Potty accidents in the house are among the most frustrating situations most dog owners have to deal with. Even though this is a widespread problem in dogs of all ages, it can cause a considerable deal of tension and aggravation for both you and your pet. You are trying your best but you don’t see any success, some medical conditions might be hindering the puppy’s potty training.
The good news is that once you figure out what’s causing the problem, it’s usually quite simple to cure.
Continue reading to learn more about some of the most common medical reasons why your puppy may be having accidents.
(When you are facing a lot of potty accidents at home while you are trying your best, it’s better to make sure that you are not making any mistakes, following the procedure appropriately, and giving your puppy enough time to learn.
Even after everything seems to be perfect, but your puppy is still having accidents, then start looking for any possible medical conditions.
These points are not to scare you, so immediately after reading this article don’t pick your buddy and run to the vet. Look for everything mentioned above at first.)
Medical problems
1- Stress
A possible cause of stress is the first thing to consider. If your dog is dealing with a lot of stress, it may have a negative effect on his potty habits as well. As a result, your puppy will not go outside to relieve himself.
Your dog may become nervous, especially if you bring another pet into the house and your dog does not receive as much care as he or she used to.
Alternatively, his favorite housemate may have moved out, or you may have become a mother and find yourself with insufficient time to spend with your pooch. One or more of these factors may cause stress in your furry friend.
It is more likely that your dog may regress in training when something unexpected occurs in his or her life rather than when everything is planned or predicted.
2- Anxiety
If your dog is confronted with unexpected situations that cause him to become anxious, he will not urinate outside and will instead defecate in your home.
Anything that can cause your dog to get anxious will lead to the potty training process being harder. Some pups are overwhelmed by anxiety, but others struggle to manage worry and leave messes for their parents to clean up after them.
Different events and situations have many different effects on dogs, but the most prevalent causes of canine anxiety include separation anxiety, loud noise anxiety, fireworks anxiety, and even thunder anxiety.
When a dog’s family goes through a period of tremendous transition or tragedy, he or she may feel uneasy. House training regression may occur if your dog is exposed to any of the anxiety-inducing scenarios mentioned above.
Other Medical Issues
The potty training process may be delayed or not progressive if there are a variety of common illnesses and medical problems that frequently cause puppies to have accidents in the house – some of these include urinary tract infections, bladder stones, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, Cushing’s disease, and prostate or bladder tumors, to name a few.
1- UTI infection/bladder stones
Both UTI infection and bladder stones are the topmost issues causing a delay in the potty training process.
When it comes to little dogs, especially pups, it might be challenging to recognize the signs of UTI illness without a vet. So you think everything is fine, but why is your puppy not gaining any progress in puppy training; the answer is hidden UTI infections.
AKC suggests that: UTIs are uncomfortable at best, and downright dangerous at worst.
Typical symptoms are:
- Increased frequency of urine or peeing only in a small quantity is likely to be among the most common symptoms. You may detect dribbling in the urine of senior dogs.
- Difficulty in urination or straining.
- Presence of pus/blood in the urine
- Crying while urinating: Puppies usually never cry when they have to go to the bathroom!
- Pain in the abdominal area upon touching
- Changes in the urine‘s appearance and color can include a dark tint, a foul odor, or a hazy appearance. In most cases, a foul odor indicates the presence of uterine infection.
- Puppy spend a significant amount of time licking their genital area.
- Lethargy
Here’s everything you need to know about UTI (urinary tract infection) in dogs and puppies.
2- Diabetes
The pancreas of a diabetic dog does not produce the appropriate amount of insulin, causing his blood sugar levels to fluctuate. When the dog’s blood sugar levels rise, his kidneys send out signals that he should urinate more frequently because high blood sugar levels are hazardous to numerous organs—so the kidneys of the dog attempt to rid themselves of the poison.
Incontinence occurs, often known as involuntary urination, resulting from this cycle of events, which leads to a delay in the potty training process.
Symptoms of Diabetes
- Excessive thirst: It is possible that the dog will drink more regularly and will empty the water bowl more frequently.
- Increased frequency of urinating: The dog may begin to ask to go outside regularly and may begin to have “accidents” in the house. Increased urination (as well as increased thirst) occurs due to the body’s attempt to rid itself of excess sugar by excreting it through the urine, along with the water that has bonded to the sugar.
- Loss of weight: Even after consuming typical meals, a puppy can lose weight. This is because the dog is not processing nutrients from its meal efficiently.
- An Increased desire to eat: The dog can be starving all of the time because the body’s cells are not getting enough glucose, even when the dog is consuming a typical amount of food.
3- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
CKD is one of the chief causes of delaying potty training in puppies. The signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease (CKD) might be severe or modest and slowly progressive. However, the chronic nature of the disease, signs, and symptoms might emerge suddenly at any time.
Some of the more typical indications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) include:
- Excessive drinking (polydipsia)
- Urinating more often
- Excessive urine in the bladder may cause or aggravate incontinence (leaking urine), which is particularly common throughout the night.
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Excessive weight loss
- General depression as a result of an increase in waste products in the blood
- Anemia, which manifests as pale gums and weakness as a result of a low blood count
- General weakness as a result of low potassium levels in the blood
Signs that are less common include:
- Bone fractures
- High blood pressure
- Itchy skin because of calcium and phosphorus deposition
- Bruising of the skin
- Bleeding into the stomach or intestine
4- Cushing’s disease
Another major cause of hindrance in puppy potty training is Cushing’s disease. It can lead to severe degeneration of the puppy body along with other fatal symptoms
Signs and Symptoms of Canine Cushing’s Syndrome
- Increased thirst
- Urinating more often.
- Increased desire to eat
- Hair loss and thinning of body hair, particularly on the back and abdomen.
- Pot Bellied appearance
- Abrupt decrease in muscle mass
- Thin and fragile skin
- Decreased levels of general body activity
- Panting
- Multiple skin issues
- Pigmentation lesions on the skin that are dark in color.
- Recurring urinary tract infections
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
5- Prostate or Bladder tumors
Prostate or Bladder tumors are also one of the primary causes of extending the potty training tenure. These cancers are sometimes symptomless, so thorough digital examination by a vet is required.
Symptoms of Prostate or Bladder tumors:
- Urinating only small amounts at a time
- Urinating more frequently than normal
- Straining to urinate
- Incontinence
- Urine may be dark brown or have a red tint to it.
- Blood may ooze out from the penis in most severe conditions
- Because the prostate enlargement may be pressing on the colon, which collects feces (poop), making it difficult for the puppy to urinate properly.
- Take more time to position while doing potty
Note: Sometimes, when prostate cancer is in its early stages, your dog may not exhibit any signs or symptoms at all.
Suppose your dog does have a medical problem. In that case, you will not be able to control the accidents until the underlying problem is identified and appropriately addressed – thus, you should always rule out a medical problem before attempting any training or behavior modification to correct the problem.
If you feel like, there is anything wrong with your fellow, make sure to rule out these conditions by visiting the vet.
(Note: This article is reviewed and approved by a Veterinarian doctor Muqeet Mushtaq DVM (UVAS). However, this website provides information only, we disclaim any liability for your reliance on any opinions or advice contained on this website. So, we highly recommend visiting your dog’s vet and consult him for an opinion and treatment. Please read our disclosures and disclaimers here)
