Urinary incontinence is defined as the involuntary passage of urine, often recognised as urine leakage when lying down, and can be as much as a problem for you as an owner as it is for your dog. It is relatively common especially in neutered bitches, although there are cases of entire bitches and male dogs being affected. Urinary incontinence is most commonly an acquired condition developing at a later age, but occasionally it can present as a congenital disorder due to abnormal anatomical structures within the urinary tract. 

Medical treatment consists of firstly ruling out a urinary tract infection if present. Your vet can determine this from a urine sample which is often sent off for culture and sensitivity testing at an external laboratory to confirm eradication. Further investigations can confirm whether there is a systemic condition such as diabetes or Cushing disease present which may exacerbate or precipitate incontinence, particularly if your pet is drinking and urinating more than usual.

On veterinary recommendation its might be suggested to put your pet on a weight loss diet if they are obese to help reduce urine leakage. If above issues are addressed then your veterinarian may prescribe medication to increase urethral tone.

Commonly used veterinary authorised drugs are listed in the table below: 

If your dog has a structural abnormality present such as ectopic ureters surgical correction is most commonly indicated to correct the position to avoid urine leakage by allow urine to drain into the bladder rather than at the entrance to the bladder (bladder neck) and urethra. If your dog is affected by bladder stones then further imaging may be indicated, most commonly x-rays or contrast radiographs to outline radiolucent stones in the urinary tract.

Once confirmed surgical intervention may be required to remove the stones or alternatively a dissolution diet may be indicated to dissolve the stones depending on the type present. Alternatively if radiographs confirm that the bladder neck is located within the pelvis (termed intrapelvic bladder neck) then this may need to be relocated surgically to anchor it in the normal abdominal position.