Natural Remedies for Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

Both male and female dogs can be affected with urinary incontinence but studies have shown that more than 20% of spayed females are affected. Medium to large breeds are also more prone to urinary problems. If your pet is overweight, the extra weight may exacerbate the problem.

Just as we humans are experiencing more health problems because we are living longer so are our pets. Urethral Sphincter Mechanism Incompetence is the most commonly diagnosed cause of urinary incontinence: 81% of incontinent adult females and 57% of all dogs with involuntary urine loss.

The most obvious sign of this condition is seeing urine leaking out when your dog or cat is lying down or when she gets up. When she gets out of bed you may notice a urine odor and the bedding may be wet. This is not a case where your pet is marking territory or expressing some emotional problem but a result of urinary incontinence. The condition, causes urine to come out without the pet being able to control it.

Hormone therapy is the usual solution applied by conventional vets but hormone therapy may have the side effect of weakening the immune system. Holistic vets may advise you to try some remedies that will help your pet produce more estrogen naturally or will help your pet improve bladder control.

Acupressure is a remedy you can try at home. There are several acupressure points that control the bladder as well as the adrenal gland. When these points are stimulated they may strengthen the urinary sphincter and cause the body to produce more estrogen. After locating the correct pressure points on your pet (find diagrams online) you simply apply pressure to those points. It is not difficult to learn and if you are sensible, the only thing you can do wrong is be a little too aggressive.

You can also try a homeopathic bladder control treatment. The remedies usually contain such ingredients as Gelsemium (from the Yellow Jessamine plant), Alumina, Plantago, Causticum and Cantharsis (obtained from a beetle called Lytta vesicatoria, which is commonly known as the Spanish fly or the blister beetle). Homeopathic remedies are easy to use as they usually come in form of drops that you can place on the tongue or add to water.

If your pet is elderly sometimes they lose bladder control because they are forgetful. Holistic vets may recommend digestive enzymes as they help the intestines absorb nutrients better. More efficient absorption of nutrients helps keep an older pet's brain from deteriorating.

There are also some common sense things that you can do to help make your pet more comfortable until the situation is resolved. Take them out to urinate right before you go to bed at night, and as soon as you wake up in the morning. If it is a cat that has the problem, move the litter box near to where it sleeps so that he or she can relieve its bladder during the night. If your pet sleeps on pet bed or cushion, wrap it in plastic and place a washable fabric over it.