• I've scheduled an appointment with the vet for Monday, but I'm wondering if anyone is familiar with these particular symptoms in a coming-up-on 7 months old puppy. Not sure if I should be worried or not.

    In the last couple weeks I've noticed a slight regression in potty training - He's had five or so pee accidents. I've been monitoring, waiting to see if it would get worse or better, but it has stayed fairly stagnant. In the last two days I've noticed an "abnormal" amount of licking in the genital areas - almost compulsively - at night (or when he's laying down doing nothing). He also had a slight accident in the bed last night (which was the first time he's done that, and the reason I decided to give the vet a holler).

    I've been monitoring him constantly today. He didn't have any other accidents besides the bed (which was only a drop or two); he'll go wait by the door, then go outside, do his thing, then come back in. But, when I took him on his walk, late in the afternoon, there was one point where he peed three times over a period of 5 minutes. It was a good sized amount each time.

    I'm not sure if this would be marking? He doesn't lift his leg, sniff around, or seem to "mark" anything in particular…but at the same time he seemed aware enough to go in the snow and not on the concrete.

    There's been no physical signs... no redness, irritation, or discharge. He doesn't strain when he urinates, go only a small amount, or act like he's in pain. The urine isn't bloody or dark looking. I haven't seen him drink an excessive amount of water either. He's not lethargic, grumpy, or skipping meals.

    Just curious if UTIs can manifest themselves so....inconspicuously (He's not on medication)? Or if there's a more likely explanation (food allergy, etc.) ? I did switch over from natural balance to TOTW not too long ago.

    • Thanks

  • My guess is that it sounds like a UTI, good that you have an appointment for him.

    Not that I think this is marking, because I don't, did want to say that marking does not entail leg lifting…. and both dogs and bitches will/can mark.


  • And some males never lift their legs when they pee either. My Billy just stretches out and has peed like a racehorse his whole life.


  • Yup Tucker still squats to pee, unless there is another male dog around, then he has to pretend to be a big dog and tries to lift his leg.


  • Oakley squats 98% of the time but if the grass is high enough and tickles his fancy the right way then he may go the extra mile and lift his leg (he doesn't do it right but it's endearing nonetheless)


  • Oh, maybe they should be gettin' a club goin'.


  • Yeah, I think that was part of the problem….he's improved on the antibiotics, but still 'marking' like a champ while on the walks. He's been frequently alternating between squatting, resting a leg on the snow, and lifting. I don't think those have anything to do with the UTI.....maybe just testing the waters?

    The vet never actually confirmed that he did have a lower tract infection. Her exact words were "We'll put him on the Clavamox for a lower tract infection since there was abnormal amount of bacteria in that area" so we may end up having to do a culture if the symptoms are simply being suppressed by the antibiotics.


  • No I don't think that would have to do with a UTI. When Tucker does decide to lift his leg he lifts his foot like an inch off the ground. I'm pretty sure if he tried to lift it higher he would end up on his face.


  • Marking on walks very rarely would have anything to do with UTI's…. However I am a bit surprised that a culture was not done with finding abnormal amount of bacteria


  • SO, we had him on antibiotics for awhile. He was doing great for a week or two, I recently had him neutered (at 8 months) to stop the marking that was beginning…he's stopped marking, but now has more issues with inappropriate urination. IE the door will be open and he'll have access to outside; he'll run outside, then inside and pee as if he doesn't have any control (a lot of urine). He also wet his bed the other day, and then attempted to make it outside. He doesn't have this same issue with defecation. He'll wake me up in the middle of the night, or go back to sleep, then wait by the door for me to open it and go outside. We took him to a second vet to check for a return UTI, the vet said there were no problems. Getting a little frusterated not knowing if this is a separate issue, or something that's been wrong with him all along that's not being seen. He's also been noticeably itchier.

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