My puppy pees a lot, struggles to poop. Could it be a UTI?

Your dog has two problems: red tinted urine can be a sign of a UTI and you will need to take her to your veterinarian for an exam and a urinalysis. If this is a UTI, she will need to be on antibiotics and pain medicine. She could also be suffering from a uterine infection or bladder stones or just be in heat. Your vet can determine that with an exam! The second problem is intestinal parasites. You can get a wormer over the counter for her or have her wormed when you take her to the vet for the urinary problem.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While it is normal (although frustrating) to have “good” days and “bad” days while house training a puppy, the episodes you describe may be an indication of something more serious, such as a UTI. This is definitely possible if Phoebe is straining to urinate, urinating small amounts, or has reddish colored urine and if you notice her licking her vagina more frequently. If these signs continue, she should definitely be seen by a vet as soon as possible. I hope all is well!

It is possible that Koa has a urinary tract infection. But at her young age it could just be that she is not sufficiently potty trained yet (which is normal for a pup her age). I would recommend having her checked by the vet. They will likely want to do a urinalysis to look for an infection.

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.

As far as the change in urination, I would certainly have your vet evaluate a urine sample to evaluate for a UTI. It will make housetraining much more difficult (or impossible) if there is something medical going on. So, that could certainly be a reason for the backsliding with his training. You may also check a fecal sample. One of my dogs started pooping in the house at 6 months of age, and we found an intestinal parasite was to blame. If there isn't anything medical going on, then it's time to work on housetaining. It is common that we see a little backslide in housetraining around 6 months of age because as owners we think they are doing well, so we get a little more slack in our training. I recommend going back to square one. Keep Max in a kennel or on a leash in the house so he is under very direct supervision. Take him outside immediately after eating or playing. Go outside with him and reward him for going outside. The longer Max goes in the house, the harder it will be to housetrain him, so put in the time and effort now. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is possible that she could have a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) but that wouldn't explain the stool. I think she isn't house trained. I would block her access to the room she is going in and all other rooms. She should be leash walked every 1-2 hours so you know she is actually going outside. When she goes give her treats, verbal praise and play with her outside for 10 mins. If she doesn't go she should be crated if you can not keep her leashed to you. Then try again. She has to be either crated or leashed to an adult at all times until there are no accidents for 3 months. This includes when you are gone and asleep. All rooms need to be closed and/or gated off. No negative punishment for accidents. All areas that have been soiled need to be cleaned with an enzymatic pet cleaner like Nature's Miracle. You can also teach her during these 3 months how to ring a bell to indicate she has to go out. Teaching an adult dog to not eliminate in the house is much harder than a puppy especially with out knowing her full back ground. i wish you the best

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.