Baldness (or alopecia, to give it its technical name) isn’t generally a disease in its own right – it is almost invariably a symptom of an underlying disease condition. So, when I’m faced with a poor, balding dog in the consult room, my first task is to try and define what the underlying cause is. With a symptom with so many possible causes, what we do to narrow down the possibilities is to work out a differential list – a list of all the possible conditions that can cause baldness – and then eliminate them until we come to the actual cause in this specific case.

So, in no particular order, here are the more common causes of hair loss in dogs, along with their other major signs or symptoms:

Firstly, those disorders that give a symmetrical pattern of hair loss (i.e. the same pattern of hair loss on both sides of the body):

Hypothyroidism

Hair loss is symmetrical along the trunk and may also involve the tail, armpits and the belly. The skin isn’t inflammed or itchy, but there may be a darkening of colour and dandruff or greasy skin. Caused by production of too little thyroid hormone, other common symptoms include lethargy, weight gain, and sometimes muscular weakness. To diagnose hypothyroidism, your vet will take a blood sample; treatment is simple, with daily tablets containing replacement thyroid hormone.

Cushing’s Disease

Once again, hair loss is symmetrical, and there may be hard lumps in or under the skin (calcinosis cutis). Cushing’s is caused by too much cortisol (an important natural steroid hormone) being produced by the body. Other symptoms include increased hunger, thirst and urination, development of a pot-belly, muscle weakness, skin thinning and “spots” or “blackheads” developing. To diagnose it, your vet may have to do a series of blood tests to see how your dog’s body responds to injections of steroids or other hormones. Tablets to treat Cushing’s usually act to reduce production of steroids, although some destroy the adrenal glands that make the excess hormones.

Iatrogenic Cushing’s Disease

This is a form of Cushing’s disease caused by long term use of steroid medications (e.g. Prednisolone for severe allergies). The only treatment is to VERY GRADUALLY reduce the steroid dose – but this needs to be done carefully, following advice from your vet, because if you reduce it too far, too fast, it can result in severe withdrawal effects, or even death, due to a lack of cortisol in the body.

Sex hormone disorders

Excess production of sex hormones (e.g. due to a testicular tumour) or insufficient sex hormones (usually after neutering) can, in rare cases, cause symmetrical hair loss.

And now, those diseases where there are patches of hair loss in various sites across the body:

Flea Allergic Dermatitis

This is probably the commonest cause of all! Dogs with a flea allergy scratch and scratch, and wear the hair away. FAD is usually straightforward to diagnose (very itchy dog plus fleas is something of a giveaway), although in extreme cases, a single flea bite can set it off, which is harder to detect. Prevention is simple – avoid and kill fleas – although it can be hard in severe cases to keep the flea population low enough, and anti- allergy medication may be required.

Sarcoptic Mange

Mange mites burrow into the skin, creating a very itchy patch covered in little bumps. The dog scratches away at it, wearing the hair away, creatng a bald patch. The most common site is on the ear; fortunately, there are some spot-on treatments available from your vet that will kill the mites and stop the itching.

Demodectic Mange

This is a different variety of mite, and unlike the sarcoptic mite, it doesn’t itch at all. Most dogs have a few, and they don’t cause any problems, living harmlessly deep inside the hair follicles. However, sometimes they can start to multiply, and the sheer numbers start to result in hair loss. Typically, it is a patchy disease, with hair loss in distinct regions that get bigger over time. Sometimes there is a bit of scale forming, but the mites themselves do not cause itching, although secondary bacterial infection may occur, which can. To diagnose Demodex mites, your vet will have to take a deep skin scrape, usually with a scalpel blade, and then look at it under the microscope. If Demodex mites are found, treatment may involve spot-ons like Promeris Duo, or bathing with Aludex for several months – sadly, it can take a lot of work to get it under control.

Primary Pyoderma

Bacterial skin infections are common in dogs, and can result in hair loss. The skin is usually reddened and inflamed, and there may be pussy “spots”. Often the area is itchy and sore, but occasionally there are cases where the skin looks almost normal, but hairless. The vet can diagnose it by taking scrapes and smears from the skin, then looking at them under the microscope. Treatment nay involve antibiotic creams, washes, and sometimes tablets to kill the bacteria.
Sometimes a yeast infection can cause the same symptoms; treatment then is usually with anti-fungal washes.

