PetsCareLab

If you notice your dog needing to go outside to pee more often than usual, or if they suddenly start having accidents indoors or squatting frequently during walks, it’s always wise to consult your veterinarian.

Below, you’ll find helpful guidelines on how much dogs typically urinate and some common reasons why your furry friend might be peeing more than usual.

How Much Should Dogs Pee?

The typical volume and frequency of your dog’s urination depend on several elements, such as their hydration levels and any underlying health concerns.

Adult Dogs

Generally, healthy adult dogs can comfortably hold their urine for 6 to 8 hours. On average, an adult dog produces about 20 to 40 milliliters of urine per kilogram of body weight over a 24-hour period. For example, a 20-pound dog usually urinates roughly 6 to 12 ounces daily, while a 45-pound dog might produce between 14 to 28 ounces.

Puppies

Puppies tend to pee more frequently since they’re in the midst of potty training and their little bodies require more water to prevent dehydration. Depending on their age, puppies should be taken outside to urinate every 2 to 6 hours. As a rule of thumb, puppies can hold their urine for a number of hours equivalent to their age in months—for instance, a 2-month-old puppy should be able to wait about 2 hours.

By the time pups are around 6 to 8 months old, their urination needs will align more with their lifestyle and any existing health conditions.

Senior Dogs

Older dogs might need to urinate more often due to medical conditions or cognitive decline, which can cause them to forget they’ve already gone potty outside or that they even need to go.

When to Visit a Vet for Frequent or Excessive Urination

While frequent or increased urination usually isn’t an urgent emergency, you should make an appointment with your vet to explore the cause—especially if your dog shows additional symptoms. Seek immediate veterinary attention if you observe:

• Vomiting
• Blood in the urine
• Straining to urinate with little or no urine passed
• Extreme lethargy
• Known ingestion of toxins
• Refusing food for more than 24 hours
• Pus or unusual discharge from the vulva

Common Reasons Your Dog May Be Peeing More

The first step is ruling out any health problems since numerous medical issues can cause increased urination—and only a veterinarian can properly diagnose these conditions. However, there are also non-medical factors that might contribute to your dog peeing more often.

Medical Conditions

Frequent urination in large amounts is called polyuria, while urinating small amounts repeatedly is known as pollakiuria.

Polyuria

Polyuria might be linked to these causes:

Kidney Failure or Infections
When kidneys can’t effectively filter waste from the bloodstream, toxins accumulate, and water follows these toxins out of the body, increasing urine production. Kidney failure typically needs to affect over two-thirds of kidney function before it’s detected in bloodwork. In severe stages, urine production might decrease as kidneys begin to fail entirely. Kidney infections caused by bacteria can also result in polyuria.

Diabetes Mellitus
This condition involves insufficient insulin production or insulin resistance, causing blood sugar to rise. The body attempts to flush excess glucose through urine, which draws water along, leading to increased thirst and urination. Often, this heightened thirst and frequent urination are the first signs noticed by dog owners.

Diabetes Insipidus
Although rare, this form of diabetes also causes excessive thirst and urination but results from an inability to produce or respond to an antidiuretic hormone.

Cushing’s Disease
Also called hyperadrenocorticism, Cushing’s results from the adrenal glands producing too much cortisol, a stress hormone. This causes increased thirst and urination, along with other symptoms like a potbellied appearance, excessive panting, thinning skin, hair loss, and increased appetite.

Hyperthyroidism
This uncommon condition in dogs is usually caused by a cancerous thyroid tumor. Other signs may include vomiting, constipation, hyperactivity, weight loss despite a large appetite.

Pyometra
A serious, life-threatening uterine infection affecting unspayed female dogs. Bacterial toxins impact kidney function and cause increased urination and drinking. Signs include pus from the vulva, fever, lethargy, appetite loss, and vomiting.

Hypercalcemia
Elevated calcium levels in the bloodstream can cause poor appetite, vomiting, constipation, lethargy, depression, and confusion.

Cancer
Cancers affecting the urinary tract—such as transitional cell carcinoma—or those that raise blood calcium levels, like lymphoma or anal gland adenocarcinoma, can increase urination.

Liver Infection
Bacterial infections of the liver, especially from leptospirosis, lead to increased thirst and urination once the bacteria affect both liver and kidneys. Leptospirosis is transmitted through contaminated water, often from rodent urine, and is fatal if untreated. Fortunately, a vaccine is available.

Electrolyte Imbalances
Imbalances in sodium and potassium levels disrupt water retention and cause increased thirst and urination. Causes include dehydration, high-sodium diets, toxins, or other health problems.

