My parvo puppy is leaking urine. Is this a serious secondary issue?

Hi and thanks for your request. This is indeed not normal and it is a quite concerning sign as with fluids kidneys MUST be able to produce urine in a physiological amount (1-2 mls/kg/hr). Please contact your local veterinarian.

We see sterile inflammation of the bladder in cats that people sometimes incorrectly term a UTI, but this is not seen in dogs. A true urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection. Parvo virus does not cause residual problems in the body once the dog gets rid of the infection. The diet you mentioned appears nutritionally incomplete which can certainly cause a number of problems, but I would not expect it to worsen a UTI. A UTI needs to be diagnosed based on lab results and the resolution of the UTI also needs to be confirmed with lab results. If the first round of antibiotics does not resolve the infection, we will often perform a bacterial culture and sensitivity and possibly additional testing to further investigate the problem. I have attached more information for you on UTI's below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2457 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

If the antibiotics didn't make much difference, I'd be suspicious of puppy vaginitis, which is a relatively common inflammatory condition that can lead to accidents and sometimes make them more susceptible to urinary infections. It generally resolves with age. I would also check for a stricture (this may require sedation as they don't love vaginal palpation...). For now, since your vet hasn't been able to check a urinalysis, that would be the first priority. See if you can get a sample- sneak a small container under her when she squats. If you have to hold onto the sample a few hours before dropping it at your vet, stick it in the fridge, but the fresher the better. If you're having no luck, your vet can collect a sterile sample via cystocentesis. Hope this helps.

She may have a urinary infection or a puppy vaginitis. I recommend having a urinalysis done and an exam to see if there is a medical problem. Puppies do urinate frequently but if this is abnormal for her then please get treatment so it doesn’t worsen. Usually a course of oral antibiotics will be prescribed. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mabel.

Poor MollyGirl! Sometimes with severe diarrhea it will just "leak out" like this, especially if the dog doesn't feel well enough to get up and move around. I would recommend having her lay on disposable puppy pads, so you can change them easily as soon as they get soiled.

My first guess would be intestinal parasites for the diarrhea. The treatment for this depends on which parasite is causing it, so I would get the puppies tested if this happens again (or find out what parasites were found if the puppies in question were tested) and talk to your vet about what to do. For the UTI, in a really young puppy, I would be most concerned about a congenital issue if they really got a UTI. If the urine wasn't cultured to confirm the UTI, it could have been a misdiagnosis. If it really was a UTI, you might consider taking that puppy's parents out of your breeding stock.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The increased drinking and urinating could result from residual infection, and irritation to the bladder during surgery. The diarrhea can be due to stress, pain, or the antibiotics. All in all I would say that if she is eating and becoming more active, I would not panic yet. Give it a few more days. If no improvement in the urination problem in 2 days, or if worsening in any way, it’s time for a recheck with your vet. Best wishes to you and Chanel.