Canine incontinence is a urinary system disorder that is used to describe a wide variety of problems. Symptoms of incontinence in dogs can include:

Painful Urination

Urine that Leaks

Urination at Night when Sleeping

Urine that Dribbles

Infrequent Urination

Frequent Urination

The cause of this condition is determined via a physical examination of your dog and an analysis of the urine. To take a urine sample, your veterinarian may need to insert a catheter into your pet to ensure that the sample is clean and free of bacteria. Your veterinarian will also check for crystals which are little bits of minerals that are a byproduct of the digestive process. Too many of these crystals indicates a risk for urinary and bladder stone formation.

If bacteria is found, then your dog will require antibiotics to eradicate the infection. You could also try giving your dog some cranberry juice, which like in humans, helps to keep bacteria from clinging to the bladder walls (cystitis) and colonizing along the urinary tract. It also improves the natural ability of the urine to fight off infection.

In some cases fungal infection is found. These types of infections are usually a byproduct of the antibiotics or other medications taken by your dog. It can also be an indicator of diabetes mellitus. Once the medications stop, the fungus should clear by itself or your veterinarian can provide medications.

To help to quickly clear infection, you might also want to try a natural homeopathic supplement made to help with canine incontinence or infection. These products help to strengthen the urinary system and correct the PH of the urine (properties that fight infection).

If the infection clears and the canine incontinence urinary continues, then your veterinarian will look for a physical cause. In females that have been spayed, this is usually due to a condition called USMI, which is a weakening of the muscles that control the flow of urine. Muscle tone can be improved with medications or you can also try a homeopathic approach. Probably both approaches together can be of help. There are other possible structural/physical causes, but this is the most common.

As dogs age, they can just naturally lose muscle tone and control. You can help the older dog by providing predictable meal times and walk times. For example feed your dog 3x a day and then take your dog for a walk after each meal. This predictable pattern should teach your dog when to urinate and when to control the urine. If you believe the urination is due to stress, such as when you are out of the house, consider keeping your dog in a cage or confined area. Dog's will not urinate where they sleep, so confinement to this area should help as long as you are giving your dog enough opportunities to urinate.

If you can't correct the canine urinary incontinence, dog diapers might be called for. Like a baby, be sure to change the diapers frequently to avoid moist dermatits, a skin condition that can cause your dog some discomfort.

Jeff Grill is an editor of the Dog Health Handbook and has written on many canine health problems. See this site for more information on canine urinary incontinence treatment options.

Treating dog with recurring UTI or urinary tract infection is very simple. The problem, apparently, is not the illness itself, but the possibility for owners not to notice the presence of this disease on their beloved dogs. Also, majority of the owners are not knowledgeable enough on how to handle this problem.

So what exactly is urinary tract infection?

Urinary tract infection, also known as cystitis, is a bladder infection caused by certain types of bacteria. This disease, though commonly affects human beings, can also be a medical problem on some animals like dogs and cats. In fact, 14 percent of dogs worldwide are inflicted with urinary tract infection. Most of these are single occurrences of the illness, while some more serious cases deal with recurring urinary tract infection.

Bacteria that cause urinary tract infection on dogs and cats are usually ingested by the animal. Since it is ingested, most probably because of unclean food or water supply, the bacteria can easily be transmitted to the blood and then filtered by the kidneys. When the bacteria reach the bladder, it usually stays there and multiplies. This development of bacteria in the bladder causes urinary tract infection.

UTI is one of the initial signs of the weakening of your pet's immune system. Most of its symptoms are very noticeable. One example is the need of the animal to urinate frequently. Sometimes, they may also lose control of their bladder, and urinate uncontrollably. The changes of the odor of the urine, as well as the frequent consumption or ingestion of water, are also some of the symptoms of urinary tract infection.

The above symptoms are the usual signs of urinary tract infection on dogs. Sometimes, the presence of blood in the urine may also be evident. This presence of blood usually alerts the pet owners and the veterinarians because UTI complication may already be occurring.

To detect the infection, dogs usually undergo urinalysis. The analysis of the urine should be performed by a registered veterinarian. Once the illness is confirmed, dog UTI medication or treatment immediately starts.

The veterinarian usually prescribes antibiotics to cure the infection. This is the most common dog UTI medication since antibiotics effectively eliminates the bacteria that causes the illness. After about 14 days of continuous antibiotic treatment, you may notice the remarkable change on your dog's behavior. The symptoms usually disappear at this point.

Sometimes, however, urinary tract infection may recur. Veterinarians are not very certain on the reasons for the recurrence of UTI on dogs, but most of them suspect that it is because of the unclean water or food supply. Also, you need to remember that once the infection recurs, the original prescribed antibiotic will not be effective. Bacteria are capable of developing immunity, so you must again consult your vet for a new antibiotic prescription.

Treating dog with recurring UTI is very tricky, but as previously mentioned, is also simple.

Dog owners must understand that their lifestyle, including their environment and food, is a major factor in the recurrence of UTI in their pets. What they need to do is to learn how to maintain a clean environment and to provide proper nutrition, not only to themselves but also to their pets, especially because most of us consider them as part of the family.

In addition, improper nutrition does not only cause animal urinary tract infection. Most of the time, it can also be a risk factor for other illnesses like constipation and other bowel problems

To find out more about a well-researched, natural treatment for Urinary tract infection in pets, please visit pet-urinary-health.com. Puneet Aggarwal is a regular writer on Pet problems and suggests natural alternatives. If you have any questions, you may visit his website.