[jajensen]

Sorry this is a long one but I really need help. My husband and I have a four month old Basset Hound puppy who LOVES water and runs to the bowl every time she comes in from outside and will drink until the water is gone if you let her.

We crate trained her and she will pee in her pen (even if only in there for an hour) and everywhere else and needs to be taken out multiple times an hour. Because of this we have restricted her water during the day and especially before bed.

I took her to the vet and he did a urine test and her concentration is really low so she is getting more water than her body needs and said she might have Cushing's or Addison's disease. After reading up on these diseases neither quite fit as she is under six years old and isn't lethargic and doesn't have a decreased appetite.

Any ideas? Testing for these two diseases is $310 and I really don't want to pay to test for something that could just be behavioral.

[cigwyllt]

What a worry, have you noticed any improvement since you started to restrict her access to water?

[Nerodia]

Hi, Jajensen,

I don't know what Addison's disease is, but Cushing's is the canine (and equine) version of diabetes, and one of the symptoms is excessive thirst. I know the tests are expensive, but if it were my pup, I'd get her tested for these physiological problems--at least Cushings--before doing anything else.

The fact that she is peeing in her pen is a red flag for me, because it goes against every instinct that dogs are born with. In the wild, a dog that soiled their own den would be a dead dog, because the scent of urine or feces would lead predators right to them.

Just my $.02. Good luck.

Nerodia

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by Nerodia

Hi, Jajensen,

I don't know what Addison's disease is, but Cushing's is the canine (and equine) version of diabetes, and one of the symptoms is excessive thirst. I know the tests are expensive, but if it were my pup, I'd get her tested for these physiological problems--at least Cushings--before doing anything else.

The fact that she is peeing in her pen is a red flag for me, because it goes against every instinct that dogs are born with. In the wild, a dog that soiled their own den would be a dead dog, because the scent of urine or feces would lead predators right to them.

Just my $.02. Good luck.

Nerodia

Cushings and Canine diabetes are not the same thing. Cushings is a result of an too much andrenal hormone production. Diabetes is caused by the insufficient production of insulin. These are 2 different diseases.

[Nerodia]

Originally Posted by Yogi

Cushings and Canine diabetes are not the same thing. Cushings is a result of an too much andrenal hormone production. Diabetes is caused by the insufficient production of insulin. These are 2 different diseases.

Oops--You are absolutely right, Yogi. Thanks for the correction!

[CorkyMax]

I can't believe your vet did not do a blood workup as this would tell a lot---esp about kidney and liver functions!!! A urine test is definitely not good enough for an answer to much! Unless something is missing from your post--I think I'd see a dif. vet! And if you do decide to see another vet---Get all the records from your 1st vet to take to the new vet!! You have a right to this info--You paid for it!!---Will save you money by not repeating things! Will quote from my very good Home Vet Book----INCREASED THIRST AND FREQUENT URINATION---These are signs of KIDNEY FAILURE. Aging alone is not (Yes, I know your pup is only 4 months old!--Please read on)--a cause of kidney failure,but kidney diseases tend to be slowly progressive, so symptoms often appear later in life. (Me talking here--As your dog is young and kidney failure tends to be slowly progressive--You may have a hard time KNOWING there is a kidney disease happening at this time---BLOOD TESTS!) The dog urinates more frequently because the kidneys have lost the ability to concentrates wastes. These dogs are thirsty and drink larger amounts of water to compensate. Note that increased thirst and urination also occur with diabetes AND Cushing's syndrome, two diseases that tend to occur in middle-aged and older dogs.
----A dog with failing kidneys may be unable to keep from wetting in the house, esp. at night. Take the dog out several times a day and just before bedtime. BE SURE to keep fresh water available at ALL TIMES! DO NOT REDUCE WATER INTAKE IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE INCONTINENCE! THIS MAY PUSH THE DOG INTO ACUTE KIDNEY FAILURE!

KIDNEY FAILURE (UREMIA)
Kidney failure is defined as the inability of the kidneys to remove waste products from the blood. The buildup of toxins produces the signs and symptoms of uremic poisoning. Kidney failure can appear suddenly (acute kidney failure) or come on gradually over months. Most cases are of the gradual onset type, and are caused by nephritis and nephrosis.

---Causes of ACUTE KIDNEY FAILURE include:
1.---Complete urinary tract obstruction caused by a stone.
2.---Rupture of the bladder or urethra.
3.---Shock, with inadequate blood flow to the kidneys.
4.---Congestive heart failure with low blood pressure and reduced blood flow to the kidneys.
5.---Poisoning, esp. from antifreeze.
Dogs with kidney failure do not show signs of uremia until 75% of functioning kidney tissue is destroyed. Thus a considerable amount of damage occurs before the signs are noticed.

As kidney function declines, the dog retains ammonia, nitrogen, acids and other chemical wastes in his blood and tissues. This is called uremia. The degree of uremia is determined by measuring serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine and electrolytes. (NOTE---These are blood tests!!)[/COLOR][B]

Some words you may want to put in your browser: dogs/Bun; dogs/creatinine; dogs/electrolytes; dogs/nephritis; dogs/nephrosis; dogs/uremia; puppy/kidney disease; puppy/increased thirst and urination; dogs/B vitamins and so forth.

Being as your puppy is peeing so much--Prob. losing the B vitamins--flushing them out!

I am no expert! Even if this ends up not being kidney problems (and I hope it is not!)--I suggest getting bloodwork done including the electrolytes and sounds like a new vet may be in order. This should cost under $100--My vet would charge about $50-60 for the main bloodwork--electrolytes included would be a little more--guessing $30-35 more.---You can always call and ask!!

One other thing---You say she runs to the water bowl as soon as she comes in from OUTSIDE. Is there anything out there that she could be eating/licking/salty that would make her thirsty!? May be a slim possibility but I would watch what all she does while she is out there! Is she eating anything--plants, grass, etc. esp. in large quantities---May seem unlikely--but I would still check it out!


This I just found on the 'net'-----
Normal water intake in dogs is 60 to 100 ml/kg of body weight per day. This amount can vary with exercise and weather conditions. Encourage owners to report episodes of excessive drinking or elimination.