Why is my old dog peeing inside but acting normal? Is it an emergency?

An enlarged prostate would be very unlikely in a dog this young. Dogs can however develop urinary tract infections or bladder stones that can make them urinate frequently. If this has been a recent change I'd recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian.

As long as he can urinate and is acting otherwise normally, it is likely not an emergency situation. Consider allowing your veterinarian to collect a sterile urine sample to submit for a culture and sensitivity panel. This may identify the bacteria responsible for Red's infection as well as the most effective antibiotic to use in treatment. Stones in his bladder or kidneys and masses may be ruled out with the ultrasound. He may need to be on long term or pulsed (alternating weeks or month on/off meds) antibiotic therapy.

Pepper's symptoms could be due to a urinary tract infection, crystals in the urine, stones in the urinary tract, a mass, or toxin ingestion. It is important that you have Pepper seen by a veterinarian to help determine the cause of the signs and to start treatment. If you notice her straining to urinate/unable to produce urine, this is a medical emergency and can be life threatening. She may be avoiding going outside due to pain/discomfort associated with urinating, or she may be unable to go, indicating a potential emergency situation.

Sudden changes in behavior can sometimes signal a health issue, and accidents in an elderly dog can be caused by a number of things. Bladder infections can cause sudden accidents in the house, while changes to the muscles and nerves around the bladder may lead to incontinence-type accidents with dribbling or small puddles happening. Cognitive changes in elderly dogs (similar to human dementia) can also sometimes cause a pet to "forget" their training such as potty training, leading to accidents. It is a good idea to schedule a veterinary exam to see if any of these could be a possible cause and to find a treatment plan that helps.

I am so very sorry to hear that you and Caesar had to go through this. It would have been upsetting for him to be left in the cage for so long. Because you are only noticing accidents, and no other changes at the moment. I would suggest that the issue is stress or anxiety related. I am sure Caesar needs time to return to his normal self and feel safe and secure again. I would try to help him feel more secure by spending extra time with him, extra cuddles and attention and extra walks together. If you continue to notice accidents over the next couple of days, if he has vomiting or diarrhoea, increased thirst, seems depressed or down I would take him in to see his vet. There could be an underlaying medical cause for the accidents such as a urinary tract infection, however, these are relatively rare in male dogs. I hope this answer was helpful and that Caesar feels himself soon.

If Bo is only exhibiting an increase in water intake and urination then you should be okay to wait to schedule an appointment on Monday to see his regular veterinarian. This can sometimes be due to the high environmental temperatures this time of year, but you can certainly see this with urinary tract disease/infections or with metabolic disorders (less likely since Bo is less than 1 year old). In the meantime, monitor Bo for the onset of lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance or decrease in appetite, or any more severe signs (seizure, pale mucous membranes, etc). If any of these signs are noted, then he should be examined by an emergency veterinarian immediately.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The urinary tract symptoms you describe could be due to a urinary tract infection, urinary stones, a tumor, among other possibilities. Keep in mind that this may be unrelated to the crystals and can even be something like urinary incontinence. I would continue monitoring for signs of painful urination or bloody urine. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further diagnostics would include abdominal imaging and lab work. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a good night!