Ringworm

(Or dermatophytosis) is often diagnosed in practice, generally by using a Woods Lamp, which makes the fungus glow. Its appearance can vary widely, but most looking involves patches of hair loss, sometimes with scales, sometimes itchy (but not always). It’s particularly a problem in dogs that are ill with something else, and have reduced immunity. To get a definite diagnosis, hair plucks have to be sent to a lab and cultures, but that can take weeks so vets will often start treatment while waiting for confirmation to come back. Treatment usually involves washes, shampoos and occasionally tablets to kill the fungus, but it can take a long time to completely clear a bad infection.

Allergic Reactions

(e.g. to a spot-on medicine, or a new floor cleaner, sometimes even to food!). Usually, there is reddening and inflammation of the skin, and itching, before the hair comes out, but occasionally hair loss is noticed first.

There are other causes (e.g. genetic disorders, immune diseases like pemphigus) but they are generally far less common. It’s important to remember the old adage that “common things are common” before jumping to cocclusions.

Baldness and hair loss in dogs can be a marker for a serious underlying condition – it’s almost never due to simple old age! – but most of these conditions are either curable, or at least manageable.

And the dogs I saw this week? Well, one was a nice simple skin infection (although it didn’t look like it to begin with, the tests were clear and she responded really well to antibiotics). The other one had been on steroids for several years, and the effect over that time had given him Iatrogenic Cushing’s. His owners are working to reduce the dose (very, very gradually, as his body has become dependant on the tablets now), and to keep him warm, they’ve bought him a coat to wear when he goes out in the cold for a walk!

If you are worried about bald patches on your dog, talk to your vet or check any other symptoms using our interactive Dog Symptom Guide to help decide how urgent the problem may be.

Dog

Oh! A New Year’s resolution? That sounds fun! I can I do one? Can I, can I, please?! Right, OK, what should I try? How about slobbering less?! Could do but that would be VERY difficult and I think Mum would miss it, she always shouts with delight when I give her a big kiss, especially first thing in the morning when she hasn’t seen me for AGES! I love walks, what about going on more?! With Dad obviously, that time I tried it on my own wasn’t so successful. A lady caught me and I ended up at the VETS, yuk! But Dad soon came to collected me and said it was a good thing I was chips (I think!). I like chips, they let me eat the crunchy ones they don’t like. Anyway, yes, walks, I love them but wish I could go off the lead more (that’s why it was SO much fun when I went on my own!). Dad doesn’t let me much but I love to run. I know he gets a bit cross when I don’t come back straight away but it is so BRILLIANT to run, it’s what we dogs are made for! I suppose I would go back if he made things more interesting, like playing games or having some treats. Also, I am not very good at commands but then again we don’t practice them much and my doggy brain needs to be reminded otherwise I forget stuff. So, more walks where I can run, yes, that would be it! Now, where’s Mum, I feel a good slobber coming on!

Cat

A New Year’s resolution? That sounds like hard work, can’t I just lie here and sleep? I like sleeping, I am very good at it, maybe I should resolve to do it more, I think I could just about manage another hour or so a day, it is a very busy life you know. I used to run around when I was younger but it is much easier now to lie still now, the staff say that is because I am slightly larger than I used to be but I know that I am perfect. There is always a full bowl of biscuits down, but what is a cat to do, ignore them? I don’t think so! Obviously I don’t always eat everything I am given, sometimes I just lick the gravy or jelly from the meat course but that is mainly to keep the staff on their toes and the menu varied. I did hear mention if I stay this cuddly I could get problems like arthritis or diabetes, which don’t sound very nice, so maybe I should try to slim down a bit. Hmm, I shall sleep on it, zzzz.

Rabbit

Well, yes, a New Year’s resolution, I think I could manage that. Let me just clean my paws while I think. It would be nice to nose twitch to a friend about it but I don’t have one. nibble nibble I do get lonely on my own, the people come to see me every day, especially the little one, but it isn’t the same as having somebun here all the time. nibble nibble We bunnies naturally get on together well, think how many friends I would have if I lived in a burrow! One thing I know I should do is eat more hay, it is good for my teeth and tummy, nibble sniff nibble, but when there is a full bowl of yummy pellets around all the time, it is very difficult to resist them and then I don’t have any room for hay! nibble, clean ears, sniff, nibble So, I will try to eat more hay, but what I would really love is a friend! nibble, nibble, nose twitch, big sigh!

