Leakey Dog Urine and Urine Crystals

by Juliet Tomac
(Long Beach, Ca)

My 7 year old chihuahua leaks a tiny bit of urine throughout the day. She also had a bladder test stating that she has protein and crystals in her urine. She is on three medications for seizures. Could her medications be related? Does anyone know what this could be? Thank you.

Suggestion from the Dog Health Guide Editor:

As your Chihuahua has both urolithiasis and proteinuria and is also kept on medications for seizure, let me tell you that both of these can cause the frequent involuntary leakage of urine.

Crystals and proteins can be the primary cause of frequent dog urine leakage or incontinence. Watch for other signs that are commonly seen with this problem including straining and pain while urinating.

You haven’t mentioned what drugs you are you using for the seizures. Common dog seizure drugs are Diazepam, Pentobarbital or Phenobarbital. The side effects of these drugs show that involuntary muscular activity can happen after intake, such as involuntary body movements and head shaking etc. This muscular activity also includes involuntary action of urinary sphincter, thus frequent and minor urinary leakage may occur, until the drug is completely excreted from body.

You can discuss this with your vet who can review the specific drugs being used for the seizures and possibly switch your dog to medications such as potassium bromide (KBr) since it has fewer side effects. However, the administration of this medication is difficult as it is relatively toxic for the owner.

You must closely watch your dog's symptoms. If your dog is straining to urinate and feels pain during urination, it must be related to the earlier problem of crystals and protein in the dog urine. If you only see a urine leak, then the issue is probably a side effect of the seizure medications.

Of course this suggestion is no substitute for knowing your dog's specific medical condition. I'd suggest a consultation with your veterinarian who can provide a more specific diagnosis of the cause of incontinence or urine leakage symptoms.

In the mean time, you should use quality Dog Diapers or Pads until the condition resolves itself. Moreover, you can improve bladder health and strength with natural remedies such as Better-Bladder Control , and UTI-Free Formula , an approach that has proven to be very effective.

Give her a lot of clean water to drink and make sure that your dog's diet doesn’t contain excess amounts of minerals. Consult your veterinarian for a detailed examination of a dog urine sample. Also some correction might be required for the prescribed dog seizure drugs.