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| Medical Information for Pet Owners |
| As a service to our clients and visitors to our site, every few weeks we will post medical information that we feel would be useful and interesting to pet owners. Over a period of time you will be able to search our archives for pertinent medical information. However, we must state that we assume no liability for information obtained from this section as there is no substitute for having your pet examined by a veterinarian. For additional medical information on-line, you may want to visit the Pet Health links listed in the Internet Resources section of our site. |
| To view previous medical topics, select an item in our list and click "View":
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| House Soiling & Elimination Problems in Dogs |
- Why is my dog soiling the house?
- There are numerous reasons that a dog might soil the house with urine and/or stool. Determining the specific reason is essential for developing a treatment plan. Dogs that soil the home continuously or intermittently from the time they were first obtained may not have been properly house-trained.
Dogs that have been previously house-trained may begin to soil the home for medical or behavioral reasons. We usually try to rule out any medical problems by examination and diagnostic testing first and then address the behavioral issues.
How can the cause of house soiling be determined?
- A physical examination and medical history are the first step in determining the cause. For most cases a fecal test, urinalysis and general blood profile will also be required. Additional tests such as radiographs and ultrasound may also be needed. If testing does not indicate the cause of the soiling, it will then be necessary to determine if your dog was ever completely house trained , whether there were changes in the pet's household or schedule at the time the problem started, whether the dog is marking on vertical surfaces, whether the pet is exhibiting anxiety when the owners leave or when the dog is confined, and whether there is any evidence or submissive or excitement urination.
What medical problems can cause house soiling?
- There are numerous medical problems that can cause house soiling, and these become increasingly more common as a dog ages. Medical problems that cause an increase in the frequency of urination such as bladder infections, bladder stones, and bladder tumors may lead to house soiling. Diseases such as diabetes, Cushing's disease, kidney disease, and liver disease that cause an increase in urine volume can contribute to a house-soiling problem. Female dogs that have been spayed may leak urine in their sleep due to a lack of hormones. Certain drugs such as steroids may cause a dog to drink more water and therefore cause an increase in urine volume. Colitis and intestinal parasites can cause a dog to start soiling the house with feces. Arthritis and muscular weakness can lead to fecal and urine soiling because they prevent the dog from getting up and going outside. A relatively new disease called Canine Cognitive Disease can also lead to fecal and urine house soiling. This disease affects the function of the brain and leads to confusion and abnormal behaviors.
Most of these problems can be significantly improved once they are identified using physical exams and laboratory testing. Treatment may involve medication and/or surgery depending on the exact cause of the disease.
What is "Marking" and how can it be corrected?
- Marking is urination on upright or vertical surfaces. It most often occurs in areas where other dogs have urinated or defecated. The volume of urine is usually small. The problem is most common in intact males but may occur in neutered males or spayed females. Dogs may mark territory for a number of reasons, including hormonal influences, moving to a new home, getting new furniture, getting additional pets, or as a response to stress or anxiety.
Neutering will eliminate 50% of male marking behavior and spaying will help stop marking in female dogs that exhibit this behavior during estrus (heat period). Confining the dog so that it cannot see other dogs through the windows may be helpful. If a stray dog has been urinating around the doors or windows of the house these areas must be thoroughly cleaned. The owner should reward urination in the proper outside areas by giving a treat. The dog should not be allowed unsupervised access to the areas where marking has previously occurred.
Why does my dog urinate when he meets new people or is excited?
- Excitement urination and submissive urination are two very similar causes of inappropriate urination behavior. Submissive urination occurs most often in puppies and young female dogs. The dog urinates when someone approaches it, reaches out to pet it or attempts to punish it. It may show other signs of submission such as avoidance or eye contact and cowering. Verbal or physical punishment will only make this problem worse. To treat this problem the owner must interact with the pet in a non-threatening and less dominant manner. Let the pet approach you and kneel down rather than standing over the dog. Pet the chest of the dog rather than the head. Avoid eye contact with the pet. Counter conditioning can be very helpful. The dog can be taught a behavior such as sitting for a treat when it meets a new person. If the pet anticipates getting a treat, it is less likely to urinate. Excitement urination is very similar but the stimulus that causes urination is excitement, particularly greeting the pet and giving affection. Treatment involves avoiding stimuli that cause the behavior. During greeting the owner should avoid eye contact and in some cases completely ignore the pet until it calms down. Counter conditioning can also be an effective form of treatment. Care should be taken to avoid rewarding or reinforcing inappropriate behavior. In some cases it may be necessary to use drug therapy along with behavior modification to successfully treat the problem. Some pets my have both submissive and excitement urination.
Can separation anxiety cause house soiling?
- Some dogs may experience high levels of anxiety when left alone or when prevented from being near the owner. When this occurs the dog may have inappropriate urination and/or defecation as well as many forms of destructive behavior. Extensive behavior modification therapy and drug therapy may be required to correct this problem. It is very important to understand that punishing the dog for bad behavior that occurred while left alone will only serve to increase the dog's anxiety level and will make the problem worse.
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