Our pets have simple needs and wants and it would be so easy in most cases to help them! Maybe that could be your New Year’s Resolution and then everyone’s a winner!

Why not take a look at our Pet Care Advice pages? Or if you are worried about your pet, check the problem with our Interactive Symptom Guide.

Dogs are intelligent, social, active creatures who are, and this is important, in possession of extremely efficient furry coats. This means that they do not need an extensive wardrobe of clothes! The range of outfits you can buy for them is truly astonishing and yes they might look cute dressed up as a Christmas fairy or in a t-shirt that says ‘The Dogfather’ (!) but who is it really for? Not the dog, who invariably looks miserable trussed up, but for their owner.
The irony of course is that although these outfits are bought as an expression of love for the pet, they are often over-indulged animals who, as a consequence of being spoiled, are not always that pleasant to be around. Of course, some dogs do feel the cold but a simple padded jacket is fine, or (and this is a ground breaking suggestion) once you are out, get them running around, they’ll soon be warm then! Doggy accessories that are worth purchasing are decent collars and leads, haltis for those who pull and a few sturdy toys to keep them occupied on walks or in the home.

Cats could not be more different to dogs (good luck to anyone who tries to put an outfit on their moggy!) but they are still valued members of the family and often have something under the tree! However, don’t buy them one big expensive toy, get them several cheaper ones instead. Cats will play with anything new that appears but once they have done this for a couple of days, they are likely to ignore it. So, having a box of lots of toys and changing them round regularly will ensure they always have something to keep them interested.
Also, don’t buy your cats a double feeder of any variety, they are truly pointless. Not only will a cat rarely drink where they also eat (an instinct from hunting which stops them drinking from water near where they catch their prey, would you want to drink where a rat had probably wee’d?!), they also hate to eat with other cats and forcing them to share from a double feeder encourages them to gorge on their food so they don’t have to stay long and increases stress levels. Great buys for cats include activity toys like fishing rods or anything on a string, igloo beds (cats love to hide but make sure you put them somewhere high up) and water fountains.

Finally, rabbits. There are loads of great activity toys in the shops for rabbits so there is absolutely no excuse to fall back on the usual Christmas failsafe of treats! Obesity is a big health problem in bunnies and causes all sorts of issues from dirty bottoms to arthritis. Also, too many treats can mean they don’t eat enough hay which can cause problems with their teeth. Great gifts for rabbits include willow chew toys and the biggest cage and run you can afford! Alternatively you could give a gift to yourself and rabbit-proof all the wires if they are kept indoors, which should ensure there are no unexpected interruptions during the Christmas TV scheduling!

I hope you and all your pets have a Happy Christmas and a Healthy 2012!
If you have any questions about your pet, you should always contact your vet.

If you are worried about your pet over the Christmas period and are unsure whether your need to see a vet you can always call them for advice, or try our Interactive Symptom Guide to see how urgent the problem may be.

And let’s face it, fleas are downright creepy. They eat blood and leave their faeces all over your pet, not to mention the fact that they can live in your carpets and even jump up and bite you. But at the same time, they’re pretty amazing little creatures, and successful ones at that.

Did you know…

… there are more than 2000 species of fleas around the world? 63 of these are found in the UK, and 10 of these can be found in our own homes. The most common species seen however, is called Ctenocephalides felis, which although it is commonly called the cat flea can also be found on dogs.

… fleas are responsible for spreading the Bubonic Plague in people, and myxomatosis in rabbits?

… fleas can jump up to 150 times their own length, and consume 15 times their own body weight in blood daily?

… a female flea can lay about 50 eggs a day, and once these new fleas mature, they can each bite up to 400 times a day. Add all that up and you’ve got one miserable cat.

How do I know if my cat has fleas?

