What should I do if my dog urinates a lot?

A dog that urinates a lot may have a large drinking volume, an immature urinary bladder, a urinary system disease, heat stroke, diabetes, or other conditions. If your dog only urinates a lot and has no other abnormalities in its spirit or appetite, it's likely not a serious problem. However, if it's accompanied by poor mental state, decreased appetite, difficulty urinating, weight loss, and other symptoms, it's recommended to take the dog to a pet hospital for a comprehensive examination, such as a physical examination, urinalysis, complete blood count, biochemical examination, ultrasound examination, X-ray examination, etc., to identify the cause and treat it as soon as possible.

1. Large drinking volume

If your dog has no abnormalities in its spirit or appetite but simply urinates more, it's likely due to an increase in drinking volume. For example, hot weather and salty food can cause dogs to drink more water, which is a normal situation. However, owners should still be cautious and not feed their dogs with excessive salt, especially human food, to ensure a light diet.

1. Immature urinary bladder development

If your dog is young, excessive urination may be due to an immature urinary bladder, which is common in dogs aged 3-4 months. Owners don't need to worry too much about this, as the condition will improve as the dog grows older. However, it's essential to train your dog to urinate in a specific location.

1. Urinary system diseases

If your dog drinks less water daily and exhibits excessive urination along with poor mental state, decreased appetite, difficulty urinating, urinary pain, and frequent licking of the urethra, it may have a urinary system disease, such as bladder stones, urinary tract infection, kidney inflammation, or cystitis. In this case, it's recommended to take your dog to a pet hospital for examination and treatment according to the cause identified by the veterinarian.

1. Heat stroke

If your dog is in heat, it may also experience excessive urination, mainly to leave behind smells to attract other dogs and assert its territory. During this time, dogs may also exhibit irritability, nighttime howling, and males may urinate randomly while females may have bloody vaginal discharge. If you plan to breed your dog, you can wait for the heat cycle to pass in 3-5 days before breeding. If you don't plan to breed your dog, it's recommended to have your dog spayed or neutered at a pet hospital as soon as possible.

1. Diabetes

For older dogs, excessive urination may also be due to diabetes. Dogs with diabetes may exhibit symptoms such as increased drinking and urination, increased appetite, and weight loss. If you notice these symptoms in your dog, take it to the hospital to have its urine sugar tested immediately. Once diagnosed, appropriate treatment measures can be taken.