Intermittent bladder incontinence

[smartrock]

Over the weekend, Lark had a few episodes of urinary incontinence that occurred while she was awake. She'd be lying on the floor, start licking her vulva madly, jump up, and there'd be a small to moderate sized puddle of urine where she'd been lying. She wasn't standing up or squatting, just lying in one place, awake and minding her own business when she would suddenly act like, "What the heck?" and jump up out of a puddle. BTW, she's 3 1/2 and was spayed at 18 months of age after one heat cycle, in case anyone wonders.

Naturally, we were out of town when we first saw it so I had to wait a few days to get to our vet. It didn't happen every day all weekend, it happened Friday several times. Saturday, Sunday and Monday seemed normal. Tuesday we drove back home, 6 hours in the car which she has managed without problems before not to mention being at home for 7-8 hours if I'm working. If she leaked in the car, it wasn't obvious. When we got home, she went out in the yard and pee'd normally, came inside and within the next hour or less, had at least 5 episodes of leaking. I'd let her outside each time and she may or may not pee again, but just one pee outside, no urgency or straining. After maybe 3 hours of leaking/going outside/leaking/going outside it all stopped and she went through the night without any incontinence.

We saw the vet this morning and took a first morning urine sample. There was nothing obvious from the sample but he's sending it out for culture. No fever, not spilling glucose or protein, specific gravity on the high side, not drinking excessively (which is verified by the high SG). The vet gave me Proin and said give it for a few days and being the know-it-all pill that I can be (just ask my husband ) I have not given any and hope not to. There's no incontinence today and none since about dinner time last night. This vet is an older guy and very, very experienced but probably pretty old school in his approach as well. If it were me and I was having a painful UTI, I'm sure I'd want something to make it feel better while waiting to find out the culture results, but I don't get the impression that Proin does anything for the burning or pain that might accompany a UTI.

So, I'm just wondering if there's anything else I'm not thinking of. I tried a search and see that janedoe and someone else have had dogs with some incontinence that wasn't old age associated and, of course, I can't find that thread again now that I've been to the vet. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. Lark would like to be allowed back into the carpeted areas of the house, too.

[Meeps83]

Cran caps maybe?

[SunDance]

My Akitas both had it (young) but it was protein related. My female was the first to have incontinence and the vet automatically put her on (Prion?)....to be used only as needed. At least it wasn't an every day type of thing (perhaps that's still the directions given?). It wasn't until Kaze (male) started leaking that their urine was checked for protein.

Good luck...maybe you can find something homeopathic/holistic that'll do the trick if the tests come back without additional cause.

[smartrock]

My female was the first to have incontinence and the vet automatically put her on (Prion?)....to be used only as needed. At least it wasn't an every day type of thing (perhaps that's still the directions given?).

Thanks. Yes, he said to start the Proin twice a day, then if that controls it back off to one per day, and it can be backed off even more- some dogs get it a couple of times a week, some once a week, and like that. Then, if things have improved I can stop it altogether and just hold on to the remaining pills. If it starts up again, I'd have some on hand to use. Since that dosing sounds a bit haphazard anyway, I figure it won't hurt to find out the results of the culture and see if it keeps happening before committing to giving it.

My husband hates when I do this. "If you're not going to do what the vet says to do, why did you take her?"

[POPTOP]

My first thought was minute crystals in the urine causing the irritation and then loss of urine. The sample you took in should show that.

Sending mojo.

[labsnewfy]

They gave me Proin for Tootsie when she started having accidents, I never like giving meds unless I know why something is happening would rather treat the cause then just the issue. I did take in urine samples but they kept saying they didnt' see anything even though her urine was strong. I also didn't like the side effects of proin so I started Tootsie on crancaps - after 4-5 days I noticed a difference and she stopped leaking.

I hope the sample comes back as an easy fix for your girl.

[smartrock]

Thanks, I was thinking of trying crancaps before using the Proin. Any particular brand/strength of crancaps? I'm not sure how much to give.

[windycanyon]

Thanks. Yes, he said to start the Proin twice a day, then if that controls it back off to one per day, and it can be backed off even more- some dogs get it a couple of times a week, some once a week, and like that. Then, if things have improved I can stop it altogether and just hold on to the remaining pills. If it starts up again, I'd have some on hand to use. Since that dosing sounds a bit haphazard anyway, I figure it won't hurt to find out the results of the culture and see if it keeps happening before committing to giving it.

My husband hates when I do this. "If you're not going to do what the vet says to do, why did you take her?"

So my first thought / reaction here would have been 1) to check urine pH; 2) to check urine specific gravity (yes, I can..) and if pH was high and SG was low, that points DEFINITELY to the vet.

That said, if pH is high and SG is low, I'd probably have immediately started on cranberry and amoxy here (can already hear the screaming out there so just save it!) just to relieve the kiddo...

But yes, I think the culture will come back sooner than you'd have any effective tmt there. I'd definitely give the Proin if you already have it. Really, what is the harm in that??? It sounds like a reasonable first step to me.

[smartrock]

So my first thought / reaction here would have been 1) to check urine pH; 2) to check urine specific gravity (yes, I can..) and if pH was high and SG was low, that points DEFINITELY to the vet.

That said, if pH is high and SG is low, I'd probably have immediately started on cranberry and amoxy here (can already hear the screaming out there so just save it!) just to relieve the kiddo...

But yes, I think the culture will come back sooner than you'd have any effective tmt there. I'd definitely give the Proin if you already have it. Really, what is the harm in that??? It sounds like a reasonable first step to me.

Thanks. I've ordered some pH strips so I can check that myself. Her urine was very concentrated but it was a first morning sample and she hadn't had water overnight.

I haven't heard the results of the culture yet and there's been no leakage in the last 2 days. Of course, she's been going outside pretty frequently during the day and there's been no leakage overnight since it started. I haven't given Proin to a dog before. I know there can be some undesirable side effects, so I was just waiting to get the culture results before I commit her to the Proin. This just came on so acutely, I'm wondering what could have precipitated it. At 3 1/2, she hasn't had accidents or leaking like this since she was house trained. I know you have much more dog experience, especially female dog experience, than I so it's good to hear that using Proin might not be that big a deal. I should get the culture results today.

[labsnewfy]

I just bought over the counter Cranberry pills 500mg and gave Tootsie one a day, just put it in her food and she ate it like that.