Excessive Drinking & Peeing Mystery
Our Wonton, age unknown as he was a foster failure 2 years ago, has always drank a lot of water and wears a belly band when we are at work. Until April, sometimes it was wet when we got home and sometimes it wasn't. He's was mostly good about going outside with the weird exception when occasionally he would pee while walking around, totally oblivious to peeing. This happened maybe 1x per month. At the beginning of April, Wonton had emergency surgery for bloat. Since that time, its been non-stop incontinence. He still pees outside, a LOT, when we take him out, but he will come right back inside and pee A LOT inside, just strolling around the house unaware that he's doing it. We had him to the vet who diagnosed him with Addisons - and the treatment hasn't changed anything (other than giving him a bit more energy). Now they've put him on Prion for incontinence, and that hasn't helped at all. They've tested his blood and tested his urine for Diabetes Insipidus, and his levels are all fine. He's now going through multiple belly bands lined with extra absorbent male incontinence pads per day and even the band gets soaked and ends up making the carpets and floors wet, never mind what HE smells like sitting in soaked urine all the time. We love our boy and want him to be healthy - but living in a urine soaked home is getting us a little crazy. My concern is also that the Prion is treating the incontinence, but truthfully, I would be incontinent too if I drank as much water as he does. We've also considered limiting water intake, but with a second dog in the house, that's not the greatest plan. Any suggestions? #iliveinapeehouse  |
|
|
| Have you had him tested for Cushing's? It's the opposite of Addisons. Cushing's will make a dog drink and pee a LOT. The tests they've run so far would not detect Cushing's. |
| Yes, they did the cortisol test for Cushings with nothing that showed he had it. |
| Is there a guess range at age? |
| The treatment of Addison's is steroids which can cause drinking. I'm sure wonton has been checked for liver issues.... So the only thing left is psychological drinking? We had a rescue dog who had a history of restricted water because of peeing we assume. He was crazy for water until he realized he had unlimited access. Sounds like you're already trying that. How long has this been going on? About 5, 6 weeks? |
| The treatment of Addison's is steroids which can cause drinking. - Yes, the first day or so on the steroid, the peeing and drinking increased (if you can believe that) and the pee was much more pungent, less dilute. They reduced his dosage to a very low one and that went back to our version of normal excessive peeing and drinking. I'm sure wonton has been checked for liver issues.... So the only thing left is psychological drinking? I was wondering about psychological drinking as well. He is a more nervous dog and we don't know his background, so I don't know - though the super excessive drinking and incontinence did not get to this level until after his bloat surgery in April. Before that he drank more than our other dog but most of the time he could wait till he got outside. What gets me is he has no idea he is peeing when he's doing it - just strolls around the room peeing with no sense of knowing that he's doing it and never lifts his leg to pee, like he does outside. We had a rescue dog who had a history of restricted water because of peeing we assume. He was crazy for water until he realized he had unlimited access. Sounds like you're already trying that. How long has this been going on? About 5, 6 weeks? This has been going on since the beginning of April. |
| Maybe you should concentrate on reducing water intake. I can guess at how I would try to do it, but an internet search or talking with your veterinarian would be a best bet. |
| I work at a school and was just talking to my behaviorist about it. She suggests linking water availability to a regular routine in order to relieve the anxiety that a water bowl on the floor all the time may be giving him. She said to put the water bowl down at set times throughout the day - when waking up, after a walk, at cookie time, at dinner time, etc. Condition and shape him to understand that water will always be available at these times. The bowl should be picked up after he finishes each time. According to her, he will soon understand that water is a guarantee at specific times throughout the day and this may help his anxiety. Your thoughts? |
Is he worried about the water bowl? Guess can see the sense in having times for water- may not think he has to drink it dry all the time. Hope it gets sorted out ok. xx  |
| Hi, By chance-when your vet pulled the blood panel, did they check the thyroid? |
| I would get a second opinion. In Canada you can get a geriatric panel, it screens for everything. Maybe see if you can get one done. Limiting water with meds suck, maybe you have a friend to day sit, so he can go out like a puppy would? The panel would screen for diabetes, kidney and liver function. I had it done for a dog renal failure. I am sure both of you are unhappy, I hope you both can get through this and find a way to make you both comfortable! For the water bowl, is it metal or plastic? Harry will drown himself with a steel bowl, but drinks normally with a reg plastic dog dish. It could be a mind thing, but I would rule out medical , and maybe switch bowls before you limit too much. Best wishes! |
BeckyN wrote: Harry will drown himself with a steel bowl, but drinks normally with a reg plastic dog dish. That is amazing. |
| It is a pain Ron, lol, he also cannot drink water before his breakie or he vurps it all over the floor. I had a our that did that. But back to the issue at hand lol. Any updates? |
| I'm not going to address the medical issues, but I had a bitch in diapers for several years. Are you using heavy enough pads? You might have to go with human pads. Anatomy between bitch and dog is different, I understand. You might want to add plastic pants with a hole for poop. Each time the pad comes off, the water works are cleaned. Check for diaper rash. Keep the area well trimmed/shaved which for the boys means inside of legs as well. |
| Try using the super overnight women’s Depend or equivalent pads. They worked best with our big male. Still required changing multiple times a day but kept things dry. Best to have a good assortment of belly bands too. Good way to keep everything fresh. Sorry this doesn’t address the medical mystery. Maybe look for a specialist who can help pinpoint the problem. |
| Hi, are you having joy with finding out what the problem could be? Guess tests cost fair bit and seems you have had some if not all done. Any sign of a solution? xx |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|