Medicine

Dog Incontinence Medication Types

 
Cristina Pascual
By Cristina Pascual, Veterinaria. January 20, 2025
Dog Incontinence Medication Types
Dogs

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Urinary incontinence medications are used to stop the involuntary leakage of urine from the genitourinary tract. Different types of canine incontinence drugs are necessitated by the various causes of this health issue in dogs. An animal may be unable to control their urine flow due to both neurogenic and non-neurogenic causes, some of which are acute and others which are chronic. Generally speaking, incontinence occurs when the pressure inside the bladder exceeds the resistance of the urethra to stem its flow, causing urine to be excreted involuntarily.

Medication is not the only treatment for urinary incontinence in dogs, with surgical intervention being implemented in some cases. AnimalWised shares some of the dog incontinence medication types which may be used when pharmacological treatment is required. It is important to stress that these should only be used under strict veterinary supervision.

You may also be interested in: Propalin for Dogs - Uses and Side Effects
Contents
  1. Alpha-adrenergic blockers
  2. Alpha-adrenergic stimulants (sympathomimetics)
  3. Estrogens
  4. Parasympatholytics or anticholinergics
  5. Parasympathomimetics
  6. Can I give canine urinary incontinence drugs to my dog?

Alpha-adrenergic blockers

Alpha-adrenergic blockers are used to treat urinary incontinence in dogs in cases where excessive contraction of the internal urethral sphincter occurs. In these cases, the resistance of the urethra causes urine to accumulate in the bladder until pressure builds to a point greater than the maximum urethral resistance. The pressure forces urine past the urethral sphincter and the dog will urinate involuntarily.

Specific causes of these urethral resistance problems include the following

  • Hypertonia of the urethral sphincter
  • Functional obstruction of the urinary tract
  • Chronic partial obstruction of the urinary tract

The group of drugs known as alpha-adrenergic blockers help to relax the smooth muscle of the urethral sphincter. Normal bladder emptying can return because the contractions do not cause urinary buildup in the bladder, facilitating control of urine flow to outside the body.

Learn more about the causes and treatment of urinary incontinence in dogs with our related guide.

Dog Incontinence Medication Types - Alpha-adrenergic blockers

Alpha-adrenergic stimulants (sympathomimetics)

One of the most commonly prescribed dog incontinence medication types is a group known as alpha-adrenergic stimulants. These are sympathomimetic drugs which often contain the active ingredient phenylpropanolamine, sold under trade names such as Proin and Propalin for dogs. Other sympathomimetics for urinary incontinence include nastizol, but these are considered less safe and are not widely prescribed. They can be sold as tablets, although Propalin is often given as an oral suspension.

These drugs are used to treat urinary incontinence caused by urethral sphincter incompetence. This disorder occurs when the internal urethral sphincter has insufficient muscle tone to keep urine in the bladder, leading to involuntary urine loss. It commonly occurs when the animal is at rest, so we see this dog incontinence medication prescribed when dogs regularly pee the bed.

While complications from the spaying procedure in dogs are rare, one potential side effect is urinary incontinence. It is believed this is related to the reduction in estrogen levels after spaying. Spay incontinence drugs such as alpha-adrenergic stimulants increase the muscle tone of the urethral sphincter. This strengthens the ability to prevent urine passing involuntarily.

Sympathomimetics such as phenylpropanolamine are also used as a medication for urinary incontinence in male dogs, specifically those experiencing prostate issues. Treatment of prostate disease usually entails the reduction or removal of the prostate gland itself. This can decrease urethral resistance, leading to incontinence problems. In these cases, sympathomimetics help to increase urethral tone to better control the passage of urine.

Learn about the symptoms of prostate cancer in dogs to know what to expect if your animal is affected by this issue.

Dog Incontinence Medication Types - Alpha-adrenergic stimulants (sympathomimetics)

Estrogens

Other spay incontinence drugs for female dogs include estrogens such as estriol and distilbestrol. Specifically, they are used to treat incontinence as a result of urethral sphincter incompetence. Also known as an ovariohysterectomy, the spaying procedure removes the uterus and ovaries. Since these organs produce estrogen, the levels of this sex hormone are greatly reduced in the dog. This can reduce the tone and functionality of the internal urethral sphincter, resulting in involuntary urine loss.

Estrogen administration improves the sphincter's response to adrenergic stimulation, increasing its tone and ability to keep the bladder closed. While this can prevent the involuntary loss of urine, it can also have other affects on the dog's temperament. For this reason, estrogen drugs should only be given under strict veterinary guidance, normally sold as pills or tablets.

Dog Incontinence Medication Types - Estrogens

Parasympatholytics or anticholinergics

Anticholinergic drugs are another group of medications that are used to treat urinary incontinence in dogs. They include drugs such as acepromazine maleate, flavoxate, oxybutynin and dicyclomine. These can be pills or tablets, but they may also be sold in injectable or oral suspension formats.

These types of dog incontinence medications are used when there is an overactivity of the detrusor muscle. The detrusor muscle is the smooth muscle that forms one of the layers of the bladder wall. When the bladder is filling with urine, the detrusor muscle relaxes to allow the walls to stretch and the fluid to accumulate. During urination, the muscle contracts to allow urine to be excreted to the outside.

When the detrusor muscle is overactive, it undergoes involuntary or excessive contractions that cause involuntary urine loss. In these cases, the administration of anticholinergic drugs reduces the involuntary contraction of the detrusor muscle, decreasing urinary urgency and associated losses in the process.

If you are concerned about incontinence after ovariohysterectomy, we share what to expect if your dog is peeing a lot after spay surgery.

Dog Incontinence Medication Types - Parasympatholytics or anticholinergics

Parasympathomimetics

Parasympathomimetic drugs such as bethanechol are also used to treat certain cases of urinary incontinence in dogs. They are particularly useful when there is atony of the detrusor muscle in the bladder, i.e. abnormal muscle tone or dysfunction. In these cases, the bladder does not contract effectively and cannot empty as normal, causing urine to gradually build up until overflow incontinence occurs.

In response to these changes, parasympathomimetics stimulate muscarinic receptors in the detrusor muscle. This results in stronger and more effective contractions of the detrusor muscle, helping to effectively empty the bladder and prevent pressure buildup. before administering these types of drugs, low urethral resistance must be ensured. This is carried out by either urethral catheterization or by administering urethral muscle relaxant drugs.

Dog Incontinence Medication Types - Parasympathomimetics

Can I give canine urinary incontinence drugs to my dog?

These medications for treating urinary incontinence in dogs are not over-the-counter drugs. They should only be used when prescribed by a veterinarian. Misuse of these medications can result in serious side effects, potentially worsening the incontinence or causing secondary problems.

Many guardians try to treat urinary incontinence at home, but it is essential you go to a veterinarian to diagnose the problem. This is a symptom which can be linked to very serious health issues which can have a poor prognosis if the diagnosis is delayed. In the video below, we look at the efficacy of home treatments for urinary incontinence in dogs:

This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to Dog Incontinence Medication Types, we recommend you visit our Medicine category.

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Dog Incontinence Medication Types