might be easiest.

 

Battle too was a later in life adopted one, and we dealt with somewhat of the same scenario (somewhat)

 

Also, if you can. Try to pick up a pattern. Battle here is our "pee-er" When we brought him home i kept finding a mystery pee if I was gone for more than 6 hours, but sometimes two or three. I had to triple and quadruple clean the pee area, because who ever it was at the time would go right to the same spot, time and time again. So, what we did was set up an expen area for him (the kitchen - easy peasy clean up there) and off we went. Sure enough, it was him. We found out after 4 days of doing the same thing.

 

Eventually, to break him of wanting to pee on his chosen spot, since he always went to the same area, we fed him on the (clean) pee spot and eventually moved him back to where the others eat.

 

We also managed to watch a "hold" pattern for him. Eventually we determined that he has a 5 hour hold. We also found that even if we walked him 20 minutes before leaving, we would have to take him out again within 5 - 10 minutes before walking out the door. Something anxiety related, I'm sure, because if he didn't go out, we would more often than not come home to pee.

Sometimes he can go for 7hours or so if we really get him empty, and that was walking pee, walk pee, walk pee walk very long pee and empty. It's a tough situation to figure out the pattern, but once you do, you can alter it. You just have to get into their mind before they decide they want to go. So like Batmom said, if you can figure out the pattern, try to subtract some time from it and get him out before that pee thought comes along.

 

Good luck and we'll be keeping our fingers crossed for you. To help try to determine a pattern, try making a cage card. It's a simple chart hours along the top, days down the side and just note the times of pee and mark inside the house or out. Even if you're gone for 4 or 5 hours and come home to pee, just mark the paper at your time of discovery and note if it's warm or cold. (Warm means it just happened- maybe from excitement of you coming home) Just by doing that, you might see something emerge.

 

Keep us posted.

Edited January 29, 2009 by DofSweetPotatos

[Guest Spencers_Greyt]

Sounds medical to me. I would have him tested for a UTI then discuss his neuter surgery. I know a lot of times, with spaying, female dogs get something cut or nicked to high and it causes them to "leak". That's taken care of with Proin. Spencer has had back issues and he was incontinent for a while. Now, if he's home he can make it out to the yard to pee but he can't tell he's still peeing and starts walking around. He also, can't really hold his bladder if he's excited or nervous and just lets go wherever he is (car, on my shoes, etc.). So I would check with your vet on this.

[Guest Redpack]

Also, watch to make sure he does pee when he goes outside. When it is cold out, Em tries to cheat...always looks to make sure I'm not watching. I hope it is something simple.

[GeorgeofNE]

If he wasn't peeing in the house BEFORE he was neutered, I would try a different antibiotic.

 

Clavamox did not kill whatever was making George pee--it slowed it down for a couple of weeks, but it took Baytril to do away with it.

 

Dr. Amy Kuo at Dedham Veterinary is familar with George's case, as is Dr. Beverly Mason. Dr. Mason is the one who guessed the problem, having seen another grey with the obvious SIGNS of a UTI with no correlating bacteria in the urine.

[CaliforniaGreys]

Did they rule out diabetes? I had a diabetic dog who peed lakes and lakes of pee in the house until we got his glucose level under control.

 

I think that is one of the things they check with the blood panel... ?

Diabetes would show up in a UA

[turbotaina]

Just a note that diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) is not common in dogs. Greyhounds are known to get diabetes insipidus (water diabetes) and it's very hard to diagnose. The common indicators are drinking excessive amounts of water and peeing excessive amounts (polydipsia and polyuria). A UA will show a very low USG - they aren't concentrating urine.

 

My guess is that this behavior is related to the neuter somehow. Did the vet examine his prostate?

Edited January 29, 2009 by turbotaina

[Guest speedoketo]

Diabetes mellitus IS common in dogs and lots of peeing and drinking is a symptom. If your dog had it the doctor would have seen glucose in the urine (your body is dumping more glucose than your kidneys can reabsorb so you pee it out - normally there is no glucose in the urine) which he/she didn't so you're in the clear. The specific gravity is a measure of your dog's ability to concentrate or dilute his urine (if you drink a lot it will be dilute, if you're dehydrated it will be concentrated). If it is within a specific range it means your dog is neither concentrating nor diluting and there could potentially be a bigger problem. That's why your vet did all the expensive blood work and I assure you it was worth it. Your vet wants to make sure your dog is not in kidney failure which also shows lots of drinking and peeing as a symptom and is also common in older dogs. I don't want to freak you out, your vet would have told you if there is a genuine medical issue. I'm just trying to clarify what these tests mean and why they were done.