What's going on when my dog keeps licking its urethra?

Dog keeps licking urethra

1. Cleaning around urethral opening

Some dogs are very clean and will lick around the urethral opening after urination to clean themselves. If this is the case, there is nothing to worry about. This is a normal behavior for dogs to maintain personal hygiene.

2. In heat

When a dog is in heat, there may be some secretions around the urethral opening. This can cause the dog to constantly lick the urethra. At the same time, the dog may also show behaviors like wanting to go outside or approach opposite-sex dogs. For female dogs, it is recommended to wear sanitary pants and clean the urethral opening more often to prevent infection caused by constant licking.

3. Urethritis

When a dog has urethritis, itching can cause the dog to frequently lick the urethral opening. There may also be symptoms like difficulty urinating, painful urination, cloudy urine, and thin urine. Severe urethritis can even cause urinary retention, hematuria, and lethargy, loss of appetite. If the owner notices these symptoms, it is recommended to take the dog to a professional pet hospital in time to avoid more serious urinary system diseases.

4. Urethral infection or stones

If the dog shows signs of constant licking of the urethra, along with frequent urination but unable to empty the bladder, it is likely due to a urethral infection or stones. Because of the pain, the dog will lick the urethra to alleviate the pain and help urinate. In this case, it is recommended to take the dog to the pet hospital for treatment promptly.

If your dog is just cleaning around the urethral opening after urination and shows no other abnormal symptoms, there is no need to worry. However, if the dog has difficulty urinating and other symptoms, it is necessary to pay attention. It is recommended to take the dog to a pet hospital as soon as possible for examination and treatment to avoid delaying the disease.