This sounds like a simple question but it can be a lot harder than you think to diagnose fleas in cats. Sure, sometimes you can see them scurrying around your cat’s fur but it isn’t always that easy. In fact, I have seen four patients with significant flea infestations in just the past week, and none of their owners were aware of the problem. Animals with fleas don’t always itch, and there are lots of other reasons why cats can be itchy. Also, cats can sometimes eat any fleas that they come across whilst grooming themselves, so you don’t always see them. The most reliable way to tell if your cat has fleas is to comb your cat well with a very fine-toothed comb (they make flea combs just for that purpose) over a piece of white paper or onto some cotton wool. This will result in the flea ‘dirt’ (which is actually their faeces) falling onto the white surface where you can see it. Then cover the specks with a bit of water and rub gently – if the dirt turns reddish-brown, it is flea dirt. If your cat has a lot of fleas, you may be able to see the dirt in their bedding or other favourite areas without even needing a comb.

Of course, if you have any doubts, your vet would be happy to examine your cat for fleas and advise you as to the best course of action.

Why is it important to prevent and treat fleas?

• Adult fleas feed on blood, which in young kittens can result in weakness, anaemia, and even death.

• Some animals are very allergic to flea bites, which makes them more likely to develop a bad skin infection as a result. Even one bite can set off a reaction, so you may not ever see the offending flea itself. So if your cat has an itchy skin infection but you can’t find any fleas, it’s probably worth treating them for fleas anyway.

• Fleas carry tapeworms, which are spread to the cat when they eat the fleas during grooming. Therefore, if your cat has fleas, they should also be treated for tapeworms.

• If all of that wasn’t bad enough, they can bite you too. Cat fleas won’t live on a human, but they won’t be able to resist a free meal…

How do you treat a cat with fleas?

Before going into battle against your cat’s fleas, it’s a good idea to understand a bit about their life cycle so you can plan the best attack. Adult fleas mostly live on the cat, but they can live up to two years and survive in the environment for up to six months. Once they find a host, they start eating and laying eggs. Both the eggs and the flea faeces fall off the animal, where the larvae hatch and feed on the flea dirt. The satisfied larvae then dig deep into carpeting or furniture, trying to escape the light and making themselves incredibly hard to kill. They then develop into pupae and build themselves a cocoon. The flea develops to adulthood inside the cocoon then waits until just the right moment to burst out and jump onto your unsuspecting cat by detecting changes in pressure, heat, noise or vibrations. The whole process takes about 15 days from egg to adulthood, but they can lie waiting in their cocoons for up to 2 years so modern conveniences like central heating can cause a resurgence in flea populations that you thought you had under control. As you can see, treating fleas doesn’t just involve putting a flea preventative on your pet (although that’s a very good place to start), you must treat the environment as well.

1. Ask your vet which flea medication is best for your pet and use this as directed. This will be either a long-acting insecticide to kill adult fleas or an insect development inhibitor to prevent eggs from maturing into adult fleas, or possibly both. These can come in the form of a spot-on liquid, spray, tablet, or injection. Collars and powders are not recommended for use in cats now that more effective and safer treatments are available. Flea treatments from the pet shop or internet may be just fine, but they also may not work as well and if used incorrectly, could seriously harm your cat. Be particularly careful never to give a flea product intended for dogs to your cat! If in doubt, ask your vet.

2. Treat ALL animals in the house, provided there is a licensed flea treatment for that particular species. If you treat just one pet and not the others, the fleas will just go live on them instead.

3. Wash everything that you can. This particularly includes their bedding (and your bedding, if they have access to that too, eek!).

4. Hoover everything else. Frequently. This includes carpets, floorboards, skirting boards, sofas or other soft furnishings and any other little nooks and crannies where the young fleas may hide.

5. Once you’ve done your best to mechanically remove as many fleas as possible from the house, and if you still have a problem, go after the remaining residents chemically. There are several products on the market that can be used to safely treat fleas in your house, ask your vet for their recommendation.

6. Finally, be prepared to repeat these treatments if necessary, as flea eggs can hatch in waves that will need to be treated at different times. Be patient, be thorough, and be sure to follow all instructions carefully.

