Expert: Delores Beck - 9/25/2008

Question
Our housetrained 11 y/o cocker spaniel has started urinating in the house when our daughter comes home from college over the weekends. Our daughter comes in calls her and she just squats and pees.  What would cause this behavior in an otherwise well-behaved dog.

Answer
I'd definitely get a urinalysis (& culture) done on her.  If that's all clear then your vet has medication that will help her bladder muscles.

so make sure she doesn't have a touch of urinary tract infection first and if this is only happening under the circumstances you describe, you may be able to handle it by being more alert and making sure she gets out every couple of hours.

It could be a combination of age-weakened bladder plus excitement plus a full bladder.

So it's not really a "behavior" but rather something she can't help.

If this were my 11 year old, I'd be doing a full Wellness check plus the urinalysis/culture.  I'd want to know the precise condition of her kidneys.

Delores