Prednisone Related Peeing

[Guest sorenkkg]

I wasn't sure if this was "health" or "training"-- but since she doesn't pee in the house when she's not on medication, I'm going with posting this here.

 

Aleeya has been on Prednisone for 4 days-- she was doing 50mg (25x2 per day) for 3 days, then yesterday and today are the start of 25mg 1x per day. After a week of this, she'll be down to 25mg every other day.

 

I knew that she would want to drink more water, and have to pee more. She is in no way "in trouble" for any puddles.

 

 

What I don't know is why she is peeing in the bed she shares during the day with Haka? She's not peeing in her bed in our room, just down here. I understand why she'd pee in front of the back door (we're redoing our deck/yard and the stairs are going in tomorrow... horrible timing but at least they'll be in soon).

 

I just don't get why she's peeing in the bed?

 

 

We are taking her out at 7am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 7pm, 9-10pm, 12-12:30am.

 

I would think that would be enough, but if we leave the house, there's a puddle when we get back. sigh.

 

 

Any advice? I'm trying to limit her water, but it's hard b/c then Haka might not be getting enough water, so I'm putting little amounts down for her/him, frequently. I don't think she gets up to drink in the middle of the night-- the puddles are found during the day actually, not early in the morning.

 

 

Insights, advice, comiseration... all are welcome. I'm really not sure I'm handling this right.

 

 

Oh-- and should I be washing the pee-affected with anything in particular? I'm just doing hot water, detergent, and Oxy powder. I heard vinegar maybe? Ideas welcome there too.

 

Soren

 

 

[greyhndz]

Is it happening when she sleeps? Of course the pred increased her urinary output, but that combined with a little spay incontinence could cause involuntary urination. The other possibility that's always on the list is a UTI. If there's any question, I'd bring a urine sample in to the vet to be tested.

 

If there's no infection, and this occurs only when she's sleeping,

1. discuss with the vet possibly putting her onto DES or another med used for spay incontinence (I don't like PPA), or
2. since she won't be on this dose of prednisone for long, her urinary output will decrease in the next week or two. I'd probably opt to cover the bed with incontinence pads temporarily until she's voiding more normally.

If the urination persists even after her pred has been tapered down, then you can discuss with your vet what your options are.

 

How is Aleeya's eye doing?

 

ETA: I'm not a fan of restricting water - it's a quick way for a dog to become dehydrated since she'll keep producing urine anyway.

 

For washing: I usually use bleach, but either an enzymatic cleaner or vinegar should work well. For wiping down, I usually use an enzymatic cleaner, and I keep the cushions covered with some type of waterproof lining so the filling stays clean. The incontinence pads really help, too.

Edited May 10, 2010 by greyhndz

[Forevermybabies]

Unfortunately, every dog I've had on Prednisone peed like a racehorse. Short of a diaper I don't know what else you can do. And I would do that. She might be peeing in her sleep and maybe she's spending more time in that bed? Or maybe she is trying to keep her pee to one area - one that isn't so close to anyone.

 

Hard to know what a dog is thinking. Poor baby though. I think that's hard on them when they can't control their urine. They want to, and know they should be able to, but can't. So I think it makes them feel bad. Like they're bad dogs, even though WE know they aren't. Joe always seemed so SAD when he peed in the house.

[Guest Stripeyfan]

It's definitely the pred - Kelly's on 10mg/day for his IBD and has been for over a month now, and is still peeing/drinking a fair bit, although he's holding it better than he was. It probably wouldn't hurt to take a sample to the vet though (we did). If that's clear, it might be that she's peeing in that bed because she can still smell it - you need to use an enzymatic cleaner to make sure all traces are gone as anything else, including vinegar, will just cover up the smell rather than eliminating it, and she will think that the bed is the 'place' to go potty.

 

Accidents are probably unavoidable, though - when Kelly was on a higher dose he'd have accidents in the house no matter how often we let him out, and sometimes would go out, come back to the house, turn round and go straight back into the yard for another pee. Once we'd made sure there was nothing else going on (UTI etc) we decided that if the pred was making him better, a bit of pee was a small price to pay in the short term. So please don't beat yourself up about it! You're not doing anything wrong... she's not doing anything wrong... and it will get better.

 

Hugs to both of you.

[Batmom]

FWIW, when mine start pred, I make them go out every 1.5 - 2.0 hours, even if I have to wake them up to do it. 6 hours overnight. I don't restrict water at all. In my experience, the peeing tapers off after @ 7-10 days.

 

Hugs and best luck.

[cleptogrey]

it's the drug, either use a diaper or keep her in the kitchen where it is easy to clean up.i presume she will be wearing panties....unless you have a great room/kichen w/ tiled floors. unzip the cover of the dog bed and insert a baby size waterproof mattress pad. all of this will pass once she is off the pred. i had a scottie who needed it for his addison's disease, i know....nature's miracle is not that harsh on the floors and most likely her usine is so diluted it doesn't smell.

[Guest BooBooMama]

Jen was on prednisone for a quite some time. While she was on it she became incontinent. She would be asleep, suddenly feel the urge, try to get up to run to the door but as she stood she would pee all over her bed- she couldn't control it. Since she had to be on the prednisone for a length of time the vet also put her on meds for incontinence. Ask your vet what he/she thinks.

[Guest sorenkkg]

I knew you guys would have great advice!

 

I don't think she's peeing while she is sleeping, b/c she sleeps the whole night upstairs in our room, and no puddles there. She can also go a good 4hrs and not pee... I think it has to do with us leaving the house somehow. The day's I'm home all day, no puddles.

If I go out to run an errand, puddle.

Hmm.

 

I will pick up some enzymatic cleaner, I'm assuming at any pet supplies store?

 

We've not done panties yet? I'm going to keep taking her out every few hours while it's day, and the stairs to our deck should be done in a few hours, so by tonight, we should be able to just run her out into the backyard.

 

I'm hoping Batmom is right, 7-10 days for some tapering off would be very cool.

 

I don't actually smell anything-- from what I can see when we're outside, her pee is SO diluted... she usually hardly drinks at all when she's healthy, so her pee is very yellow, and now it's almost clear (um, maybe like Crystal Light lemonade? very pale anyway).

 

Ok, enzymatic cleaner-- I'll wait till DH is home though before I go out. I did decide to pull up the dog bed she and Haka share (that's the pee one) until this is a bit more under control. Replaced with more easily washed blankets (though the bed is mammoth, so it's all 100% washable, thankfully).

 

Jordan-- short story long-- her eyes don't seem to be bothering her at all anymore, and SHE"S EATING!!!! I think she's probably put back on at least a pound, maybe 2? Her poop is still fine, and we've had success in giving her pills with some new "treats"-- liverwust at night, soft fresh food in the morning (1 bite for each pill, then a refill of the bowl as a meal).

 

Huge load off my mind now that she's eating.... one worry down, peeing and underlying issue to the uveitis still to go. Oh, and then there's still Haka's toe mystery.

 

thanks all!