Overactive Bladder Treatment for Dogs

To use the right overactive bladder treatment option on your pet you need to first identify the cause. Dogs suffering from this condition urinate frequently and can't hold urine in the bladder for long periods of time. They may also urinate in unusual places. If your pet show signs of excessive thirst and frequent urination, you need to conduct a vet check at the earliest.

Causes of Overactive Bladder in Dogs

There are many reasons why a dog may start urinating frequently. Pets suffering from diabetes show signs of excessive thirst and hunger along with frequent urination. Other dogs may be suffering from severe urinary tract infections that have spread to the bladder. Uroliths or bladder stones also give rise to symptoms of overactive bladder in canines. Some pets may suffer from an enlarged prostate gland that exerts pressure on the bladder and in turn causes an overactive bladder.

Once the vet confirms diagnosis by performing tests like urine analysis, blood tests and X-rays, the right treatment procedure will be initiated.

Treatment of Overactive Bladder

Urinary tract infections are treated with antibiotic medications. If the pet is suffering from internal inflammation, corticosteroid drugs will be administered as a course. Since these are only effective as short term solutions, you will have to work with the vet to establish a proper treatment plan to control chronic urinary tract infections in your dog. The symptoms of overactive bladder will subside once the infection is cured.

If the dog is suffering from bladder stones, the vet will ask you to feed your pet a specific prescription diet that helps dissolve certain stones. The pet may also require external acidifiers so that the urine attains the right pH balance. Along with dietary modification the vet will prescribe oral medicines to break up the stones. Uroliths that can't be dissolved have to be removed surgically.

Other Treatment Options

If the dog is suffering from an enlarged prostate gland, the vet will have to perform a biopsy to determine if the cells are malignant. If malignancy is present, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be administered.

If the cause of frequent urination is associated with diabetes, the vet will have to use insulin therapy to lower the pet's blood glucose levels. In some cases, diabetes can be brought under control with oral medications. If the diabetes is severe, the pet may require insulin shots for life.

Natural Remedies

Since conventional medicines contain harsh active ingredients that are known to cause side effects, pet owners are now looking for natural remedies that promote bladder health. Although you don't require a prescription to administer natural remedies to your dog, make sure you discuss the benefits of administering these with the vet before purchasing them.

Commercially Available Natural Remedies Include:

  • Only Natural Pet Canine Bladder Control
  • Only Natural Pet Cranberry Wellness
  • VS Bladder Strength for Dogs
  • Simple Medicinals Bladder Control for Pets
  • Newton Homoeopathics Bladder Kidney

It's important to follow up with vet checks to determine the success of the treatment option used. Give your pet access to plenty of fresh water so that his urine doesn't become concentrated.

 

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