Canine Urinary Incontinence Part 2 – Treatment

Canine Urinary Incontinence Part 2 – Treatment

It’s pretty obvious when your dog is incontinent and it can often be very frustrating. Your beloved pet who is house trained, is now using your home as it’s own personal toilet. You visit the vet. They suggest medications, doggy pee pads, diapers or even surgery. Maybe they tell you your dog is getting older and this is just something you have to learn to cope with. But there may be another option…REHAB of course!

If you haven’t read Part 1 you can do so here. There are any number of reasons why your dog may be having accidents or leakingurine. A physiotherapist trained in canine rehabilitation can do a full assessment and help determine the cause and provide treatment. Treatment may include:

• Tailored Exercise Program

  • Increase abdominal, glute, pelvic floor strength

  • Improve posture (your pet shouldn’t look like they have a dip in their back…)

  • Address muscle tension imbalances

• Modalities

  • Muscle stimulation to recruit muscles that aren’t turning on properly

  • Laser to address pain which may be altering posture (for example an arthritic spine)

• Scar Release

  • This can be an uncomfortable treatment for a dog, but since many spayed bitches are incontinent there is a huge role for scar release

• Wrapping

  • Using a tensor bandage to support the abdominals or the sacroiliac joint (think of a pelvic support band in humans)

Other treatments that aren’t quite specific to rehab, but certainly have a role in education would include:

• ensuring your dog is let out to empty their bladder in a timely manner – even a healthy dog can only hold it so long!

• diet changes – constipation can cause bladder leakage or make your dog feel like it has to go more frequently

• activity modification – activities that increase abdominal pressure can cause leakage (i.e. barking, jumping)

As always, please reach out to us if you have questions!  We always love to chat!