How to Treat a Bladder Infection in Dogs

Just when you thought your dog’s house training days were behind you, and you could rely on your pup to make it outside to pee, they suddenly start having accidents out of the blue. Is it a behavior regression or could it be a sign of a bladder infection? Bladder infections, also known as bacterial cystitis, or urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect about 14 percent of dogs.

Common signs of a bladder infection in dogs include frequent urination, straining to urinate, blood in their urine, or whimpering during urination. Dogs may also display increased thirst, have accidents in the house, have strong-smelling urine, and/or excessively lick their genital area. Some dogs become lethargic, show other signs of discomfort, or even have a fever. Many of these signs can also occur with other serious medical conditions so it is important to have your pup seen by a vet right away if they have any of them.

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How to tell if your dog has a bladder infection

Often, the first signs of a bladder infection are changes in a dog’s urinary patterns. You may also notice other physical and behavioral signs including:

Bladder infection symptoms

• Frequent urination: dogs with bladder infections often need to urinate more often and with urgency. 

• Accidents in the house: Due to the urgency and the frequent need to pee, they may have urinary accidents indoors even when they are typically well potty trained.

• Increased water consumption: Dogs with UTIs may drink more water to keep up with their hydration since they are peeing more often.

• Straining to pee: UTIs cause inflammation within the urinary tract so dogs often feel like they have to pee due to that irritation, even if their bladder is empty. This sensation leads them to strain to pee.

• Whimpering when urinating: The inflammation within their urinary tract is painful and some dogs may whimper while trying to pee or even before and after urinating.

• Excessive licking after peeing: Dogs often lick to try to soothe painful areas and they may lick at their bellies or genital region due to painful urination.

• Discolored urine: Dogs with UTIs often have changes in their urine including a cloudy appearance, urine that is darker than normal, or bloody. Sometimes this can be nearly impossible to see if your dog is urinating in the grass, however.

Can you inspect your dog’s urine for signs of a bladder infection?

While there are some visible changes you can see in your dog’s urine, the only way to confirm a bladder infection is with a urinalysis performed at your veterinary clinic. This test allows microscopic analysis of a urine sample to detect signs of an infection that are not visible to the naked eye. Some of the changes you might see include: 

What to look for in your dog’s urine

• Reduced volume: Dogs who are peeing frequently due to discomfort will urinate smaller amounts each time. 

• Blood in urine: Sometimes you may see obvious blood in the urine when a dog has a UTI; however, other times only microscopic amounts of blood are present.

• Strong odor: Often bladder infections cause a bad odor to the urine, but this is not always the case.

• Cloudy urine: Urine may have a more opaque or cloudy appearance when there is a bladder infection. This can be difficult to observe if your dog is peeing outdoors.

Conditions that predispose dogs to bladder infections

Bladder infections can happen for many different reasons and there is not always a clear underlying condition that leads to them. The majority of bladder infections in dogs are caused by bacteria, although occasionally dogs can have viral or fungal infections as well. Certain underlying conditions are associated with bladder infections so it is important to check for these, especially in dogs with recurring UTIs. This includes:

Conditions that predispose dogs to bladder infection

• Bladder stones: There are many different types of bladder stones caused by different biological processes. All bladder stones are very irritating to the lining of the bladder and can cause repeated trauma which can make the bladder more vulnerable to infections.

• Kidney disease: Kidney disease causes the urine to be more dilute than normal, which allows bacteria to grow more easily and puts dogs at risk for infections. 

• Diabetes: Diabetes also causes the urine to be more dilute as well as to contain abnormal amounts of sugar, both of which can create a welcoming environment for bacteria to grow. 

• Tumors or bladder cancer: Cancer within the bladder or anywhere in the urinary tract can disrupt the body’s natural defenses against infection and make dogs more likely to develop UTIs.

• Prostate issues: Prostate infections, an enlarged prostate, or even prostatic cancer can also disrupt the normal defenses to bladder infections and are a good reason to neuter male dogs.  

• Hormone imbalances: Other hormone imbalances including Cushing’s disease and certain steroid medications also cause dilute urine and suppress the immune system, which can predispose dogs to bladder infections. 

• Anatomy: Abnormal anatomy such as a hooded vulva or ectopic ureters can also create environments that favor bacteria and put dogs at risk for UTIs.

Related article

How to Treat Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) in Dogs

If your pup’s bathroom habits have changed, they might have a UTI. Here’s how to help.

Is your dog’s bladder infection serious? 

Bladder infections should always be taken seriously and always warrant a trip to the vet. Not only are they very painful and distressing to your pup, but they can snowball into life-threatening problems, including kidney infections known as pyelonephritis and/or systemic infections, known as sepsis.

Additionally, there are other serious health problems that can have a lot of the same signs as a UTI, so it is very important to get an accurate diagnosis from a vet and treat your pup appropriately. Be sure to follow all of your vet’s recommendations and finish all medications as directed. 

When to consult a vet

• Any signs or symptoms of a urinary problem: It is always necessary to have your dog checked out by a vet when they start showing changes in their urinary habits. In addition to UTIs, changes in urination can also be associated with other serious medical problems.

• Dog demonstrates pain: Any dog showing signs of pain should see a vet promptly to get relief as well as get to the bottom of what’s causing their pain.

• Evidence of bleeding: Blood in the urine or any unknown cause for bleeding is always a sign to seek veterinary care for your pup. 

• Prolonged lethargy: If your dog is suddenly sleeping all the time, hiding, unwilling to play or go for walks, something is up, and it’s worth a trip to the vet.

• Changes in appetite: Dogs who are sick or in pain may have a decreased appetite or skip meals altogether. This is especially concerning if your pup is normally a chowhound and is a clear sign that they aren’t feeling well.

Bottom line

• Dogs with bladder infections can have many different symptoms.

• If your dog has had repeated UTIs it is especially important to have them checked for predisposing factors that may be leading to repeat infections.

• If you suspect your dog has a bladder infection, see a vet right away to avoid more serious complications.

References

• Bloch, Rebecca, et al. “Veterinary antimicrobial prescribing practices for treatment of presumptive sporadic urinary tract infections in dogs examined at primary care practices in the United States (2010–2019).” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, vol. 260, no. S2, 21 May 2022. 

• Brown, Scott. “Bacterial cystitis in small animals.” Merck Veterinary Manual, 2015.

• Olin, Shelly, et al. “Urinary tract infections.” Veterinary Clinics: Small Animal Practice, vol. 45, no. 4, July 2015, pp. 721-746.