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Not Peeing in Dogs
Written By hannah hollinger
Published: 05/03/2017Updated: 09/17/2021
Veterinary reviewed by Dr. Linda Simon, MVB MRCVS
What is Not Peeing?
You take your dog for a walk and you notice that he is straining to urinate. Usually, he pees on every tree or branch, and now he can barely pass a small trickle. It is a very concerning situation. There may be several reasons that your dog is not able to urinate:
- Urinary stones
- Urinary tract infection
- Tumor on urinary tract or bladder
- Trauma
- Prostate Hyperplasia
- Neurological Disease
The inability to urinate is a very serious condition. If the dog is unable to empty his bladder, the bladder may burst.
Why Not Peeing Occurs in Dogs
Urinary problems occur more frequently in male dogs. If your dog is not urinating, there may be a serious underlying condition:
Urinary Stones
Urinary stones may be found in the kidneys, ureters (the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), urethra (the tube from the bladder to where the urine exits the body), and the bladder (the organ that holds urine). In canines, stones are usually found in the bladder. Bladder stones can get as big as 3 to 4 inches. Bladder stones are made up of different mineral compositions. Urate stones are more common in Bulldogs, Black Russian Terriers and Dalmatians. Struvite bladder stones are most commonly found in Miniature Schnauzers, Bichon Frise, Cocker Spaniels, and Miniature Poodles.
Urinary Tract Infection
Canine urinary tract infections in dogs are more common in older females and diabetic dogs. The infection causes spasms in the urethra, which then narrows the opening where urine exits the body. Urinary tract infections that are left untreated can progress into the kidneys, which can cause kidney failure and/or sepsis.
Tumor on the Urinary Tract or Bladder
A tumor is the abnormal growth of tissue creating a mass. Tumors can be benign or malignant (cancerous). A tumor on the urinary tract or bladder can cause an obstruction, which causes the inability to urinate.
Trauma
Trauma caused by vehicular contact or a fall can cause uroabdomen. The damage may cause the urine to leak into the abdomen. A canine may be unable to urinate because of the trauma to his abdominal area.
Prostate Hyperplasia
Older uncastrated males are prone to this condition. Symptoms can include blood in the urine, difficulty passing faces and difficulty passing urine.
Neurological Disease
Certain neurological diseases can mean it is hard (if not impossible) to pass urine. Passing urine requires both the relaxation and contraction of muscles.
What to do if your Dog is Not Peeing
If your dog is not peeing, he must be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. An examination may lead the vet to recommend a few diagnostic tests to help find the cause, such as a complete blood count, urinalysis, urine culture, abdominal ultrasound, abdominal x-rays and a CT scan. If he palpates the bladder and it is full, the veterinarian may use a urinary catheter to remove the urine and temporarily relieve the patient.
The treatment of urinary stones will depend on the type of stone it is. Struvite and calcium oxalate uroliths are the most common stones found in dogs. The veterinarian may recommend a low-protein diet to help speed the dissolution of struvite stones. Antibiotics may also be prescribed in the treatment of bladder stones. Some bladder stones will need surgical removal.
Canine bladder infections may be treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications. Tumors may need to be surgically removed. Dogs with malignant tumors may also need radiation and/or chemotherapy.
Dogs that have experienced trauma to the abdomen may require surgery to correct the damage. Owners of dogs that undergo surgery will be given postoperative instructions by the veterinary surgical team. The patient will need to restrict activity and the incision should be kept dry. He will have to wear an E-collar until his sutures are removed.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) usually repsonds well to surgical castration. There is also a medical treatment option available.
Prevention of Not Peeing
Some bladder stones can be prevented by increased water consumption, special diet and by monitoring the pH level in your pet’s urine. There are at home canine pH testing strips available for purchase. Diets lower in protein, phosphorus and magnesium may help prevent bladder stones. Additionally, studies have shown that the long-term use of diuretics and antacids can elevate the pH, phosphorus and ammonia in the urine, which can then cause bladder stones.
Urinary bladder infections may be prevented by encouraging regular bathroom breaks. It is not healthy to make your dog wait to void. It can also be helpful to keep your dog well-groomed and cleaned around the dog’s genital area to avoid bacterial infections. It is important to provide clean filtered drinking water for your dog. Other urinary bladder infection preventatives are cranberry capsules, vitamin C and probiotics.
