Hello, and welcome.
This post will look at some natural home remedies for urinary leakage issues with dogs.
Before we get into all the details, if dog incontinence is an issue for your pet pooch, we recommend using a really good quality dog bed for incontinent dogs.
An easily washable, durable, urine-proof dog bed can make your life much easier, so please look at our reviews of the best incontinence dog beds.
Ok, so with that mentioned, let’s look at some potential, natural solutions to the issue with your pet dog.
Types of Canine Urinary Incontinence
Before we get into our natural remedies for canine incontinence, it is important to understand the two main causes: ectopic ureters and hormone-responsive incontinence.
Ectopic Ureter
An ectopic ureter represents an abnormality in your dog’s urinary system. When a dog has this condition, the urine goes from the kidneys directly to the bladder and is deposited in the urethra, bypassing the sphincter. In a healthy dog, after the liquid has been filtered, the kidneys then send the urine to the bladder. It travels toward the urethra from the bladder and is released from the body.
Hormone Responsive Incontinence
Spaying can also cause incontinence in dogs. If a dog isn’t spayed, the estrogen is what helps the female control their sphincter. Once they have been spayed, estrogen levels drop, and so does the female’s ability to control the sphincter. Most hormone-responsive cases of incontinence occur around three years after being spayed.
What Else Causes Dog Incontinence?
In addition to ectopic ureters and hormone-responsive incontinence, there are other common causes of incontinence in dogs.
- Urinary tract infection or bladder infection
- Weak bladder or bladder muscle
- Spinal injury
- Spinal degeneration
- Anatomic abnormalities
- Medical conditions inherited before they were born
- Prostate problems
- Diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Cushing’s disease
- Bladder stone
- Overactive bladder
Symptoms of Urinary Incontinence in Dogs
So, how do you know if your dog has become incontinent? There are several signs and symptoms you may want to watch for. Dripping urine or urine leakage is one of the more common signs. You may also notice redness and irritation on the skin where the urine was dripping.
The dog may also lick its penis or vulva regularly. If you notice any of this, consult your veterinarian to examine your dog and give you the right diagnosis.
Urinary Incontinence in Dogs Natural Treatment
Here are some potential suggestions and things to consider:
- The first step should always be the vet’s office
- Often the problems happen overnight
- Has your female dog been spayed?
- Try ground flax seeds twice daily
- Soy isoflavones may help
- Manage the problem with practical solutions
Let’s now take a deeper look at each one of these ideas:
The First Step Should Always Be Your Veterinarian
Your first step should always be to take your pet dog to the vet with any health issues.
Your dog’s weak bladder might be a sign of something much more serious, so it is vital that you get them thoroughly checked out.
Note – You may also be interested in reading these blog posts about dog urinary incontinence while sleeping or a dog’s weak bladder control.
Often the Problems Happen Overnight
Most issues with incontinence in dogs happen overnight or when they are asleep.
Knowing this can help you naturally mitigate the problems, giving the dog potty breaks during the night, not leaving them alone too long, and using a waterproof dog bed for dogs with incontinence are all really useful ideas.
Has Your Female Dog Been Spayed?
If the issues are with a spayed female dog, you should talk to your vet. It is quite a common side effect of the operation. There are both medical and natural remedies for dealing with this, and you can discuss those with the vet. Phytoestrogens are estrogen from plants that can be used to treat spay-related incontinence. It is a holistic remedy available with a prescription from your vet.
Try Ground Flax Seeds Twice Daily
Speaking of phytoestrogens, feeding your dog freshly ground flax seeds twice per day may help fix any hormonal imbalance in your dog. Soy and ground flax seeds are great ways to obtain more phytoestrogens for your dog.
You will see that vet recommends trying approximately one tablespoon of flaxseed per 40lbs of dog body weight in the video below. You can try this for thirty days and see if it helps with incontinence.
Soy Isoflavones May Help
Another home remedy suggested by the vet is giving your dog soy isoflavones. Again try this supplement for thirty days at a serving of roughly 10mg per 10lbs of body weight and see if it helps.
Manage the Problem with Practical Solutions
As well as trying to cure the issues naturally, we also suggest you do as much as you can to make your life easier and the dog’s life more comfortable.
As discussed, a good quality washable bed and bedding is a great start. Giving your dog lots of trips to the yard is another good tactic.
Other Natural Incontinence Remedies for Your Dog
In addition to the useful information we have already shared above, here are a few more natural incontinence remedies you may want to consider for your dog.
- Saw Palmetto: This anti-inflammatory herb helps support bladder control and improved muscle tone. It can also help balance hormone levels in your dog.
- Acupuncture: This is another popular and natural remedy for incontinence and other urinary problems. It stimulates the nerves that are responsible for your dog’s urinary control.
- Sang Piao Xiao San: This is a Chinese herbal remedy. Many holistic vets prescribe this herb for canine incontinence. It can be purchased in a convenient pill form.
Natural Supplements and Treatments for Canine Incontinence
Here are just a few products you can purchase online to help with your dog’s incontinence. Consult with your vet before beginning any new supplement or treatment.
Zesty Paws Cranberry Bites for Dogs
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These Zesty Paws cranberry bites for dogs offer urinary tract support. They are formulated to promote better kidney and bladder health in dogs. They contain 200 mg of cranberry and organic ingredients and come in a chewable form. They also contain organic marshmallow root and astragalus to flush toxins out and also have anti-inflammatory properties.
Coco and Luna Cranberry for Dogs
No products found.
This urinary tract cranberry supplement for dogs from Coco and Luna offers urinary tract support for dogs suffering from a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, and incontinence. In addition to the cranberry, these supplements also contain Vitamin C to support a normal and healthy urine pH.
Nutrition Strength Incontinence Support Supplement for Dogs
No products found.
These supplements for incontinence support from Nutrition Strength offer organic support for dogs leaking urine and promote better bladder control. These chewable tablets are made from high-quality ingredients and encourage a healthy urine flow and decreased inflammation.
What Dogs Are Most Likely to Have Urinary Incontinence?
Dog breeds more prone to urinary incontinence include the German Shepherd, Rottweiler, English Springer Spaniel, Doberman Pinscher, Weimaraners, Old English Sheepdogs, Dalmations, and Border Collies and Collies.
Video – Dog Incontinence:
In this video, a vet breaks down some of his recommended home natural remedies to help you deal with dog incontinence.
Once again, just to be very, very clear, if in any doubt about your dog’s health whatsoever, please visit your local vet as soon as you possibly can.
Even watching a video from a fully qualified DVM veterinarian is not the same as actually getting your pup checked out by one at their surgery.