URINARY ISSUES

 

What Happens?

  • Urinary issues can be caused by infection, bladder stones/crystals, bladder inflammation, cancer, and even underlying issues like kidney disease, diabetes and others.  
  • Although most pet owners believe their pets have a urinary tract infection when they start showing these signs, the condition is actually pretty rare - especially in males.

 

What Does It Look Like?

  • Urinary issues can include any of the following symptoms:
    • Increased frequency
    • Inappropriate urination
    • Straining to urinate
    • Blood in the urine

 

What Do You Do?

  • The first thing to do is to make sure that your pet is able to urinate.  If the urinary system becomes completely blocked (usually a bladder stone and usually in males), the backup of urine can cause kidney failure and the condition is considered an immediate emergency.
  • Increasing water consumption can help with urinary tract infections and inflammation of the bladder.
  • The only way to truly know what is causing a urinary issue is to have a veterinarian collect a urine sample and have it analyzed.