Our dog companions are by instinct fastidious animals and suffer canine incontinence distress when they are unable to manage their urination in their living or sleeping spaces. Dribbles or puddles on floors or carpets, wet bedding or damp fur around the rear end are obvious signs that should be checked out immediately.

Wetting accidents when over-excited or fearful when being punished are best ignored. This is not canine incontinence. Stay calm, don’t punish, and put the dog outside so it doesn’t see you cleaning up the mess. It will usually grow out of it.

Urinary tract infection and/or stones, the first suspects.

Urinary tract infection and/or stones are usually the first suspects in canine incontinence, but cancerous or other growths could be involved. Dark-colored urine, smelly urine, trying to pass urine and managing only a little, are all early signs. Irritation or inflammation weaken the mucous lining in the bladder or urethra (the tube that leads from the bladder to the outside), thereby the dog’s defense against external infective agents entering via the urethra. Illnesses as kidney failure, Cushing’s syndrome, diabetes and liver disease, causing a dog to be excessively thirsty, can result in frequent need to urinate or inability to hold long enough to empty outside. Using homeopathy and/or traditional remedies, these diseases need to be treated separately.

Structural canine incontinence.

The lack of physical control over the bladder other than by infection is usually because the sphincter controlling the release of urine through the urethra is unable to hold back the flow against normal pressure caused by the bladder filling. Some cases are due to birth defects such as ectopic ureter, where urine produced in the kidneys essentially bypasses the normal channel through the bladder and empties directly into the urethra or the vagina, and then surgery is the only option.

Spay incontinence.

The most common type of structural canine incontinence is spay incontinence, which can develop from a few months to years after spaying. Other reasons can be trauma or old age, which affects the nerve supply to the sphincter or bladder of a canine, causing muscle wastage in the area. Canine incontinence drugs and homeopathy treatments increase the tone of the muscles that hold urine in the bladder.

Natural homeopathy methods.

Trying some natural homeopathy methods before resorting to harsh drugs and chemicals might be considered with the help of your veterinarian. The aim of homeopathy, or holistic treatment, is to remedy the deficiencies in natural defenses that failed, rather than just identify the “bad bugs” and kill them. The homeopathic approach to canine incontinence offers numerous herbs that support healing. Herbs traditionally used for humans are suitable for treating canines as well. Herbal homeopathic treatments support and educate the body’s systems to produce a robust and permanent recovery, and as a preventative.

Homeopathy herb to consider is fresh (not dried) cornsilk (zea mays) found in organic food stores, health food stores, or clipped directly from ears of corn (preferably organically grown) combined with comfrey, for healing even of old trauma.

Couchgrass: for sphincter rehabilitation.

Saw palmetto: for muscle wastage and lack of tone. Horsetail: for strengthening wasted or damaged tissue.

Mugwort: for repair of nerve fibers.

Echinacea: for removal of residual products of infection.

Garlic: a natural antibiotic.

Rosehips: good for the kidneys and a high source of iron and vitamin C.

Another useful herb to treat canine incontinence is called uva ursi: soothes and supports healing of mucosal linings.

Yarrow: a blood and nervous system tonic to address vitality.

Alfalfa: balances urine acidity reducing irritation to mucosal linings.

Buchu: As a specific UTI (urinary tract infection) treatment and blood cleanser.