What could cause uncontrolled urination in a cocker spaniel?
Q: “My two-year old female cocker spaniel has always urinated when she gets excited, but it seems to be getting worse. We had company this weekend, and she went crazy leaving puddles on the floor, the furniture, and the guests! Could she have a bladder infection, or is this just one of those “cocker” traits?” A: Excitement urination and possibly a urinary tract infection could cause this. Your dog has what sounds like excitement urination. Young dogs that are not completely developed neuromuscularly and that have excitable personalities often suffer from this. Generally, any exciting stimulus can trigger excitement urination. Typically, affected dogs outgrow this disorder. Your cocker spaniel is two years old, so it is unlikely that she will outgrow this problem. Keys to controlling this disorder include the following: • Take her outside frequently so that she can empty her bladder often and thus keep it empty. • Try to teach her to relax and ignore excitable situations. The goal is to
