Why is my puppy straining to pee? Is it a UTI, blockage, or anatomy?

It looks as though Spencer's abdomen is quite distended in the region of his bladder. The fact that he's urinating very little, if at all, makes me concerned that he could have a urinary obstruction that is preventing him from emptying his bladder. If his bladder is truly this full, there is a risk that it could rupture, which would be life-threatening. I'm glad to hear that he's still eating and sleeping okay, but with his urinary changes and abdominal distention, I do think there is cause for concern. As a result, I'd recommend taking him to your vet right away or an ER if your vet is unable to see him within the next few hours. I hope that everything goes well!

This is very concerning indeed. I would highly recommend taking Rufio in to your local vet or ER vet right away. He may have a urinary blockage due to a Urinary stone, which can be life threatening. A vet visit asap is highly advised. If a stone is present they will need to catheterize him and potentially surgery may be needed to remove the stone. I do hope things work out for your pet Rufio. Best wishes and take care.

Hi there! It sounds like little Woody needs to visit the vet. Frequent urination can indicate a urinary tract infection (UTI). When bacteria develop in the bladder, it inflames the urethra (the tube out which a male dog urinates), and causes a dog to feel like he has to pee all the time. I would be even more suspicious of this if he has little urine coming out when he's trying to urinate. A UTI is probably not an emergency at this point, but it is likely to be very uncomfortable if this is the case. While very unlikely at this age, it is possible for the urethra to swell so much that it blocks the passage of urine, which quickly becomes a life-threatening situation. I strongly suggest bringing Woody to the vet ASAP if the frequent urination continues. In the meantime, make sure he has access to plenty of water to keep the bladder and kidneys flushed out. There isn't much that you can do for him at home safely aside from this. Do be on the lookout for blood in the urine, as this is another indicator of a UTI. Good luck, and I hope that Woody gets well soon!

Your puppy may have a urinary tract infection. Since puppies can deteriorate very quickly (they heal quickly as well), I suggest you make an appointment with your veterinarian. He may need to be prescribed antibiotics and pain medicine.

Hi there. It sounds like Athena is straining to urinate. This can be caused by infection which sounds like you have dealt with, however I would make sure you check her urine again and make sure the infection has not come back. I would also have your veterinarian do a vaginal exam and also do ultrasound and make sure she doesn’t have an anatomical defect causing her to have problems urinating. I hope that helps guide you with that Athena and thank you so much for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Please let us know if you have any other questions.

She may indeed have a UTI, but also a slipped disc in her spine could make urination painful, or bladder stones. Since not being able to urinate can be a life threatening condition and cause kidney damage, it is very important that you take Leeloo to your veterinarian ASAP, ie this is an emergency. Please call your vet now.

That's a tough case. If the ultrasound did not include evaluation of the kidneys and ureters (tubes leading from kidney to bladder), it may be worthwhile to have this evaluated using ultrasound or CT. Some patients have ureters that are implanted abnormally in the bladder wall leading to urinary accidents. The second question would be whether or not he has crystals in the urine which may lead to irritation and accidents. The third question is the thickening in the bladder wall...what is it? Can it be aspirated? You need to discuss these questions with your veterinarian or possibly a veterinary internal medicine specialist.