As with most things, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If even the thought of fleas makes you shiver or perhaps you don’t fancy the extra housework mentioned above, I’d suggest you take steps to prevent your cat from getting fleas in the first place. Use flea preventatives on a regular basis as directed by your vet, which often means once a month. Don’t be tempted to stop the preventative in the winter months, which may be OK in colder climates but doesn’t apply to most of the UK, especially thanks to central heating. Remembering to apply the preventatives regularly can be difficult, so many come with stickers that you can put on your calendars, don’t be ashamed to use them! And remember, even vets’ cats are at risk – fleas can strike any pet, at any time. Be ready!

If you are concerned that your cat is itching or has fleas, check their symptoms using our Interactive Cat Symptom Guide to find out if you need to see your vet.

The sorts of behaviour shown by noise phobic pets when they hear fireworks (or thunder or gunshots) can range from mild anxiety to sheer terror. In between these two extremes pets may pace around, refuse to settle, whine, bark, chew things up, dig holes, urinate or defaecate indoors or run away. A pet which bolts when frightened is at risk of having or causing a road accident. As owners, naturally we all want to reduce the distress our pets are feeling.

There is a lot that can be done to help pets through these problems, and the key to this is to plan as early as possible. Seek advice from your local veterinary surgery, where your vet or nurse will be able to help you decide on the best strategy for your pet.

Making your pet a safe “den” where they can retreat when they feel scared can help. Playing music or having the television on may reduce the amount of distant noise your pet will hear, but will not mask fireworks which are close by. Walk your dog early in the day while it is still light, when fireworks are much less likely, and provide your cat with a litter tray, allowing them to get used to it well in advance.

The way you react when your pet shows fear is most important, and probably the most difficult thing to get right. Our natural reaction is always to soothe and comfort our pet, but this will only reinforce their belief that there is something to be afraid of. The best way to help them is to ignore the fireworks yourself, try to act as you normally would and ignore your pet’s behaviour as much as possible. This does not come naturally to anyone who has a distressed pet, but it really can help.

Desensitisation to noise over a period of time by using special tapes or CDs can be very successful. It is time consuming and requires commitment on the part of the owner. This is a long term strategy, but can be used in conjunction with other methods. There are also other ways in which a behaviourist may be able to help your pet to react differently to stressful situations.

Pheromones are chemical substances which are released in nature by nursing bitches and have a calming effect on their young. Similar facial pheromones are produced by cats to communicate with other cats by rubbing against objects. These chemicals are not masked by smells as they are not detected by the nose but by a quite separate receptor. There are several ways in which synthetic pheromones can be used to calm animals in stressful situations. Synthetic pheromones are available as collars, as sprays or in plug-in diffusers, and your surgery can advise you which would be most appropriate and how to use them. They need to be used properly according to the instructions to be successful.

Many people assume that the only solution would be to sedate their pet so that they sleep through the noise, but there are several drawbacks to this. Firstly, sedatives are prescription only medicines which cannot legally be supplied to you over the counter unless your vet is satisfied that he/she has examined your pet recently enough to know what state of health they are in. Popping in to the surgery for some sedatives on November 4th is not likely to be successful. Secondly, different animals react differently to the same drug sometimes, so your vet may want to find the best dosage by having a trial run. Thirdly, if fireworks in your area go on for days or weeks, it is unlikely to be a good idea to sedate your dog or cat repeatedly.

If sedatives are used, there has been a change over recent years away from some types which may make the animal quite immobile but do little or nothing to calm its fear. More commonly used now are drugs which calm the animal but do not necessarily knock it out.

Top tips for coping with fireworks fear:

1) Plan ahead & ask for advice at your vets.

2) Make sure your dogs are walked early in the day and then kept in. Provide cats with a litter tray.

3) Make a safe den where your pet can retreat.

4) Play music or TV, try to act normally.

5) Resist the temptation to soothe and comfort your pet.

6) Follow instructions carefully for best results from pheromone products or sedatives.

7) If you left it too late to plan properly this year, make a note in next year’s diary now.

If you are worried about any specific symptoms your pet is showing, talk to your vet or try out our Interactive Symptom Guide to see what you should do.

Cassie

Cassie the retriever was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus last year, and has twice daily treatment with insulin. Apart from her injections, and regular blood tests, she is able to lead a normal life and do all the things she enjoyed before she became diabetic. Cassie is just 6 years old, but with good management of her condition she has every chance of enjoying a full life.

