Young dogs and puppies, unlike young babies, are a chore to take care of, from their potty training to eating habits, sleep schedule, and much more. New dog owners are worried about every little detail related to their pets. One of the most prominent worries that new dog owners have is the frequency by which young puppies go to urinate. Let us see more about why Is my dog peeing so much.
How Often Do Puppies Pee?
How often should a Puppy Pee? Puppy urination is not an exact science. Urination in puppies can differ widely during their early life cycle and from breed to breed. But there are a few broad principles one can see to know how often do puppies pee:
#1 Newborn Puppies
Newborn puppies cannot urinate and need their mother’s help. The mother of the young puppies stimulates her cub to urinate and excrete by licking their backside. Newborn puppies need to urinate roughly every 2 hours or so.
#2 Young Puppies
A puppy usually finds a new home when they are 2 or 3 months old. Puppies this young can go up to 3 hours without peeing. Generally, puppies under 4 months cannot control their bladder. It does not mean that they can be potty trained properly. Potty training can start around 8 to 10 weeks after birth. Some pet owners even use dog pee pads to reduce the number of ‘accidents’ in their pets’ early months.
Fortunately for new dog owners, a puppy can retain fluids in its bladder for a little longer when sleeping. That said, puppies under the age of 4 must take at least 1 toilet trip during the night. When sleeping, young puppies can retain fluids for up to 5 hours. So, the washroom trip should be 4-5 hours after sleep.
#3 Puppies Older than 4 months
Their fluid retention increases as a puppy gets older. A 4-month-old puppy is generally potty trained and can retain its fluids for 4-6 hours. This capacity doesn’t change much as the puppy ages anymore. As a dog reaches adulthood, it typically needs to urinate between 6-8 hours at a minimum.
#4 Senior Dogs
As a dog reaches its mature years, it loses its fluid retention capability and can manage 4-6 hours between washroom visits.
Why Is My Dog Peeing So Much?
It is because of medical condition known as Polyuria. Polyuria can be the reason why peeing often occurs in dogs. Moreover, this condition has a few reasons depending upon the cause of the illness:
#1 Urinary Tract Infection
This is one of the most common causes of increased urination in dogs. The urinary tract infection in dogs can manifest the symptom where one might notice dog peeing blood but acting normal. Infections like these are usually not hard to treat and can be resolved by antibiotics. Or you can go with blood in dog urine home remedies.
#2 Diabetes
Before being diagnosed, frequent urination can be one of the diabetes in dogs symptoms. It happens because they are unable to concentrate their urine. In such cases, veterinarians usually prescribe insulin for the dog. Besides, to help with your pet’s diabetes, you must give it the most nutritious dry dog food.
#3 Hormonal Imbalance
Why is my female dog peeing so much after spaying? You can blame it on the hormonal imbalance. Hormonal imbalance can cause difficulty in fluid retention for dogs. So, after spaying, female dogs sometimes cannot hold their fluids due to decreased estrogen. Due to decreased testosterone, a similar but rarely occurring situation happens in geld male dogs.
#4 Blockages in the Bladder
A dog’s bladder is sometimes blocked. It might happen due to a tumour, kidney stones, or something else. The dog urinates in small amounts in these cases but often does so. It happens because only a small amount of fluid can pass the blockage simultaneously. So, take them to the vet for dog frequent urination small amounts treatment.
Symptoms of Polyuria In Dogs
Polyuria itself is not an illness. Instead, it is generally a symptom of some other medical condition in dogs. That said, dogs suffering from Polyuria show some general symptoms:
#1 Increased Thirst (Polydipsia)
Generally, dogs suffering from Polyuria also suffer from polydipsia. Now, polydipsia in dogs is an increased level of thirst in dogs. It leads to them drinking much more water than usual.
#2 Increased Urination
The most common symptom of a dog suffering from Polyuria is increased urination. If a dog is suffering from Polyuria, it is common to see them peeing in places they don’t normally urinate. It is also very common for them to pee in unusually large amounts if they have Polyuria.
#3 Behavioral Changes
Rare, but sometimes there is a change in the dog’s behaviour when they suffer from Polyuria. They start drinking from the toilet, in puddles, or urinating at unusual hours, like midnight. Although rare, if the dog shows behavioral changes, they recommend it to contact the veterinarian for a proper diagnosis.
There are usually no behavioral changes where dogs show symptoms of Polyuria, but this depends on the underlying medical condition.
Causes of Polyuria in Dogs
Polyuria is a symptom of many medical conditions. As a non-specific symptom, they can apply it in several illnesses ranging from mild sickness to serious diseases. Causes of Polyuria include:
#1 Congenital Diseases
Dogs with illnesses like diabetes, psychological disorders, and reduction in steroid production show signs of Polyuria. Increased thyroid levels, steroid production, and hormonal disorders also lead to Polyuria.
#2 Other Diseases
Polyuria is also seen in dogs with kidney diseases. Liver disease or liver failure also shows Polyuria as a symptom. Infection of the uterus, cancer, and bladder infection also leads to Polyuria.
#3 Dietary Issues
If a dog is not getting enough protein, it can lead to increased urination. Medication might also have a similar effect if prescribed to reduce excess fluids. So, ensure to provide your canine with dog vitamins and supplements.
#4 Age of Dog
The lower the dog’s age, the more active they are. This activeness sometimes leads to sudden increases in thirst and urination. It is not uncommon, but it is only in the short term, so there is no need to worry about the dog owner’s side.
#5 Other Factors
Other factors like pregnancy and bladder stones also cause Polyuria in dogs. In rare cases, dogs use their urine to mark their territory when a new animal appears.
Treatment for Polyuria in Dogs
The treatment for Polyuria differs from patient to patient. But veterinarians do follow a few guidelines and steps:
#1 Medication for Kidney failure
The primary concern in case of Polyuria is renal/hepatic failure. Renal failure is what causes increased water consumption and thus, the dog peeing a lot. It is one of the more serious medical conditions associated with Polyuria. If it ruled these concerns out, there will be no need for special treatment or behaviour change. They found if the dog to have kidney failure, then veterinarians use medication to treat the disease.
#2 Water Limitation
In non-serious cases, veterinarians recommend water limitations for dogs. The veterinarian would usually caution the pet owner to observe the dog’s drinking habits in such cases. The pet owner should monitor the dog’s water intake to ensure that it stays adequately hydrated. If hydration levels are not properly maintained, it can lead to dehydration and serious medical complications.
#3 Antibiotics for Infection
Infection is also a major cause of Polyuria in dogs. In cases of infections in their urinary tracts, doctors generally prescribe antibiotic for dog UTI. Amoxicillin in dogs is used to treat a broad spectrum of dog bacterial infections.
#4 Chemotherapy for Cancer
In some cases, the cause of Polyuria might be cancer. For this type of illness, chemotherapy is used to treat the dog.
Conclusion
For young puppies, urination is very high, and the owners should not be worried. Instead, they should take this time to train and get familiar with their young pets properly. As the age of a puppy increases and they become adults, the frequency of urination will decrease. If an adult dog has a sudden increase in urination, it might be an infection or a disease. It is best to get it checked by a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis. Old dogs start losing their fluid retention capacity and need to urinate more frequently. It is nothing to be worried about, but as dogs get older, it is best to take them for regular check-ups.