Why is My Dog Peeing A Lot?
The scientific definition for frequent urination in dogs is, polyuria. If you've noticed your dog peeing more than normal, you are most likely asking yourself; why is my dog peeing a lot?
Cindy Grant
Frequent urination in some dogs could be simply due to an increased water intake because of excessive exercise, eating more or hot/humid weather conditions. However, there may be more serious health problems at play that will need to be addressed.
In this article we are going to uncover the conditions of why a dog may be peeing a lot, as well as why a puppy may be peeing a lot.
Why is My Puppy Peeing A Lot?
Young puppies have tiny bladders and haven't been taught how to hold onto their urine, so they will "squat and go' whenever nature calls.
A puppy can only hold its bladder for one hour for every month-of-age
Puppies also can't be expected to know all the rules when they first enter into a home, after all, they are just puppies. Getting your puppy on a regular schedule of eating, sleeping and playing can help with those potty habits.
It's also helpful to follow the general rule-of-paw that states a puppy can only hold its bladder for one hour for every month-of-age it is, so if Fido is eight weeks old than the maximum he could hold his pee would be two hours (and so on).
There are also some health issues (which we will cover later) and behavioral issues that may be causing your puppy to pee a lot.
Puppies over three months-of-age will often pee to mark their territory. This can happen when taken to a new place or a male may do it to "impress" a female pooch.
Some puppies pee a lot due to being scared, anxious, submissive, overexcited or just plain happy. Just remember there is no spiteful urination.
There is usually an underlying issue that will need to be looked into, so be sure to take mental notes to identify what may be triggering the frequent urination.
References: https://herepup.com/puppy-peeing-a-lot/
There are several health-related issues that could be causing your dog to pee a lot. These include:
- Urinary Tract Infections: UTI symptoms include straining when peeing, blood in urine, legarthy and fever. Although, female dogs are more prone to getting UTI, males can also come down with this condition.
- Kidney Problems: According to PetMD there several symptoms related to kidney disease in dogs, the more common include frequent urination, pale-colored pee, excessive thirst, diarrhea or constipation and blood in urine.
- Bladder Stones: the symptoms of bladder stones are similar to UTI.
- Diabetes: Along with frequent urination is your dog having an excessive thirst. Other signs include an increased appetite with no weight gain.
- Prostate Issues: Older intact male dogs can experience an increase in urination due to an enlarged prostate. This condition will also make it harder for your pooch to eliminate, so you may notice straining.
- Liver Disease: Symptoms of liver disease in dogs are lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness.
- Cushing's Disease: In 85% of all cases, Cushing's Disease is usually caused by a benign tumor in the pituitary gland. Other symptoms include increase in thirst and appetite, sagging tummy, excessive panting, weak muscle tone and hair loss.
These ailments are all very serious, so if you suspect your canine may be going through one of these conditions, be sure to make an appointment with your veterinarian.
References:
http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/urinary/c_multi_renal_failure_chronic
http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/liver-disease-in-dogs.html
http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/canine-cushings-disease.html
Why is My Dog Peeing A Lot? Additional Possibilities
Not all excessive urination is due to an underlying health issue. It actually could be:
- Pregnancy/ Coming into Heat
- Psychogenic Polydipsia
- Marking of Territory
Pregnant females may have to pee more because the growing fetuses are taking up a lot of room and could also be pushing on her bladder.
In addition, those intact females that are coming into heat will experience hormonal changes, which can produce more peeing activity.
This is a behavioral problem that compels the pooch to drink more water and therefore increases his frequency of peeing.
However, the exact reason behind this condition is unknown, some experts believe it may be related to boredom in the dog.
Just like we mentioned in, why is my puppy peeing a lot, adult dogs will also mark their territory. This usually happens on walks or when your dog comes in contact with another dog.
Canines will also race outside and mark their territories around the perimeter of their yard.
It May Be Time to Check
If you've noticed your dog is peeing a lot more than usual, be sure to monitor him/her for further symptoms mentioned on Nolongerwild.com. If the excessive peeing continues on and your dog is more symptomatic, then be sure to contact your veterinarian immediately for a professional diagnosis and treatment plan.
