If dogs don't pee, it can be a sign of a urinary tract infection, blockage, and arthritis. In individual cases, kidney disease, a ruptured bladder or tumors can also be behind it. There are usually also other pathological symptoms.
On average, dogs produce between 23-46 ml of urine per kilogram of body weight. This also explains why our four-legged friends usually urinate between 3-5 times a day.
Adult, healthy dogs can hold their urine for a maximum of 16 hours. Longer breaks are usually a sign of health problems.
If your dog doesn't urinate at all within 24 hours, I recommend seeing the vet immediately. Because in almost all cases this is unpleasant or even painful.
In addition to the amount of urine, the color or smell can also indicate problems. Below you will learn about the 7 most common causes and their treatment.
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#1 Urinary tract infection
If parts of the urinary tract become inflamed, doctors speak of a urinary tract infection. These include the ureters, urethra, bladder and renal pelvis.
In almost all cases, such infections are caused by an accumulation of bacteria. This is much more common in female dogs because their urethra is shorter.
Foreign bodies can therefore enter from outside much more easily. When the pain is severe, affected dogs sometimes don't pee at all. Other symptoms include:
- Strange smell of urine
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Licking the genital area
- Groaning when urinating
- Blood in urine
- Significantly increased drinking quantity [1]
Since bacteria are usually behind the inflammation, antibiotics are primarily recommended for treatment. If the pain is severe, painkillers can also help in the short term.
The problems should disappear within a few days. In exceptional cases, such a urinary tract infection is just a symptom of another illness. [2]
Dogs with an existing urinary tract infection often experience pain when peeing. If the pain is very severe, it can go so far that affected four-legged friends do not pee at all and suppress the flow of urine. Treatment with antibiotics is usually the solution here.
#2 Blockade
If the urethra is blocked, a distinction is made between functional and mechanical causes. The former is due to a disorder of the muscles and nerves.
In the latter, something mechanically prevents urine from escaping. The most common causes of mechanical blockage of the urinary tract include:
- Bladder stones
- Prostate diseases
- Blood clots
- Injuries
- Tumor diseases
- Scar tissue [3]
The problem? Pathological urinary retention can cause poisoning. At the same time, it means that dogs can only partially empty their bladders or can no longer pee at all.
The greater the accumulated pressure, the more unpleasant a blockage becomes. Pain is also not atypical here. Other classic symptoms are:
- Whining and whining
- Strange urine color
- Little amount of eating and drinking
- Dog tries but can barely pee
- Decreasing urine output
- Unmotivated behavior [4]
Without medical treatment, a blockage in the urinary tract can be life-threatening. For a quick recovery, a detailed examination is essential.
The urinary tract can become blocked in functional and mechanical ways. Affected dogs often have pain when urinating or suddenly stop peeing. In most cases there are also other symptoms that help with the diagnosis.
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#3 Kidney disease
On the one hand, the kidneys are responsible for excreting toxins and other metabolic products. On the other hand, they also regulate the water balance.
This explains why kidney problems usually become noticeable when urinating. Doctors differentiate between acute and chronic causes. Examples are:
- Heat stroke
- Poisonings
- Severe dehydration
- Bacterial inflammation
- Snake bites
- aging [5]
Affected dogs sometimes have to pee very frequently, sometimes irregularly and sometimes not at all. The most common signs of kidney problems include:
- Foul smelling bad breath
- Lack of motivation
- Unusual urine color
- Sudden weight loss
- Pungent smell of urine
- Dog doesn't eat or drink anything [6]
Unfortunately, chronic kidney problems often only become apparent when ⅔ of the kidneys have already failed. For this reason, prevention is key here.
If you suspect anything, you should consult the vet immediately. The treatment options and curability here depend largely on the underlying cause.
When dogs struggle with kidney disease, this can also show up when they urinate. Affected dogs often don't have to pee at all or have very smelly urine. A visit to the vet is advisable for diagnosis and treatment.
