Dog Peeing A Lot – Unravel The Mystery!

It’s worrisome if your dog starts to urinate more than usual. Frequently, excessive or continual urination in dogs, known medically as pollakiuria, can indicate that there are underlying health issues, like diabetes in dogs.

However, before you start worrying about frequent or excessive urination in your fur baby, please take a look at the guide below. Often, it may be something as simple as your dog drinking too much water due to the warm weather or the arrival of the “heat season” in unspayed female dogs.

This guide covers all the possible causes of frequent urination in our canine pals.

Why Is My Dog Peeing a Lot?

According to the vets at PetMD, if your dog is peeing excessively, the possible causes may include the following:

Territory marking

Dogs tend to indulge in excessive peeing – a natural instinct – when they want to convey to other dogs that “this is my territory”.  Generally, male dogs will show territory marking as a part of the dog’s routines more often than female dogs, although unspayed females may pee a lot just before their heat cycle. 

This helps them inform other dogs about their “availability” for mating. Territory marking is more common in adult dogs that have not been fixed.

While this is normal behavior, it may be best to neuter your dog if it is urinating indoors.

Urinary Tract Infection

Another possible cause of frequent urination in dogs is bladder infection. Issues like bladder stones or inflammation of the dog’s bladder or kidneys can cause painful urination in dogs.

Your pet might strain to pee and only produce a few drops each time. The urine may also be cloudy, red, or brown. It may also have a strong odor.

If you notice blood in your dog’s urine, please see your vet immediately. They will prescribe antibiotics to prevent bacterial growth.  Urinary tract infections must not be ignored, as they can result in complications.

Your vet will test your dog’s pee for white blood cells. An increase in them is an indicator of UTI in our canine pals.

Cushing’s Disease

Also known as Cushing’s syndrome, this condition can result in frequent urination in dogs. The syndrome triggers excess hormone production. In addition to excessive urination, the affected dog may also develop a pot-bellied appearance. Its coat may appear dull. They may also suffer from frequent bladder infections.

Canine Diabetes (Diabetes Mellitus)

Dog diabetes causes dogs to drink excess water. This, in turn, results in excessive urination. Other symptoms of dog diabetes include appetite changes, weight loss, etc. Dog diabetes can be life-threatening without medicines, so it is important to rule it out, especially in senior dogs who pee too much.

Kidney Disease/Kidney Infection/Kidney Failure

Another common reason behind excessive urination, or pollakiuria, in dogs is kidney disease caused by improper kidney filters.

If your dog has this issue, please follow the healthy diet, treatment plan, fluid therapy, and other medicines prescribed by your vet. Pet parents must not ignore kidney issues in their dogs and see the vet for frequent urination and excessive drinking in dogs.

Drugs or Medicines

Older dog pees excessively if it is given certain medications. The condition is usually reversed once the medicines are stopped.

Urinary Incontinence

Senior dogs pee frequently with urinary incontinence and may also suffer from urine leaks and increased urination at night. The urine may leak at night while the dog is asleep.

According to experts, one out of five spayed female dogs tends to develop urinary incontinence (known as spay incontinence) 2-5 years after the spay surgery. 

Treatment for urinary incontinence to stop dogs’ frequent urination are medicines that improve urinary sphincter tone. Fixed female dog may be given estrogen to control increased urination. This is especially needed for hormone-responsive incontinence.

Psychological Causes of Frequent Urination

Frequent urination in young, excitable, or hyper dogs is also common. The dog may pee frequently when visitors arrive or dogs pee just before they are to be taken out on car rides. This type of excessive peeing usually resolves once the puppy is an adult. 

Some dogs with separation anxiety might also pee indoors when left alone. Similarly, submissive dogs may pee when dominated or bullied by other dogs.

Also read: Why is My Dog Peeing on My Bed?

How Much Is Too Much Peeing for a Dog? How Often is Too Often for a Dog to Pee?

Adult older dogs should pee 3-5 times a day, with a window of 6-8 hours between pees. Young dogs need to pee more often due to their smaller bladders. 

Your dog’s body weight will determine how frequently it needs to pee.

In general, smaller dogs with lower body weight will need to pee more frequently as their bladder fills rapidly, while larger dog breeds can go up to 6-8 hours between pee breaks.

When you are potty training and crate training your puppy, please ensure that it gets frequent potty breaks between short periods of crating. This is important to prevent more accidents. Also, frequent urination will lead to excess urine production and help prevent urinary infections.  Puppy peeing in the crate can indicate it is not getting adequate potty breaks.

Why Is My Dog Peeing a Lot of Clear Urine?

If your dog is peeing a lot of clear urine or discolored urine, then it means it isn’t able to concentrate the urine. It can also mean that your dog is well-hydrated and that there is nothing to worry about. Healthy dogs produce urine that is pale yellow, amber, clear yellow, pale gold, or straw yellow.

Here is what urine color indicates in dogs:

• Dark Yellow – Healthy adult dogs produce dark urine.
• Bright yellow – this means your dog needs to drink more water.
• Orange urine – several underlying medical conditions can cause orange urine in dogs. Bile duct issues, bacterial infection/urinary bladder infection, severe dehydration, liver disease, gall bladder issues, and pancreatic issues can all be a cause.
• Red, pink, and brown urine – this indicates urinary tract infections, kidney infections, or bladder infections as well as other underlying health conditions like cystitis, clotting disorder, and certain cancers like bladder cancer.
• Brown to black urine – toxins, drugs like acetaminophen, certain foods like garlic or onions, etc. can be causes of brown-black urine in dogs. 

What To Do About Frequent or Excessive Urination in your Dog?

A dog’s frequent urination may or may not be a cause for concern. In some cases, it may be that your dog is experiencing increased thirst and is drinking more than usual. In such cases, dogs tend to pee more often than usual.

In other cases, adrenal glands issue, kidney disease, kidney failure, bladder infections, or urinary tract infections may be the cause of increased urination. 

In any case, if your puppies peeing is abnormal with color changes and odor or is accompanied by bloody urine, blood-stained vaginal discharge, difficulty urinating, etc. then blood tests may be needed to show the exact cause.

FAQs – Frequent Urination in Dogs

Why is my male dog peeing so much all of a sudden?

Increased activity, age, and warm temperatures may cause excessive thirst in dogs, followed by excessive peeing. If excessive urination is accompanied by urine color changes and odor, please see your vet.

Why is my dog acting weird and peeing a lot?

Hormonal imbalance, territory marking in unspayed animals, the arrival of heat season in bitches, and even a neighboring bitch in season around male dogs can cause behavioral changes along with 

Why is my dog peeing so much but no UTI?

Frequent urination in dogs without UTI, bladder stones, or kidney issues could be a result of diabetes, Cushing’s disease, etc. Sometimes, it may be something simpler, like territory marking, if the dog is not de-sexed. Fixed animals also show an inability to hold urine.

How many times a day is it normal for a dog to pee?

It is normal for adult dogs to pee 3-5 times a day. Young puppies need to pee more frequently – at least 6-8 times a day, even more.

Conclusion – Dog Frequent Urination

If your dog frequently urinates, then it may be due to increased thirst. If there are no other symptoms, then it should be fine. If, however, your dog shows other symptoms like weight loss, poor coat, excess hair fall, abnormal colored urine, odor in urine, blood in urine, along with appetite changes, then please see the vet immediately.