What is the problem if a dog can't hold its pee?

A dog that can't hold its pee may be due to incomplete development, drinking too much water, being scared, old age, or having urinary system diseases. If this situation has only happened a couple of times, it's usually not a big deal, and it might just be because the dog has drunk too much water or been scared. However, if the dog's urination was previously normal but suddenly can't hold its pee, it is likely to have a urinary system disease. In this case, the owner should take the dog to the pet hospital immediately for examination and treatment to prevent the condition from worsening.

Incomplete development

If the dog is young, it may have incomplete development of the urination center, which could lead to inability to hold pee. However, as the dog gets older, the time it can hold pee will probably get longer, so owners don't need to worry too much.

Drinking too much water

If a dog recently drank too much water or ate foods with high water content, its bladder will be constantly full of urine, making it unable to control urine. This is a normal situation, as long as the dog has a normal diet and good mental state, there's nothing to worry about.

Being scared

Some dogs who are easily scared may also exhibit inability to hold pee or leak urine after being frightened. This is a normal physiological response of the body and can recover on its own after the dog gets over the scare, without needing special treatment. However, owners should try to avoid situations that might scare their dogs.

Old age

As a dog ages, its nervous system's response ability decreases, and its ability to control its urine also decreases, leading to inability to hold pee. There is hardly any good solution for this, but acupuncture or laser therapy can be tried, although the effectiveness cannot be guaranteed.

Having urinary system diseases

If a dog has symptoms such as frequent urination, burning or painful urination, and dribbling urine in addition to being unable to hold pee, it might have a urinary system disease, such as urinary tract infection, cystitis, or urinary stones. Stones and inflammation stimulate the mucosa of the urinary system for a long time, causing the dog to be unable to hold urine for a long time and exhibit frequent urination. This is a serious problem, and owners should take their dogs to the pet hospital as soon as they discover it.