Diabetes is an illness where the animal has a lack of the hormone insulin, or the body does not respond normally to its own insulin. Insulin is produced in the pancreas, a gland which lies close to the stomach. Usually, insulin helps keep the level of glucose in the bloodstream stable. When glucose levels start to rise, insulin is produced to halt this rise in a number of different ways: it increases the uptake of glucose into body tissues, it stimulates conversion of glucose into glycogen for storage in the liver, and it stops glucose production from metabolising fat and protein. Without insulin, glucose levels in the blood go on rising (hyperglycaemia), causing a variety of symptoms. When it reaches a certain level in the blood, the kidneys can no longer filter it out so glucose appears in the urine (glycosuria). This creates ideal conditions for bacteria to live and multiply, so urine infections can result.

The symptoms of diabetes in dogs or cats include drinking more than usual, urinating more than usual, eating more than usual and weight loss despite a good appetite. If left untreated, complications like liver disease, cataracts and weakness develop, and ultimately it can be fatal. In most cases, the first thing noticed by the owner is an increase in thirst. Obesity can be a factor in causing diabetes and is a very important reason to keep your pet at a healthy weight.

This is the sort of equipment which might be used at home to treat and monitor a diabetic patient. Full training will be given by the vet or vet nurse at the practice, and telephone advice can be given whenever it is needed.

Diagnosis is made by a full clinical examination and by urine and blood tests. Diabetes is not the only condition which causes these symptoms, and it can occur in combination with other conditions, so it is important to get a definite diagnosis and to rule out other illnesses. Stress can cause a temporary rise in blood glucose, so it may be necessary to repeat the tests before the diagnosis is made. When a high level of glucose is found in the blood, a second test may be done to check the levels of fructosamine. This tells us whether the blood glucose has been raised over a period of several weeks, or if it has just happened. Further tests may be needed to confirm that diabetes is present and to rule out other illnesses.

Treatment of diabetes is nearly always by injections of insulin, given once or, more commonly, twice daily. These need to be given for the rest of the animal’s life, except in a few cases where the diabetes goes into remission and treatment can be stopped. This happens more often in cats than in dogs. These cases will be picked up by the monitoring carried out by your vet.

Giving injections to your own dog or cat can seem quite daunting but is actually much easier than most people think. The needles used are very small so that the injections do not hurt, and full training will be given by your vet or vet nurse. The insulin has to be kept under the right conditions (upright, in the fridge) and must not be shaken, but these things very quickly become second nature. Noting any changes in your pet’s thirst, appetite and urination can also be useful.

At the start of treatment, your dog or cat will need to be stabilised on the right dose of insulin, which differs with each patient, by slowly increasing until the right dose is reached. Your vet may also carry out a test called a glucose curve, when your dog or cat is blood tested at frequent intervals over a 24 hour period. This helps by showing how long after an insulin injection the glucose levels dip to their lowest level, and how long after eating the blood glucose levels rise to their maximum level. The aim is to control the glucose level throughout the day as close to normal as possible.

While your dog or cat is undergoing tests and being stabilised, it might be hospitalised, but usually treatment can be given at home after a short time. Regular blood tests every few weeks (or months if very stable) will be needed after that. Sometimes owners will perform some of these blood tests at home using a kit very similar to that used by people with diabetes to test their glucose levels. The use of glucose testing kits which give a very rapid result, whether used at home or at the surgery, means that it is no longer necessary to collect daily urine samples from the pet. Monitoring the glucose in the blood can be more accurate and allows better control of the insulin dosage.

A diabetic dog or cat needs to have a regular amount of exercise and food, given as near as possible to the same time of day each day. A special diet may be recommended by your vet because it helps to control the condition if the diet is higher in protein, lower in fat, higher in fibre and contains carbohydrates which release their energy slowly. All of these help to keep glucose levels as stable as possible, with no sudden peaks or troughs. Keeping your pet at the correct weight is also important.

Unspayed bitches which develop diabetes may suffer from changes in their insulin requirements when they come into season, because of other hormonal changes, which may destabilise them again. Your vet may want to discuss neutering with you.

