The main job of the dog’s urinary system is to remove waste products from the blood. These waste products obtained previously filtered through the kidneys, stored in the bladder for a short time, and finally excreted in the urine. The urinary system includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra in the male, also the tip of the penis, and in the female, the vaginal vestibule. All problems related to the urinary system are commonly referred to as urinary tract disease in dogs.
Urinalysis
The examination of the urine can be very informative for determining the cause of a urinary tract disease. Indications of kidney disease, a urinary tract infection, a metabolic disease (such as diabetes) or urinary stones, or tumor diseases can remain identified as the cause of the dog’s symptoms. The urinalysis is of great importance for the diagnosis. Vets do the urinalysis test in animals with acute complaints and older dogs. It remains further utilized as a check-up for dogs who have to keep a specific diet, e.g., in people with diabetes (glucose and ketone bodies act examined here). In dogs on a urinary stone dissolving diet, the urine does observe for crystals.
Overview Of Common Urinary Tract Diseases
Cystitis
A common urinary tract disease in humans and unfortunately also in our four-legged friends: cystitis. The symptoms are very similar; the affected dog also feels an increased urge to tinkle but then only has to pass small amounts of urine. In addition, the dog feels pain when urinating and will undoubtedly show this through his behavior. A bladder infection affects the lower urinary tract, i.e., the urethra and bladder. Bacteria mainly trigger this inflammation. In rare cases, fungi, viruses, or even parasites can be the trigger. Cystitis, just like humans, can be acute or chronic. Acute cystitis (the technical term) occurs suddenly, and bacteria commonly produce cystitis. On the other hand, chronic disease occurs repeatedly and is referred to as if the dog had more than two bladder infections within six months or more than three in a year.
Renal Failure
Renal insufficiency is more dramatic than cystitis because, in most cases, it is preceded by a significant deterioration in the general health of the dog, such as high blood loss, poisoning, or even high fever. Most often, the previous reason leads to the development of acute renal insufficiency. Determined what happened to the four-legged friend, the renal insufficiency is also recognized as the first symptom by the dog owner and additional restlessness, diarrhea, or vomiting. A veterinary check up should be considered if the dog hardly urinates or not all.
Bladder Stones
Urinary stones can also form in dogs. These arise from mineral crystals that attach themselves to the urinary tract of the four-legged friend. They can exist in the kidney, bladder, urethra, or ureter. The stones that occur in the area of bladder areas are named bladder stones.
One possible reason for the formation of bladder stones can be too high a mineral content in the feed. However, an increased pH value in the urine caused by a urinary tract infection can also lead to structural stones being causative. A look at the dog’s food and water intake is particularly important for prevention. A lot of calcium, magnesium, or phosphorus in the feed are conducive to the formation of stones. In addition, the dog should always drink enough.
Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is also a common issue in many veterinary practices. Older dogs, in particular, can inadvertently lose urine. Inadvertently urine lose can be very different and should be defined by the veterinarian. Kidney problems or diabetes could also cause incontinence as an accompanying symptom, although this should go away once the primary disease has been cured, stopped, or treated.