Life with Pets: Caring for a Dog that has Urinary Health Issues



Life with Pets: Caring for a Dog that has Urinary  Health Issues 


I have been a dog owner my whole life. From the day I was born, there has always been a dog in the house. 


My first dog, a small-breed mutt named Buffy passed away at the age of ten {ish} due to congestive heart failure.  My second dog, Cocoa, a Yorkie-poodle mix & so beloved by us, passed away at the age of 16 1/2 due to kidney failure. 


Dogs, like people, have health issues, this we know. Currently, I have two rambunctious boys, Riley a Yorkie rescue & Bentley {Benny} a Yorkie-Mix.


How to treat dogs with bladder stones.
Bentley Suffers from Bladder Stones 



Bentley has had ongoing Urinary-Health-related issues pretty much from the day we adopted him. We were told that he produces crystal & he always has the constant urge to pee.


This past November, he underwent extensive surgery to remove a very large bladder stone that was causing him to urinate constantly as well as urinate blood. Plus, he was probably in a lot of discomfort due to his infection/stone. 


While his surgery was a success in removing his large bladder stone, we would still say he is incontinent. Yes, dogs can be incontinent too. 


Bentley is still young, only five years old, but I am sure there are other pet owners who have pets that have either urinary health-related issues & or dogs who are incontinent. Being so, I wanted to compose a blog post of a few of the things we have in Bentley's life to help with a dog's urinary health as well as tips for living with a dog that is incontinent--you can't have a dog who pees everywhere, it would ruin your home! 


How to care for pets with urinary health issues.
Caring for a Dog that has Urinary  Health Issues 

Belly Bands


I have to say, male dog belly bands {they have female belly bands too} have been our home's saving grace for Bentley's incontinence. You can buy belly bands on Amazon, but we didn't like any of them. They were bulky, big, & uncomfortable looking. Today,  I use the Etsy shop, Cody's Haven


I found an Etsy shop that makes soft/fleece dog belly bands & that is what Bentley wears. While we take him out, the band is extra protection for when he just has the urge to go. We use an {unscented} female pad on the band to keep it clean & wash it by hand every few days. 


Sometimes, a bit of skin irritation occurs due to wearing a belly band. When this happens, we use a baby diaper ointment on the irritated skin area & when Bentley is crated at night, we remove his band so he can air out. 



To improve Bentley's urinary health, we feed him a dog cranberry supplement

Riley & Bentley 


Cranberry Chews 


While Bentley is on a prescription urinary health dog food, we also feed him cranberry chews {Cranbladder Chews} that we buy on Amazon. I believe they are good for both cats & dogs  {I know cats get urinary tract infections} & they just help support that part of his health.


In addition to cranberry chews, we sometimes add low sugar dried cranberries to his hard food. It's also important for dogs with crystals to drink water & sometimes we add the wet version of his prescription food to his hard food for extra water intake. 


I found this article on Pet MD to be helpful with caring for pets with bladder stones


Bentley post-surgery wearing a pet comfy cone 


Comfy Cone


If you get to the point where your pet has to have his/her bladder stones removed, like Bentley {or any other surgery} the soft/comfy pet cone instead of the hard plastic cone was a lifesaver post-surgery. It's soft, like an airplane neck-pillow & is easily adjustable with velcro straps. 


Of course, before adding anything new to your pet's diet & lifestyle, always consult with your veterinarian. These are some of the practices approved by our vet, to help Bentley with his bladder stones & overall health.  


For more dog-related content, follow me on Instagram @katelynchef 

Caring for pets with Bladder Stones





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