Dogs should be monitored when outside. It is imperative to check your yard to ensure that your pet is safe from harm if let outdoors unattended.
Neutering a male dog can prevent prostate overgrowth and subsequent urination trouble.
Some causes of urinary problems in dogs can be expensive to treat. To avoid high vet care expenses, secure pet health insurance today. The sooner you insure your pet, the more protection you’ll have from unexpected vet costs.
Cost of Not Peeing
The treatment costs for a dog who is not peeing can be as high as $350 for tests and medication for a urinary tract infection. If surgery for bladder stones or an injured abdomen is required, the cost may go as high as $7500.
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Not Peeing Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Labrador Retriever
Three Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Urinating In House
she has peed multiple times in the apartment and once outside. she has not peed at all in almost 16 hours, even though we’ve been on a few walks during that time period
July 22, 2020
Answered by Jessica N. DVM
0 Recommendations
Hello-
Thank you for your question. It would be a good idea to set up an appointment with your veterinarian to have a urine sample checked if she is not urinating regularly. Puppies do tend to have accidents in the house but if she was well house trained and is now having accidents it may indicate a UTI. If she is straining to urinate and not producing any urine that would be an indication of needing to see an emergency veterinarian to make sure she is able to urinate. I hope she feels better soon.
July 22, 2020
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Papillion
Ten Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Will Not Urinate Or Poop
My dog has just returned from vet to check his anal glands. He had been scratching and biting at his perineum. The vet said that his glands were fine, but he has a hot spot on his around his perineum. He will not stand, only sits or lays. When we take him outside he continues to sit or lay and will not pee or poop. He whines when he does try to walk and immediately turns to gnaw at his butt. He has not peed for 24+ hours that I am aware of. He still has appetite, but will not love to the food and water for the pain. We have to bring it to him and then he will eat and drink.
July 13, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
I'm sorry that your dog is having problems.
It sounds like he is having more than a normal reaction to having a little rash. It might be best to have a recheck with your veterinarian, and let them know that he is not urinating or defecating, and his appetite is down. He may need other treatment. I hope that he is okay.
July 13, 2020
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Corgi
Chapo
7 Years
2 found this helpful
2 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Blood In Urine
Lethargy
Dribble Urine
Our dog has now had 4 days of not peeing, we took him to the vet and they let us know he is 7 years old (we thought he was 3) and that he has bladder stones. If he gets the surgery, is he still going to have a high chance of recovery with so many days having gone by?
April 17, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
2 Recommendations
If Chapo is actually not passing urine, or just dribbling, he cannot wait any longer to be seen. 4 days without being able to urinate would be terribly painful, and he needs to see your veterinarian immediately to either have the surgery, or have the blockage resolved. His kidneys may have sustained damage at this point, but they will be able to test his kidney enzymes and see if they are okay. I hope that he is okay, that is a very painful problem for him.
April 17, 2018
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Shih Tzu
Maynka
2 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Not Pooping
Not Peeing
We just adopted a sweet little rescue girl (we think shih tzu and terrier or schnauzer mix, around 20lbs). She had quite a big poop yesterday at around 11:30AM, as soon as we got out of the car from her trip home from her foster. Since then, she hasn't pooped or peed at all (33.5 hours later). It is possible that she's somehow managed to pee without us noticing, but every time she's sat down while outside, her tail is tucked under her, and she's never been wet. Inside she's never been out of our sight (she was crated overnight and didn't pee or poop in the crate). I've heard of dogs not pooping because they're stressed by a new environment, and Maynka is a timid little girl, but I've never heard of a dog holding her pee this long. It has never looked like she was straining, or even trying to go to the bathroom. She's had three meals of kibble, and has been drinking well (not tons, but a reasonable amount).
April 9, 2018
0 Recommendations
Stress as you know may be a factor here, other behavioural issues may also be going on; whilst 33 hours is a long time to not defecate, it isn’t beyond possibility. I am more concerned with no urination since you only witnessed a bowel movement and no urination. Without examining Maynka I cannot say whether there is a medical cause or not, but it is strange that a dog is not at least attempting to mark territory etc… I would take her into a Veterinarian for a check up and palpation of the bladder, they may catheterise her to decompress the bladder and may want to taken an x-ray. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
April 9, 2018
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