Ask Dr Claire

My dog has started peeing the bed when he’s asleep

When a dog seems to have lost voluntary control of their urination, or ability to hold their bladder we term this incontinence.

Incontinence is really just a symptom and can be the result of many underlying causes. In this case, we really need to find the cause of the incontinence so that we can treat your dog’s problem (not just the symptom). This will help us reach the best treatment plan too.

Some of the underlying causes of incontinence might be:

• Urethral incompetence – common cause in female and older dogs, this tends to occur when a dog is asleep or relaxed only, it can only be diagnosed after other conditions are ruled out
• Urinary tract infection
• Urinary stones
• Ectopic ureter – common cause in young dogs
• Neoplasia of the urinary tract
• Spinal or nerve conditions
• Pain associated with urination such as with arthritis

A hands-on examination from your local vet would be a great place to start. They will start with a urine test (to check for inflammation, crystals, infection) and may even recommend a blood test as a great way to assess your dog’s base health. Abdominal imaging (such as radiography and ultrasound) is also often used in cases of incontinence to narrow down the cause.

If you’d like to chat in person, you can get a vet on a live video call or start a chat to discuss in more detail now.

We’re here to help!

Chat soon,

Dr Claire