Bladder support is helpful to support normal bladder function in dogs. Canines suffer from loss of bladder control or urinary incontinence due to various reasons, and incontinence in particular can cause them a lot of stress and anxiety. The latter can be relieved by using bladder support treatment.
Causes of Bladder Control Problems:
- Spaying
- Age
- Liver disease
- Urinary tract infections
- Kidney disease
- Bladder stones
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Obesity
Types of Bladder Support
If your house trained pet has bladder control problems, it's advisable to seek medical care and treat the underlying cause of the incontinence. Once the underlying cause is treated, you can use one of several types of bladder supports to ensure an overall improvement of the urinary system with increased bladder control and reduced incontinence. Pumpkin seed powder helps to improve prostrate and bladder health by strengthening bladder muscles to ensure complete emptying of the bladder. Apart from this, soy protein provides phytoestrogens and hence raises estrogen levels that are lowered due to aging or spaying in female dogs. Estrogen helps maintain bladder muscle tone, the loss of which can lead to bladder control problems. Wild yam also provides phytoestrogens. You could also consider adding Vitamin B6 to your pet's diet, as it reduces fluid retention.
Other Options that Provide Bladder Support
Corn silk provides mucilage that protects the urinary tract, while Rehmannia glutinosa is a diuretic that increases testosterone levels in male dogs and estradiol levels in female dogs, thereby improving bladder control. Olive leaf extract helps to prevent infection by strengthening the immune system and destroying viruses and bacteria present in the urinary tract. There are several medications available with some or all of these ingredients that help reduce incontinence and increase bladder strength. Apart from these naturally available herbal substances, there are several homeopathic ingredients available that also provide bladder support. Cantharsis is a homeopathic remedy that cures cystitis and burning during urination and improves bladder control, while Causticum treats weak bladder muscles and nerves and cures incontinence. Other homeopathic remedies that improve bladder control and decrease dribbling and incontinence are Equisetum arvense and Ferrum phos. These are available in pure or combined forms. They have no side-effects and are free of preservatives, colorants and flavors.
Do's and Don'ts
You should never punish your pet if he is incontinent. If training is the cause of the problem, you must reinforce training until the problem is resolved. For disease-related incontinence, treatment is the best solution and the help of a vet should be sought. If stress, anxiety or excitement is the cause, then the problem should not be highlighted, as it can worsen. It's best to ignore the problem and remove the stress or anxiety causing factor to calm down your pet. If the pet is getting older, it's best to take him out more frequently so that he can relieve himself often. It's important to not embarrass your pet, as dogs can become confused by their lack of bladder control.
You should strengthen your pet's immune system by providing him with a nutritious diet, plenty of exercise, fresh air and care to ensure that bladder control is never an issue.