Adult dog peeing in the house overnight...

[rhoernke]

Any suggestions for my little girl? She is an adult dalmatian, and she was spayed prior to getting her. She has been in the house for 9 months without a hitch or accident. Over the last week, she has started peeing in the same location in the living room during the night. She has no accidents during the day while I'm at work, but has gone potty in the house 6 out of the last 9 nights. No signs of stones in her urine, and she is on a good diet recommended by the rescue we got her from. Any suggestions?

[Prin]

Does she pee while sleeping, or does she pee deliberately? (i.e. does she squat?) Is she wet at all when she wakes up? I'm just wondering if this might be spay incontinence, which is caused by low estrogen levels, which weakens the bladder muscles. If it is spay incontinence, she'll sort of leak as she sleeps.

[rhoernke]

No leaking, she gets up, and leaves the bedroom. She sleeps in the bedroom, but goes just outside the bedroom door to go pee. I can't really tell when it happens, but she stays in the bed 99% of the night, getting out at some point, then coming back on to the bed.

[Prin]

hmm... What has the vet said about it?

[rhoernke]

I am taking her to the vet in two days... (off of work) At first it seemed like a behavioral activity, and not a medical problem. I thought I would try researching this through other dog-owners in the meantime.

[Prin]

I think it might be a medical thing. Just because it's unusual behavior for her.

[rhoernke]

Thank you for the input, I will reply to this post after the vet... Your info is greatly appreciated.

[Prin]

Good luck! The forum is usually busier in the daytime, so check in again tomorrow- you might have more points of view.

[mummummum]

I'm with Prin in thinking it's a physical issue rather than behavioural. When Ceili was younger she was very prone to UTI's. At the onset of the UTI she didn't pee in the house during the day, only when I was asleep (if I didn't catch the UTI within a few days of onset she did start peeing during the day). My theory was that she didn't drink as much water during the day as the bulk of her heavy exercise was in the evening - so she had a fuller bladder in the middle of the night than during the day. If it does turn out to be a UTI - we had great success over the longterm (post antibiotics and when they just didn't work !) with mega-cranberry pills (drugstore/healthstore purchase) as an addition to her food.

[SarahLynn123]

OMG I thought I was alone!!!!!!!!!!

Definatly rule out medical first but if its not medical we are in the same boat. Belle is a wierd wierd dog also. If we dont lock her in our room she will go out into the hall way and pee up to 8 times!!! Just little spots though. If she is in our room she is fine, never an accident and if she has to go outside she barks 3 times and we get up and let her out. She never pees in the house during the day or evening just when we are in bed sleeping and she gets out of our room.

After many months of trial and error we figured out what works. We put a baby gate on the door and close the door just enough so the cat can come in and out but Belle cant fit through the crack. It has never failed.

Belle was a rescue and I think a bit neurotic! She has no medical problems and I have to drag her outside in the morning to pee, she can hold it for ever, I swear!

Good luck and if you have any questions let me know!