If dogs' urine suddenly smells, it could be a sign of a urinary tract infection or dehydration. In rare cases, it can also be due to a change in diet, kidney disease or bladder stones.
Many illnesses or health problems can be diagnosed by pee or stool. They are therefore considered a kind of “early warning system” in dogs.
In addition to the smell itself, other characteristics of urine can also allow conclusions to be drawn about health:
- Color: White and yellow are considered normal. Orange, reddish or brown can indicate infection, bladder stones or blood.
- Transparent: Urine should normally be as transparent as water. Infections and bladder stones, on the other hand, can make the pee appear cloudy.
- Foam: If there is a lot of protein in the urine, it can foam. Either the diet is very high in protein or the kidneys are failing.
- Urinary frequency: Adult dogs typically pee 3-5 times per day. Significantly more or less can indicate illnesses. [1]
Below you will learn about the 5 most common reasons why your dog's urine suddenly smells strong.
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#1 Urinary tract infection
If bacteria accumulate and multiply in the urethra or bladder, an infection of the entire urinary tract can occur.
According to studies, a whopping 15% of all dogs will suffer from such an inflammation in their lifetime. Female dogs are affected more often than male dogs. [2]
This is because their urethra is many times shorter and bacteria can therefore penetrate more easily. The most common symptoms here include:
- Dog whines when urinating
- Blood in the pee
- Sudden incontinence
- Stinky urine
- Lack of motivation
- Dog leaks urine
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Constant licking in the intimate area
- Cloudy urine color
- Mild fever [3]
Most dog owners describe the smell of urine as “ammonia” or “fishy”. In addition to bacteria, viruses, fungi and other diseases can also be the cause.
If you suspect this, you should consult the vet immediately. Such inflammation can be very painful and affected dogs often suffer to themselves.
If bacteria are the cause, antibiotics are usually used. If there are other triggers, other means can also be used. [4]
A urinary tract infection in dogs can cause their urine to smell like ammonia or fish. Among other things, it can also be recognized by the fact that the four-legged friend has to pee unusually often, constantly licks his intimate area or there is blood in his pee.
#2 Dehydration
Urine serves, among other things, to excrete waste products from the body. These substances are also primarily responsible for the smell of urine.
When drinking a normal amount, urine consists of around 96% water. However, if your dog drinks too little, the percentage of waste materials increases. [5]
The result? The pee becomes more concentrated and starts to stink. In addition to drinking too little, the following triggers can also be responsible:
- Constant diarrhea
- diabetes
- Frequent vomiting
- Certain medications
- Kidney disease [6]
If the amount you drink is responsible for the unpleasant smell of urine, then I recommend organizing such a drinking fountain. This means dogs automatically drink more.
In addition, dehydration can usually be recognized by heavy panting, a dry nose and a dark urine color. Other symptoms include:
- Balance problems
- Dry gums
- Crusty dog nose
- Fast pulse
- Increased breathing rate
- Rapid exhaustion [7]
Skin elasticity also decreases here. To do this, squeeze a small piece of skin on the dog's back with your thumb and forefinger and then let it go.
If your dog is well hydrated, the skin should immediately spring back to its original position. If this is not the case, then there is a lack of fluids. [8]
Dehydration leads to concentrated urine in dogs, which contains comparatively many waste products. The pee therefore often starts to smell and is visibly darker. In addition, there are usually other visible symptoms when there is a lack of water.
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#3 Kidney disease
The kidneys are not only responsible for water and electrolyte balance, but also help with the excretion of metabolic products and toxins.
However, if the kidneys are no longer fully functional, this can also affect the composition of the urine. Typical causes for this are:
- Poisonings
- Severe dehydration
- Birth defect
- Bacterial infections
- High blood pressure
- Snake bites [9]
This can usually be recognized by the fact that the urine suddenly stinks and the dog also develops strong bad breath. Other typical symptoms are:
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Pale gums
- Unexplained weight loss
- Blood in urine
- Lethargic behavior
- Pee smells like ammonia
- Loss of appetite [10]
If kidney problems are actually responsible for the strong smell of urine, then it is serious. Because symptoms usually only occur when ⅔ of the kidneys fail.
It is important to see the vet immediately. Although kidney diseases cannot be cured in all cases, they can almost always be treated well. [11]
If dogs' kidneys are diseased or overloaded, this also affects the production of urine. Among other things, it often leads to smelly urine, constant diarrhea, bad breath and general listlessness.
#4 Nutrition
You've probably already experienced that your urine suddenly smells quite pungent after eating asparagus.
For example, asparagus contains acids that the body converts into sulfur. The same applies to larger quantities of garlic and onions.
The same effect also occurs in dogs. This is especially true if your dog regularly eats human leftovers. [12]
A mistake that often leads to poisoning. In addition to onions and garlic, a whole range of other foods are toxic to dogs. This includes:
- Walnuts
- Avocados
- grapes
- Chocolate
- Raisins
- cocoa
A smelly pee can also indicate an excess of vitamin B or protein. The former applies especially to food that has been enriched with vitamins.
Basically, a daily protein amount of around 18-25% of daily calories is recommended for dogs. Too much of it can lead to kidney problems. [13]
Certain foods, too much protein, and especially human leftovers can cause a dog's urine to suddenly smell. If there is an excess of protein, the pee can smell like fish, among other things. Here it is important to adjust your diet.
#5 Bladder stones
When salts in urine crystallize, stone-like formations can occur. If these are in the bladder, then they are also referred to as “bladder stones”.
If they are small in size, these stones are usually harmless and nothing to worry about. However, over time they can grow larger and cause problems.
The same applies if too many bladder stones form. Typical signs of this are:
- Dark urine
- Unusually small amount of urine
- Sudden incontinence
- Cloudy pee
- Little energy
- Constantly trying to pee
- Stinky urine
- Frequent licking of the genitals
- Blood in urine [14]
According to statistics, Pugs, Miniature Schnauzers, Maltese, Shih-Tzus, Yorkshire Terriers, Bichon Frisés and Lhasa Apsos are particularly likely to suffer from this. [15]
An ultrasound examination is usually sufficient for diagnosis. Depending on the size and severity, different treatments are used.
In some cases, a special diet is enough to break down the bladder stones due to acidification. In some cases, the stones are also reduced in size using ultrasonic shock waves.
In extreme cases, the bladder stones must be removed surgically. However, this is relatively rare. In all cases, however, a visit to the vet is recommended. [16]
Too many or too large bladder stones can affect the composition of the urine in dogs. This can usually be recognized by the fact that the four-legged friend pees relatively little, the urine stinks, the consistency becomes cloudy and it generally makes a weak impression.
Other potential causes:
- Pregnancy: Shortly before giving birth, female dogs need to pee very frequently. In addition, the smell can also change due to hormone fluctuations.
- Prostate diseases: Although the prostate in male dogs is primarily responsible for the formation of ejaculate, it can also affect urine.
- Bladder cancer: Usually manifested by a frequent urge to urinate or blood in the urine. However, under certain circumstances it can also lead to a smelly pee.
- Castration: Removing the ovaries reduces estrogen production, which can cause the flora of the female genital organs to become unbalanced.
- Period: Due to the mixing of urine and blood in the female's urinary tract, the urine can also take on a pungent smell during this time.
- Diabetes: If the urine smells sweet, then there are large amounts of glucose in it. This is particularly common in diabetic dogs. [17]
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