Medication Side Effects
Certain drugs, like diuretics (furosemide, torsemide), anti-seizure medications (phenobarbital), and corticosteroids (prednisone) can cause increased urination and thirst.

Psychogenic Polydipsia (Excessive Thirst)
This behavioral condition leads dogs to drink excessive water, resulting in frequent urination. It’s a diagnosis of exclusion after ruling out medical causes.

Pollakiuria

Pollakiuria often involves lower urinary tract issues, sometimes accompanied by straining or blood in the urine:

Bladder Infections
Bacterial infections in the bladder can cause frequent urination, sometimes with large volumes or small, quarter-sized spots of urine, often accompanied by blood tinging the urine pink or red.

Bladder or Urethral Stones or Crystals
Crystals or stones—mainly struvite or calcium oxalate—in the urinary tract irritate the lining, causing a persistent urge to urinate small amounts, sometimes with straining or blood.

Bladder Cancer
Tumors in the bladder cause straining, urinary difficulty, incontinence, or increased frequency.

Prostate Issues (Enlargement, Cancer, Infection)
In male dogs, the prostate surrounds the bladder neck and urethra. Infections or enlargement can lead to changes in urination, including urgency, straining, and sometimes blood or pus.

Non-Medical Factors That Influence Your Dog’s Urination

Other factors affecting urination frequency include:

• Diet: Foods low in protein or high in sodium often cause more frequent urination.
• Increased Activity: Exercise leads to water loss, which increases thirst and subsequent urination.
• Heat: Warmer weather prompts dogs to drink more, resulting in extra urination.
• Age: Puppies and senior dogs generally urinate more often or in larger amounts.
• Bad Weather: Dogs with anxiety might hold their urine during storms or refuse to go out in rain, then urinate a larger volume when they finally do.

How Veterinarians Diagnose Excessive Urination in Dogs

Veterinarians will take a detailed history and perform a thorough physical exam to detect abnormalities or pain. Depending on findings, they might recommend tests such as:

• Complete Bloodwork: Checks kidney and liver function, electrolytes, and blood cell counts.
• Urinalysis: Assesses kidney concentrating ability and checks for protein, blood, crystals, white blood cells, or bacteria.
• Urine Culture and Sensitivity: Identifies bacterial infections and guides antibiotic choice.
• Abdominal X-rays: Detects bladder stones, tumors, uterine abnormalities, and prostate enlargement or mineralization.
• Abdominal Ultrasound: Provides detailed images of the urinary tract, prostate, uterus, liver, adrenal glands, and other organs.
• Cadet BRAF Urine Test: Specialized test for detecting transitional cell carcinoma (bladder cancer).
• Calcium Testing: Diagnoses hypercalcemia.
• ACTH Stimulation Test: Rules out Cushing’s disease.

Treatment Options for Excessive Urination in Dogs

Treatments depend on the specific diagnosis:

Psychogenic Polydipsia (Excessive Thirst)

Treatment often includes carefully monitored water restriction after excluding other causes.

Kidney Failure

Management varies with severity—from home fluid therapy to hospitalization with IV fluids, special low-phosphorus diets, appetite stimulants, gastroprotectants, and sometimes medications for blood pressure or infections.

Medication Side Effects

Most side effects diminish within 1–2 weeks as the dog’s body adapts. Vets may adjust dosages if excessive urination persists.

Kidney or Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

Antibiotics combined with pain relief and probiotics are standard treatment.

Diabetes Mellitus

Insulin therapy is essential, and severe cases may require hospitalization to manage diabetic ketoacidosis.

Cushing’s Disease

Typically treated with trilostane, a medication that reduces excessive cortisol production.

Bladder Stones and Crystals

Some stones (like struvite) can dissolve with prescription diets; others require surgical removal.

Prostatitis

Usually managed with antibiotics and pain medications.

Pyometra

The preferred treatment is surgical removal of the infected uterus. In certain cases, longer-term antibiotics may be used if the infection is draining, but surgery is often necessary to prevent recurrence.

Cancer

Treatment often involves a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation aimed at remission.

Liver Infection

Early diagnosis and treatment with intravenous antibiotics, fluids, and gastroprotectants often lead to recovery. Hospitalization is generally required.

Electrolyte Imbalances

Therapy depends on the cause and severity; it may involve hospital care and fluid therapy or dietary adjustments to avoid high-sodium foods.

If your dog is peeing more than usual or exhibiting any other concerning symptoms, don’t hesitate to consult your veterinarian for personalized care and guidance.