There are various probable causes for your dog showing sudden incontinence, and there can be a possibility that your dog has a UTI or infection in the bladder lining.
Urinary incontinence (or leaking urine) is common in older French Bulldogs, mainly females. Your Frenchie might not know when this is happening, and most probably, it cannot control leakage, so make sure not to scold your Frenchie. This must be treated as a medical issue instead of treating it as behavioral change.
When you suspect anything unusual about the urination habits of your Frenchie, for example, if it begins peeing inside the house, a veterinary trip is a great idea. The vet can rule out serious conditions and refer to a viable course of treatment.
Why has my French Bulldog suddenly become incontinent?
If you’re unsure why your French Bulldog is leaking urine, you must know that dogs can show discomfort in certain situations. Understanding what your dog is going through can make it easier for you to fix the issue.
If your Frenchie suddenly cannot control the urge to urinate, the first thing you notice can be pee on the floor and urine odor in the house.
There are various probable causes for your dog showing sudden incontinence, and there can be a possibility that your dog has a UTI or infection in the bladder lining. A veterinary examination would point out the exact cause of leakage and any other possible health conditions affecting your Frenchie. Here are some of the more common causes.
| Older Dogs |
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| It is common for older dogs not to have adequate bladder control. For instance, muscles that hold the urine back can become weak. With an aging dog, the bladder sphincter and muscles aren’t toned like they were, and urine leakage is possible. As your Frenchie lies down or gets up, a little urine can get released. The urine can result in localized infections and ascend into the bladder, resulting in an infection that exacerbates the symptoms. |
| Incontinence due to Hormone imbalance in dogs |
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| In spayed female bulldogs, this can also happen by lessening the estrogen hormone (especially in spayed dogs). Your vet can refer to this as estrogen-responsive or spay incontinence. Lack of testosterone can also make this happen in male dogs. |
| Incontinence Due to Diseases in dogs |
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| In addition to muscle tone loss, diseases like kidney disease, diabetes, or urinary tract infection can increase urination. A UTI or unitary tack indication can cause you Frenchie to urinate more. Due to the inflammation, your dog can feel like they have to urinate all the time. In these situations, your dog cannot get its bladder empty, and thus it becomes over-filled or distended, leading to dribbling. |
How do I treat my dog’s urine leakage?
It is often mentioned that cranberry juice helps get rid of UTIs. However, how well can your dog respond to it? How much cranberry juice is ideal for the dog’s UTI, and would it be safe? It is recommended to consult your vet before moving ahead with the decision.
If your veterinarian diagnosed that a “simple” incontinence issue is causing the problem, it could be easily managed with medications. For example, having a bladder infection or urinary tract infection can be treated with antibiotics to eliminate both leakage and infection.
A common medication for hormonally related incontinence is phenylpropanolamine, and it also helps increase the muscle tone for improving the dog’s ability to control the urine. Collagen injections are also ideal for the prevention of leakage.
Female dogs can be provided with medications such as insulin. This results in an increase in estrogen levels that can naturally increase urinary tract muscle tone while your dog is resting.
What can you give a dog for a urinary tract infection?
Various home treatment options are available for dog-related UTIs, helping your dog recover faster while being comfortable. Here we’ve listed down a few dog urinary tract infection remedies.
| You can use up to one teaspoon (small dogs) or around 1 to 2 tablespoons (meant for larger dogs) of apple cider vinegar in their water bowl. Repeat this two times a day for approximately seven to ten days, depending on the UTI’s severity. |
| Have your Frenchie soak in a warm bath for around ten minutes to help to relieve their muscles. Wash the dog with a mild soap, and also, don’t forget the genital area. The soap shouldn’t be left on the site for long, and make sure to rinse the area with warm and clean water. |
| Encourage your French Bulldog to drink more water by placing water bowls around your house. The water must be changed once or twice a day to ensure that it is fresh. |
| Around one 500mg Vitamin C tablet can be crushed and sprinkled on your Frenchies’ food. This should be done once a day for around seven days. |
| You can provide your Frenchie with around one to three tbsp of citrus juice. Ensure that no added sugar is present as it can also aggravate the UTI of your dog |
| Around two tsp of chopped cranberries or blueberries must be added to the dog food. This must be done twice a day for around 7 to 10 days. |
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Can a UTI kill my French bulldog?
It is extremely rare for you French Bulldog to die from a UTI, but Bulldog-Cystitis and Bulldog-UTI are inflammatory bladder conditions. Cystitis and UTI in bulldogs can result in pain and discomfort. It is vital to get the Bulldog to a vet specialist as quickly as possible as the condition is really painful on your pet bulldog, and this can result in further complications as well.
Male Bulldogs have a narrower or longer urethra, while female bulldogs have a wider and shorter urethra. Thus, the male Bulldog has higher risks associated with urinary urethra blockage. Even little stones can also lead to the prevention of urination. Such cases are thought of as emergencies, and obstructing stones can get removed as quickly as possible.
When to See a Vet about it?
In all cases, you should bring your French Bulldog to your vet if they are suspected of having a UTI for a full check-up. The veterinary team will quickly diagnose the reason for your pet’s discomfort. However, there are several factors to look upon to make sure that visit is worthy and accurate diagnosis is made:
Does your dog show alter behavior? This can be high or low than usual activity levels or changes in dietary habits.
Has the dog been prescribed any medications? And also, how well did it respond to that treatment?
A physical examination will occur and most likely include abdomen palpation for checking any renal abnormalities or pain. Diagnostic tests can comprise of biochemical profile (for any preexisting diseases), with total blood count (for verifying white blood cell count increase). A urinalysis is done that can point out the presence of proteins, blood, and pus for analyzing urine PH levels. The urine can get cultured for growing and also verifying bacteria responsible for UTI.
Veterinary specialists also often perform a radiograph or an ultrasound to look for any lesions or stones. A contrast study can also be possible as it is a great way to identify any defects in the anatomy.
For other incontinence causes, the very most likely start treating the primary cause or the condition. When the reason is an anatomical abnormality or bladder stones, surgery can get recommended. For other conditions such as diabetes, the disease can most likely get treated through medications, and it can help in clearing up urine issues.
While incontinence can be preventable entirely, different steps can be taken to help the dog avoid and manage it. If you have suspected sickness in your dog, you need to be sure to call your veterinary immediately. It’s best always to consult the veterinarian for any health-related questions, as they’re the specialists in pet examination. You look for your pet’s health history and can get the best possible recommendations for treatment options.
Conclusion
If you’re concerned about why my French Bulldog is leaking urine, early diagnosis and treatment are best as it helps prevent any serious complications.