#4 Arthritis
When the joints are chronically inflamed, doctors also speak of arthritis. And yes, dogs can struggle with this too. Every movement becomes torture.
In addition to walking, getting up also causes pain. For some dogs, the pain is so severe that they no longer pee at all. Other symptoms include:
In most cases, arthritis develops gradually. So if your dog suddenly stops defecating, then the cause most likely lies somewhere else.
Pain-relieving medications are usually used for treatment. In individual cases, a change in diet and diet may be sufficient. [8]
The cause determines the extent to which arthritis can be cured. However, the symptoms can be treated well in all cases. The veterinarian can recommend appropriate therapy.
In some dogs, inflamed joints cause so much pain that the four-legged friends neither want to go for a walk nor run up stairs. This is why some dogs no longer pee. But with the right treatment, this can be resolved quickly.
#5 Fear
Severe states of fear and shock can cause dogs to forget all their habits and walk around in confusion. Typical triggers for this are:
- Attack by another dog
- Strong sadness
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Overstimulation in new surroundings
- Violence in education
- Loud noises [9]
In unfamiliar surroundings the reason can also be invisible. If the territory is already marked by a dominant four-legged friend, then many dogs will not pee.
If nothing unusual has happened and you are in your usual surroundings, there may be other reasons behind the behavior.
You can usually recognize such conditions by a trembling, a tucked tail, a hunched posture, a look downwards or even a yelp.
The solution? Gradually accustom the dog to the threat. Lots of affection, distracting toys, long walks and lots of treats also help.
When dogs experience severe fear, this can lead to shock-like conditions. Affected dogs are often confused and often forget to eat or pee. The first thing to do here is to find out the trigger and then get the dog used to it.
#6 Bladder rupture
If there is a tear in the bladder wall, veterinarians also speak of a “bladder rupture”. Unfortunately, this internal injury is difficult to detect from the outside.
In most cases, accidents, fights with other animals or operations are responsible. The most common symptoms here include:
- Depressive behavior
- Nausea and vomiting
- Greatly reduced amount of urine
- Bloating in the abdominal cavity
- Urinary tract infection
- Blood in urine [10]
Affected dogs are sometimes no longer able to pee because the urine runs into the abdomen immediately after production. An ultrasound examination is ideal for diagnosis here.
The only possible treatment is surgery. The tear is stitched up and the remaining urine is removed. Antibiotics are also used to prevent inflammation.
Typically, the stitches can be removed as early as 2 weeks after the operation. Until then, lots of rest and little exercise is best. The chances of success are very high.
If a dog's bladder is ruptured, many people will not be able to pee afterwards. In most cases, however, there are further pathological symptoms. Affected dogs often behave depressed, vomit and have a big stomach.
#7 Tumor
Tumors of the urinary tract are rather uncommon in dogs. But they still happen. Tumors are generally most common in the bladder.
The good? Not every tumor is malignant. There are also benign types of tumors that can be relatively easily removed surgically. Typical symptoms of such structures are:
- Problems peeing
- Nausea and vomiting
- Severe stomach pain
- Bloody urine
- Dog doesn't urinate
- Lethargic behavior
- Constant diarrhea [11]
Having said that, the signs can vary greatly depending on the type of tumor, location and severity. All kinds of tests are therefore necessary for the diagnosis.
If there is suspicion, the veterinarian will usually carry out a urinalysis as well as an X-ray and ultrasound examination. This also includes blood tests.
The treatment is then individually tailored to the location, size and symptoms. In most cases, however, the tumor is removed surgically.
Both benign and malignant tumor diseases can result in affected dogs not peeing. Such complaints are almost always accompanied by other signs of illness. The behavior of four-legged friends also often changes.
Other causes
In addition to the above diseases, the following triggers can also be behind it:
- Enlargement of the prostate: This is most common in unneutered old males, making it difficult to pee.
- Dehydration: When there is a lack of water, the frequency and amount of urination is also greatly reduced.
- Neurological disease: If the nerves that tense and relax the muscles become damaged, dogs may sometimes be unable to urinate. [12]
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