# Urinate while sleeping?



## BuoyantDog (Aug 21, 2009)

My dog would be mortified if she knew I was posting about this...

A little bit ago, Glory woke up from an afternoon nap, and there was a big wet spot on her doggie bed. This has never happened before. I washed her bedding in vinegar and took her outside to do her "business," which she did go outside. 

Glory is 2 years, 11 months. Female. Spayed. She is in otherwise perfect health.

Has anyone's dog ever wet the bed in their sleep?? Was she having a dream about doing her "business?" Can young dogs wet the bed, like kids do??


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Could be a dream, could be spay incontinence. Is she urinating or asking to go outside more than usual? First course of action would be to drop off a urine sample at the vet to check for a UTI. Next course of action is to consider spay incontinence if this happens more than just once. Just once could be an oops. If it is spay incontinence, we do have members here whose spayed bitches were helped in that department by switching to a raw diet.







There may be other options as well.

Check her sleeping spots frequently until you find out if it's a one time deal or a recurring issue. Hope Glory is okay!


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Morgan would be horrified if she knew I was posting about her having the same problem. She's spayed as well and I believe she has spay incontinence - it happens once ina while. Maybe every 3 or 4 months. I had the vet check her sample out, nothing wrong with her.

I take an extra thick plastic shopping bag and cut it to fit in the bottom of her bed. Keeps it from leaking onto the floor. Then I wash her bed. She gets annoyed with me when I tell her to get off MY BED - I don't think she knows it happens.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

We had 2 spayed females that developed spay incontinence up t 2 years after their spay surgery. I don't think it's all that unusual. One of the primary indicators is an otherwise housetrained dog urinating where they sleep. Even dogs with UTIs who have frequent and urgent urination know that they have to go, so while they have accidents, it's been my experience that they are not usually when they are asleep. 

There's medication, PPA, that we put the dog on that usually solves the problem.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

I'm a big believer in daily flaxseed for spayed dogs, if they aren't allergic to it.


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## BuoyantDog (Aug 21, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like it's either a UTI or spay incontinence. I haven't noticed an unusual increase in her asking to go to the bathroom, so I'm leaning towards the latter. I am going to keep an eye on this. Thanks Diana, Jenn, Jklatsky and Lisa for sharing your wisdom.....much appreciated. 

Lisa, about how much flaxseed would you mix in with Glory's food??


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

For Max, I used maybe 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of ground flax. The flax adds a natural form of estrogen, which may or may not help with the leaky stuff, but I think it does help overall, plus it's a potent cancer fighter. For males, it's very good for their prostates.

Another thought, both Max and at least one other dog on the board (LJ) has urination problems when they have too much sulfur in the diet, in particular MSM. With Max, eggs also do that to him. You haven't recently added a supplement with MSM, have you?

Definitely keep an eye open in case it's a UTI, hope everything resolves quickly.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

If it is spay incontinence and it continues there are several holistic supplements that should solve the problem. 

Is she on a grain free food?


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: LisaT You haven't recently added a supplement with MSM, have you?


Forgot to mention, garlic is also high in sulfur.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

Check for a UTI. Also, run bloodwork and have kidney values checked -- just in case. 

In the meantime, get some super absorbent piddle pads. 
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21670

You can put these under a sheet (or a really thin towel) on your girl's bed. This way, if she does leak or have an accident, you just toss the pad and wash the sheet (instead of a larger blanket). The bed doesn't get wet, and more importantly, the pad pulls the moisture away from your dog, so she doesn't lie in urine on a wet blanket.

I resorted to using these when Zamboni had renal failure and started to become a bit incontinent when she slept. I could also use diapers on her. But she wasn't thrilled with the diapers, and these were much easier to manage (since she didn't have problems during the day, only at night and only when she slept soundly). 

If you have a very young puppy (which I don't think either of you have...?) , you may not be able to use these because they're scented to attract a puppy to potty there. But I was able to use these around 9 week old Celo and with a bit of management, he never once thought that Zamboni's bed was his potty place.


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## BuoyantDog (Aug 21, 2009)

Hey thanks for the replies, I am bookmarking this for reference. Glory has not had an accident since 2 days.....that was the only one. So, I am going to keep an eye on it. If it happens again, I will take her to the vet. I have added flaxseed to her diet, and I am currently giving her about a half cup of cranberry juice each day, just in case it is a UTI (plus I figure cranberry juice can't hurt!). She is not asking to go to the bathroom more than usual. Lisa, did you grind the flaxseed or serve it whole? 

So, for now, just keeping an eye on things....no more accidents as of yet!


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

I use a small coffee grinder for the flaxseeds, they are abotu $15-20 bucks. That makes all the nutrients accessible to them. If they aren't ground, I think they probably just add roughage?

Mine wouldn't touch cranberry juice, even the stuff with no high fructose corn syrup!!


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## BuoyantDog (Aug 21, 2009)

I got the small coffee grinder, and flaxseeds are being served daily! I'm starting out with a 1/2 teaspoon a day right now. 

It's 100% cranberry juice, but I am mixing it in with her food.....


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Cool


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

My yellow Lab had this from a year old until she died at 15 yrs. It was WAY easier for me and her to medicate. She was so embarrassed and upset every time she woke up in a puddle that it was worth it to get it to stop.

I initially had her on a daily pill for years (PPL? PPA?) but then went to a hormone (DES?) that I only had to administer once a week once we got it under control. She did fine on both, never had any problems, but working to get the minimum dosage that was adequete (sp?) with the hormone worked best in the end.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

My mixed breed has spay incontinence, and it did not respond to DES. What did work for her is going to a raw diet. All raw, no kibble. As soon as I re-introduce kibble, even grain-free, or canned good quality dog or cat food, the leakings starts again. All it takes is one kibble or canned food meal to get her leaking. 

She still occasionally leaks, maybe has one accident a month or so? No big deal. 

I didn't try the other med (also called Proin, I believe) - may have worked for her, but opted not to use it.


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## BuoyantDog (Aug 21, 2009)

To answer BowWowMeow, no, Glory is not on a grain free food......but.......I've been convinced, and I am switching to grain free kibble, next bag.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

If this is UTI related, I tripped over this earlier: http://www.planetherbs.com/index.php?opt...html&Itemid=141


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