Incontinence in Dogs after Bladder Surgery

Incontinence in dogs arises due to several factors. Pet owners often mistake canine incontinence for a behavioral problem. However when the incontinence occurs soon after bladder surgery, it is a strong indicator of the recurrence of bladder infection.

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary act of urination. If you find that your pet is urinating in unusual places or shows signs of discomfort while passing urine, you need to seek medical help, preferably from the doctor that operated on your pet.

Bladder Surgery

Pet’s suffering from bladder infections usually show signs of incontinence before surgery. Some pets have bloody urine while others also experience lack of appetite accompanied by vomiting. These symptoms are fairly common in pets that suffer from bladder stones or urolithiasis.

In severe cases of urolithiasis, the dog will show signs of inflammation of the bladder, urinary crystals and urethral blockage.

Urethral blockage occurs when the urinary crystals accumulate and form uroliths which in turn block the urinary passage. This is an emergency situation that’s warrants immediate medical help and bladder surgery. Since the bladder accumulates waste matter due to the blockage, the dog will eventually suffer from electrolyte imbalance and succumb to the infection.

Treatment of Urolithiasis

If the dog did not have to undergo bladder surgery to treat the urinary blockage, the vet would have prescribed a course of antibiotic medication that would treat the symptoms of inflammation. The dog would have also been administered a special diet that would dissolve the stones. However, if bladder surgery is necessary, the vet will have to flush the waste out of the pet’s bladder with the help of a catheter.

The pet will require hospitalization and anesthesia for this procedure. Although emergency surgical intervention can help save the dog’s life, it isn’t a permanent cure. Most pets will show signs of incontinence even after surgery. It’s important to find out the real cause of urolithiasis or urinary infections and treat the cause rather than the symptoms.

Finding the Cause of the Bladder Infection

There are several reasons why canines develop bladder infections. Prostate gland enlargement, incorrect diet and bacterial infections are the main causes of bladder infections. To find out the real cause of the infection, the vet will have to perform a few diagnostic tests. Once the real cause is determined, the vet will put in a place, a treatment plan to prevent recurrence of the infection and incontinence.  

Diagnostic Tests Include:

  • Urine analysis
  • Urine culture test
  • Biopsy of tissues in the urinary tract
  • Ultrasound
  • Analysis of bladder stones

If the dog shows signs of incontinence after surgery, it’s best to conduct a vet check. Diets like the Hill’s Prescription Diet Canine u/d are ideal for pets suffering from bladder infections. Any new diet that’s prescribed has to be gradually introduced to the dog, to avoid gastrointestinal intolerance. In addition, if your pet has recently undergone surgery, make sure you administer all medication on time and restrict the pet’s activity to speed up recovery.   

 

Comments