Is Your Dog Constantly Peeing? When to Be Concerned and What to Do (Vet Answer)

If you have recently noticed that your dog is peeing more than usual, either because it is requesting to be let out more frequently or because you have noticed an increase in the frequency of the dog’s urination, it is critical that you thoroughly investigate the situation. Detailed observations and general information should assist you in differentiating between behavioral, environmental, and medical causes of this condition.

How can I tell if my dog’s increased urination is due to a behavioral or medical problem?

Your observations as a dog owner are extremely valuable in understanding behavioral issues. Your observations are also very helpful in compiling a complete medical history, which will help the veterinarian accurately diagnose a disease if that is the case.
As a general rule, you must be able to tell the difference between a dog peeing, a dog marking, and a dog involuntarily leaking urine.

Factors related to age that influence urination

Puppy dogs urinate more frequently than fully grown dogs because they are still learning to control their bladders. A puppy urinates once every two hours on average, which is considered normal.
Unfortunately, owners in some cases fail to observe their adult dog’s normal urination habits. Once the pet learns to “go outside” and no longer has to deal with a mess, urine will never enter their mind again.
It is always a good dog owner practice to keep an eye on your dog and become acquainted with its urinating habits. This will provide you with a baseline of what is normal for your dog and allow you to detect any potential problems sooner. An adult dog urinates every 4 to 6 hours on average.

Urination-related territorial factors

Dogs use urine to mark territory; this behavior is first observed in dogs after the third month of life. Dogs mark their territory, the paths they walk on, objects, and more. It is a form of social interaction between dogs. Unneutered males and unspayed females are more likely to be marked. This implies that marking it is also used to communicate reproductive and hormonal status. It has been discovered that females’ marking behavior correlates with the time just before and during ovulation or heat.
If you are a first-time dog owner, it is critical that you learn how to distinguish urination markings. In general, marking is brief, only a small amount of urine is expelled, and it is frequently repeated in the same spots or sites. Dogs’ natural behavior includes marking. Excessive marking can sometimes become a problem known as problematic marking; this is a behavioral issue, not a medical one.

Other Urination-related behavioral factors

Anxiety and excitement are two other behavioral factors that can cause dogs to urinate. New dogs in or near their territory, separation anxiety caused by their owners being absent for extended periods of time, and the addition of new, unknown objects or noises to their environment, among other things, all contribute to the dog’s anxiety.
Some dogs urinate when they are excited, such as when their owner returns home or when they anticipate something they enjoy. If the dog urinates while moving his tail, it is most likely excitement urination.

Polyuria

Polyuria is the medical term for the formation and elimination of large amounts of urine, and it is a condition that is not limited to dogs. The term also applies to other animals and humans.
None of the behavioral factors we presented are considered “polyuria” because the total volume of urine produced by the body is not increased. Polyuria is not a disease in and of itself, but rather a symptom of a compensatory system or a number of medical conditions or diseases.

Environmental influences on urination

It is fairly normal for dogs to drink more water and, as a result, urinate more during the hot summer months. If your dog is drinking and urinating more frequently, it is important to consider whether the temperature in the environment is the cause.
A slight increase in urination associated with an increase in water consumption as a result of higher environmental temperatures is normal; this is known as “Compensatory Polyuria,” and it is not a disease.

Urination and health-related factors

Obviously, health-related factors affecting urination in dogs are the most concerning. You may have noticed if your dog’s urinating habits have changed if you are an attentive owner. However, it is not always clear whether the dog is urinating more in total volume or just more frequently. If this is not related to any of the previously mentioned factors, please bring your dog to the veterinarian for a checkup.
As previously stated, increased urination is a symptom rather than a disease in and of itself, and it can be caused by a number of medical conditions. The veterinarian is trained to collect and interpret the necessary information in order to determine what is causing your dog’s increased urination.

Your dog will be examined physically by the veterinarian, and blood and urine samples may be collected. In some cases, the veterinarian may wish to collect a sterile urine sample directly from the urinary bladder by using an ultrasound to guide the precise puncture with needle and catheter into the bladder. Depending on the circumstances, the veterinarian may need to perform additional diagnostic tests such as X-rays or ultrasounds.

Infection of the urinary tract

If your dog has a urinary tract infection, it is important to know that the prognosis for this condition is usually very good, especially if it is diagnosed early.
Urinary tract infections, in general, increase the frequency of urination but not the total volume of urine produced. It is a good dog owner practice to keep an eye on your dog and become acquainted with its urinating habits.

Incontinence

Urine leakage or incontinence in dogs can have a variety of medical causes and treatments. Urine amounts are generally small, and you will notice that your dog appears to be unaware that it is urinating. In this case, the total volume of urine is not increased.

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