Why is my senior dog struggling to pee with a weak stream and urges?

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!

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern. Based on these symptoms I would recommend having Leo examined by a veterinarian so he can have testing performed to rule out the possible causes. I would want to see what his kidneys, liver and everything else are doing to ensure that there is no systemic illness leading to the weight loss. I would also recommend having his urine tested to ensure there is no urinary tract infection. With the difficulty urinating, I would be concerned that there may be a bladder stone, crystals in the urine, bladder tumor or other disease of the urinary tract. A urinary stone can cause a urinary obstruction which can cause many other problems, which is why it is best to have this looked at sooner rather than later. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have other questions.

Tiger will need to be seen by your veterinarian for an exam. The vet will need to do a urinalysis to determine whether there is a bacterial infection, or crystals or bladder stones. He may also be incontinent due to losing sphincter tonus. As he is an old dog, there is always a possibility of a tumor or prostate problem. There is no one medication for all of that, so please take Tiger to your pet doctor for an exam and treatment if indicated.

The two main options are a urine infection or a urinary stone, from the symptoms described I would say that a stone would make more sense which means it is more urgent. You will need to take him to the vet, he will need to go under sedation and then either an ultrasound or xray will be done to check if it is indeed a stone blocking the urethra. Then under sedation the vet will insert a urinary catheter to deblock Toby.

These signs are usually related either to urinary tract infection, or to kidney problem (failure) or to urinary incontinence. A blood test and urine analysis can rule out kidney failure and urinary tract infection. Urinary incontinence usually derived from a weak urinary sphincter (quite common in old age females). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

It is hard to look at x-rays through the PetCoach system, but I do not see any bladder stones. There does appear to be some gas in the bladder, which may have been inadvertently introduced through catheterization or could indicate the presence of a gas-producing bacteria. The prostate is significantly enlarged, to the point where it could constrict the urethra and cause straining to urinate. The urinalysis shows a possible infection, which could come from the bladder or prostate. I would not start urinary alkalizers without the certainty of oxalate stones. I would start antibiotics appropriate for a prostate infection and have Sheldon neutered ASAP, which can help with BPH https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/prostate-enlargement/

I would recommend to take Nina into the vets today if possible. She may have a urinary tract infection, bladder stones or even something very serious like a urethral blockage (which can be fatal). The doctor will palpate her abdomen and get a urine sample to analyze. I'm not sure that the eyes are related to the urine issues, they could just be a symptom that she is sick or could be an issue all of their own. Regardless, the doctor will be able to address them as well. I hope Nina starts feeling better quickly! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.