Complications can occur in diabetes and your vet or nurse will make you aware of what problems to look out for. The most likely would be if glucose levels fell too low (hypoglycaemia). The dog or cat would become confused and twitchy or may collapse. It is essential to have some form of sugar or honey easily available to give by mouth if this happens, and then to phone the surgery straight away for further advice.

Looking after a dog or cat with diabetes requires a certain amount of commitment from the owner, but most people say that it becomes easy once they get used to it. The key is to give your pet a standard daily routine of food, exercise and insulin injections, and to use your veterinary surgery for support and advice whenever you need it. Most diabetic dogs and cats will have a very happy life without even being aware that they have a medical condition.

If you are worried that your dog or cat may be displaying symptoms of diabetes please call your vet immediately. If you are not sure how urgent the situation is please use our interactive pet symptom checker

Jenny Sheriff BVM&S MRCVS

Holly, a Golden Retriever, age 13

Holly, a 13 year old Golden Retriever bitch, is a regular boarder at my kennels. Recently she developed urinary incontinence, and her owner feared she might have to be put down. The problem can be difficult to live with because of the smell, increased washing, damage to carpets etc. Just as importantly, it is distressing for the bitch herself who would like to keep herself clean but is unable to stop the leakage of urine.

Fortunately Holly’s owners discussed the problem with their vet who prescribed some treatment which now has the problem under control.

We all dread our pets growing old, and one of the problems we tend to associate with ageing is urinary incontinence, or leakage. Although this happens mainly in older bitches, it is not a problem that has to be just lived with. In many cases there are treatments which can help control this, and can greatly improve quality of life.

Urinary incontinence can happen in both dogs and bitches, but is much more common in bitches. It can also be related to being overweight, and being spayed. In younger animals it can be due to a congenital abnormality (present since birth).

Although incontinence is more common in spayed bitches, this does not mean that spaying is a bad thing. There are many benefits which together outweigh the disadvantages (Please see our Pet Care Advice section, Neutering, for further information about this)

Urine is produced continuously by the kidneys, and is stored in the urinary bladder. When the dog or bitch urinates, the urine is expelled along a tube called the urethra. The rest of the time, urine is prevented from leaking out by the urethral sphincter muscle. Usually, control of this sphincter muscle is under the voluntary control of the dog, so once they have been trained when and where to urinate, they go in the right place and at the right time.

The most common cause of incontinence, especially in older bitches, is urethral sphincter incompetence. If the sphincter muscle loses tone, it can allow urine to leak out. The bitch will still be able to urinate voluntarily when she wants to, but there will also be leakage, often without her even realising it. She will of course clean herself up if there is leakage, but she will be unable to stop it from happening.

The signs of incontinence are wet patches where the bitch has been lying down, wet legs, infections of the skin and excessive licking at the vulva. There is not necessarily an increase in the amount that is being drunk or being urinated, but if these are increased as well then that also needs investigation.

As always, your vet will first need a full medical history and will need to make a full examination of your dog, probably including blood tests and urine tests. It can also be helpful to examine the urinary tract by ultrasound scan, or by x-rays using special contrast medium to help show up the size, shape and position of the bladder and the urethra. It is important to check for problems other than incontinence, and for other causes of incontinence, such as urinary infection, bladder stones, liver and kidney disease and diabetes. Any of these would require quite different treatment. Once these have been either ruled out or treated, if incontinence is still a problem then it can be treated.

A number of drugs are available which help by acting on the muscle of the urethral sphincter. The drugs may be given either in the form of a syrup which is given on food, or as tablets. As with all drugs, there can occasionally be side effects which your vet will ask you to watch out for. Very often the problem is greatly improved and the treatment can be successfully continued long term at a maintenance level.

In a few cases there is no improvement, and then other causes need to be investigated further. In a small number of dogs there is a physical abnormality which could benefit from surgery (such as repositioning of the bladder neck). These cases involve quite specialised treatment and might need a referral to a specialist veterinary centre.

Incontinence is a distressing problem for both dog and owner, but it is well worth seeking advice from your vet on the treatments available.

If you are worried about urinary incontinence or any other problem with your pet, please talk to your vet or use our Interactive Symptom Guide to help decide what to do next.