My dog keeps trying to pee but nothing comes out

Our question this week was:

Hi Dr. Debra – I have a seven-year-old female Basset Hound, recently I have noticed that she wants to go pee and nothing comes out. She drinks plenty of water then after a while she goes pee and goes plenty but after ten minutes from the time she went she seems to want to go again sometimes droplets.

Janet

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. You wrote that your 7-year-old Basset hound has been squatting to pee but nothing comes out.

There are several causes for symptom – the most common is a urinary problem.

It can be difficult to know with certainty that a dog is straining to urinate vs. defecate. Assuming your dog is indeed trying to urinate, there are several causes. It can be a urinary tract infection, bladder stones or a tumor. Infection and stones are the most common causes.

A couple articles that might be helpful to you are Urinary Tract Infections in Dogs and Urolithiasis in Dogs.

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

Click here to see the full list of Ask Dr. Debra Questions and Answers!