Question:
I have an 8-year-old yellow Labrador dog who has developed a urine leakage problem.His bed will be wet in the morning and he leaves spots wherever he's been lying. Our local vet has given him shots of testosterone, which takes care of the problem for about a month. We've tried to cut down the frequency of the shots, but the problem recurs in about seven weeks.Is there anything else we can do? He's a very active dog.
J.H., Buffalo, MN Aug 14, 2005
Answer:
Urinary incontinence is rare in male dogs compared to neutered females. The testosterone hormone replacement therapy may help, but it can have harmful side effects if not carefully monitored.Be certain that the veterinarian has ruled out prostate disease, infection, calculi (stones) and cancer in your dog's urinary bladder. All those problems can make a dog incontinent and want to urinate more frequently, as can chronic kidney disease and diabetes, which are very common in older dogs who compensate by drinking more water.DIET AND URINARY PROBLEMS IN CATSRecent veterinary research has given further impetus to the dietary revolution for cats, who for too long have been given commercial processed foods high in carbohydrates (starch). Japanese veterinary researchers have shown that a reduction of dietary carbohydrate can help in the prevention of struvite urolithiasis -- crystals of magnesium, ammonium and phosphate -- that can cause serious health problems, especially in young cats. These crystals form when the
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