Why is my older Jack Russell suddenly peeing on doors and stairs?

I would strongly recommend having your veterinarian examine Spot and check a urine sample on her. We very commonly see urinary tract infections in older female dogs, so if that is what is going on, her symptoms will only get worse until she is treated. I am attaching a handout below with more information on urinary tract infections. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2457 Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Spot feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Inappropriate urination occurs when a dog regresses to urinating inside the house. This behavior is more common in male dogs that have not been neutered, although it can occur in non-neutered dogs and cats. The first thing to rule out is inappropriate urination that occurs when there is an underlying health problem which is causing a dog to urinate inside the house. It may have lost control of the muscles in its bladder or sphincter, or there may be an infection (UTI) or other condition as drinking too much (seen in many medical conditions) that is making it difficult for the dog to hold it in long enough to get outside. When a medical caused has been ruled out we can think about the second type of inappropriate urination which is behavioral (such as marking). I recommend to take Bakar to the vet with a "fresh" urine sample to first check or rule out medical causes. Hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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. 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!

Hello. I would strongly suggest a check up. Marley may have a urinary or prostatic infection, or there may be some weakness in his back or bladder causing his house soiling. While some weakness is normal as a dog ages, often there are things we can do to help mitigate these symptoms. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Inappropriate urination can be due to many different factors including: - urinary tract infections - urinary bladder inflammation (cystitis) which can be due to stress - urinary stones - diabetes - cushing's disease - hypothyroidism - pyometra (not related to Pongo because this only occurs in females) - behavioural I recommend having Pongo seen by your vet, and they will likely check a urine sample to look for stones. Dalmations are very prone to a certain type of stone, so this is the most likely cause. Pongo might be at risk of a urethral blockage (can be fatal) if stones are present and get stuck in the urethra, so getting this diagnosed early is important. I recommend a visit to the vet when they are open for a urine check, and possible x-rays or ultrasound. Not all stones show up on x-rays. Best of luck with Pongo!

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern. This sounds like urinary incontinence and that it is not secondary to a UTI. This could be caused by urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI), but is less likely to occur in males and more in females. JD could have a back problem or other neurological condition leading to decreased urethral closure pressure. I would recommend a trial of a medication called PPA or DES and see if the trial helps reduce the urinary incontinence. If there is no improvement after the trial, I would recommend more diagnostics such as abdominal ultrasound, x-rays or CT scan with contrast. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be happy to help you further.