Peeing - Or Lack There Of, Difficult, And Red/pinkness In Her Genital

[Guest OurLacyandJax]

Apologies for the gross subject line.

 

So Molly and we are getting along well. She is a lovable, sweet 2 year old. Her spay staples are staying put, thanks to all the advice from you - the muzzle with the duct tape as a stool guard seems to be the best solution for her licky tongue. Just 3 more days, and the staples are out. Yeah!

 

The thing that's a bit worrisome right now for me is the fact that it takes forever for her to pee. Which is odd, because - again, trying not to compare to Lacy but she was instant - as a girl dog, I would have thought she'd step out and go, if not immediately, at least within 5 -10 minutes of walking. No, even after sleeping through the night, she can't seem to pee. She poops much before she pees - which defies logic, at least to me.

 

And when she pees, finally, after walking what might be about a half mile, she goes long. And then nothing. This morning, she did her outing early, at about 4:45am. Very cold her in St.Louis, but manageable. And then around 7:00, she barked when mommy left for work, i thought may be she has to pee since she only peed once. Took her out for about 10 minutes - nothing. Just walking around. Once more, before I left for work, another (more than) 10 min jaunt in the cold for nothing..

 

She drinks plenty of water, and is hydrated, as far as I can see. Granted the muzzle with the tape might be restricting her water intake a little. Both my wife and I have noticed that she strains a bit when she finally goes - like lifting one of her hind legs like she is straining her lower area to get it all out, or may be in relief.

 

One more thing I noticed while she was at the hospital last week ( i noticed the same when she hopped off the van from the track on Dec 22nd), was that her genital area showed some pink/redness.. I asked the vet, and she said they sometimes have that because of the steroids given to them at the track. Anyone else with a female with a similar situation?

[a_daerr]

Granted the muzzle with the tape might be restricting her water intake a little.

 

Doesn't sound normal, especially if she's straining to go. Have you noticed any change in the color or odor of the urine. Dark, concentrated urine is a sign of dehydration.

 

Are you taking the muzzle off every so often and allowing her to drink? Even if she can drink, it may feel unnatural to her, and she's not drinking enough. I like muzzles + stool guards better because they still have holes that allow the dog to breathe and drink normally. We used duct tape for about two days after Truman's gastropexy, and he kept thowing up (my guess is either the smell or taste of the adhesive on the sticky side).

[Guest OurLacyandJax]

From the moment we saw her about 2-3 weeks ago, and now for a week she's been with us, she's been like this.

 

I do not think she is dehydrated - but you do have a big point about the reduced intake all the same. No one wants to drink through something that might be uncomfortable.

 

Anyways, Do you know of a local place (Petco/Petsmart) etc that might have a stool guard? I asked around but it seems like no one has it - not even in Amazon.

[a_daerr]

Hmmm, I thought this was something that just started happening. If she's drinking and otherwise acting normal, maybe that's just her pee routine?

Anyway, this is where we got our stool guard. http://www.k-9designs.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=89

[Guest kkaiser104]

From the moment we saw her about 2-3 weeks ago, and now for a week she's been with us, she's been like this.

 

I do not think she is dehydrated - but you do have a big point about the reduced intake all the same. No one wants to drink through something that might be uncomfortable.

 

Anyways, Do you know of a local place (Petco/Petsmart) etc that might have a stool guard? I asked around but it seems like no one has it - not even in Amazon.

 

I've only ever seen them online. Local places normally don't carry them.

[Guest OurLacyandJax]

Just ordered it from GEM store.

http://www.gemgreyhounds.net/store-2/?wpsc=lc&wpsccat=16

[a_daerr]

Just ordered it from GEM store.

http://www.gemgreyhounds.net/store-2/?wpsc=lc&wpsccat=16

 

That's even cheaper than what I paid! I love the GEM Store. They have everything.

[MP_the4pack]

My Opal has a 10 gallon tank. If she is on leash or in a new situation (like when we go to GIG or Dewey) she just will not go. She's also not a marker like all my other girls were. So when she goes, she empties out.

 

Your girl sounds a lot like my Opal. I bet if you had a fenced yard, she'd go out and just do her business and be done.

[gryhndsr4us]

My Dreamy takes forever to pee. She also usually will poop before she pees. Dreamy will voluntarily hold it for ten to twelve hours then pee a river. When she does go she takes a long time to find the "right" spot. She has always been this way. Sky my other female runs out does her business and comes right back in. Sky also goes more frequently. Dreamy goes out with Sneakers and Sky, but comes right back in without doing anything most of the time. That is just her way and always has been.

Molly sounds like she is just like Dreamy, different but nothing wrong with that. Unless you are waiting for her to find the right spot when the wind chill is below zero!

[Guest OurLacyandJax]

Oh good - so i might be worried about nothing! Yes, exactly as you two describe. She just walks and walks for a long time. And I have been told not to walk her too much with her spay staples.

 

Oh well. Good to know it is applicable to other greys as well.

[greysmom]

If you go in to the vet for the staple removal, you could take in a urine sample just to make sure she doesn't have a UTI or other infection. Use a clean, small container with a lid (that you don't want back!) and try to catch her first pee of the day. Keep it cold if you're not going in for several hours.

 

Female genitals will often change shape and color as they get the hormones out of their systems. This can take several weeks/months.

[TheFullHouse]

If she's shy about going on leash, you can connect two leashes together to give her more space and that might help. My Emmy did not want to go on leash at all. I had to connect two leashes together and once she could get farther away from me she would go. I would then reel her back in on and proceed with her walk closer to me. I would do that several times and she would go like crazy.

[JohnF]

Yes, be on guard against 'stump' pyometra.... the dog will act very ill even if you don't see a discharge at first.

http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vmth/small_animal/reproduction/pdfs/cestumppyogranu-1.pdf

 

If sounds like she is just sore in that area when needing to squat.

[Guest OurLacyandJax]

Thank you again - great suggestions. And the heads up on stump pyometra - the things you learn here!

 

Just went home to take her out - she was great. Walked out, and within a couple minutes, good long pee. She might just be the kind that empties the bladder - and that might explain the forced/strained expelling of the pee.

 

So may be my expectations is at fault here.

 

(Sorry about your mom, Jilly. Just saw your signature).