Diabetic Dog Peeing Sticky Urine Everywhere

If your dog is having frequent urination and the urine is thick and sticky than usual it is a symptom of diabetes. In this article, we will discuss the connection between urine and diabetes and what to do if your diabetic dog is peeing sticky urine everywhere?

Diabetes and urine

The first few symptoms that will tell your dog has diabetes include

• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urination
• Increased Hunger

You must wonder how urination is linked to diabetes. To understand this,  you have to understand diabetes and how it affects the body. Diabetes directly alters the functions of different body organs.

We know that when the body stops producing insulin,  the blood glucose level starts rising. Now the body has to get rid of that glucose so the kidneys are forced to function and filter that excessive glucose.

Kidneys can’t handle the load and they start passing glucose through urine. That is why the diabetic dog will feel more thirst and urge to urinate again and again. The urine of diabetic dogs is sticky because of glucose present.

The link between Urination and Thirst

As diabetic dogs have excessive thirst, this is directly linked to frequent urination. When glucose passes through urine,  it leaves the cells dehydrated. The dog will drink more fluids and urinate more.

Calculate Your Diabetic Dog’s Daily Diet

 Diabetic dog peeing sticky urine everywhere in the house

If your dog is peeing everywhere even when it is not the “time”. Most probably you don’t know that he is having diabetes and the glucose levels are elevated in his bloodstream. Frequent urination alone is enough symptom to go for a diabetes checkup. When glucose level stays elevated for longer periods,  it can damage body organs and can lead to organ failures and even brain death.

Is excessive urination in diabetes an emergency?  

This depends. Mostly,  urination happens at the first stages and you can control it with regular insulin intake. However,  if your dog has already been diagnosed with diabetes and is getting treatment for that,  urination could be an indication of complications. Here are a few possible reasons

Missed insulin dose

If You have missed the insulin dose. The glucose levels will rise and the symptoms can come back. This is not serious if you will give the next dose of insulin on time. The symptoms like urination will go within 3 days.

However,  if you have failed to keep track of insulin, the high glucose levels for long period can cause a condition called hyperglycemia. High blood glucose levels can destroy the body in unimaginable ways. It can cause severe organ failures.

So if your dog is having other serious complications like ketoacidosis or disturbed glucose levels and is peeing everywhere. There are pretty many chances that bladder or kidney have failed to work and the dog is passing sticky urine.

Bladder infection

In older dogs,  bladder issues in diabetes are also common. Dogs can’t get hold of urine and end up peeing everywhere.

Also, If your dog is having an infection in the kidney or bladder,  he may be unable to hold urine. Check your dog for UTI (urinary tract infection).  If UTI is not treated properly,  the infection can affect kidneys too.

What to do if your diabetic dog is peeing sticky urine everywhere?

• The first step is to get an appointment for a checkup. Talk to your vet to get insight into how long diabetes has been affecting your dog. Or how much damage is done. As Urination is amongst the first few symptoms so hopefully you can save your dog on time.
• Next, You have to carefully manage step by step. If your dog is having diabetes, his quality of life will decide how long he is going to live. Frequent urination will go away as soon as the blood glucose level will return to normal. (Read glucose level 500). To lower glucose levels, your dog will be injected with insulin.
• The vet will guide you about insulin and its usage. You must give your dog prescribed insulin regularly. If you will miss a dose, the symptoms like urination or thirst can strike back until the insulin is injected into the body.
• It’s important to know that if you have missed a dose, don’t ever inject when you remembered. First,  It will cause irregularity. Irregular insulin levels will bring back the symptoms of diabetes. Every insulin when injected has a period for which it stays effective. The next dose will mess up with that time. (Read our article prozinc vs vetsulin to know how insulin timings work.)
• Secondly, when you will give the next dose, the amount of active insulin in the body will double up causing glucose levels to fall dangerously low.
• Many owners stop giving liquids to their dogs to minimize urination. Don’t limit fluid intake especially when your dog is diabetic too. Dehydration can cause many other problems. Your dog can become
• weak
• Lethargic and may
• faint due to dehydration.

Dehydration in diabetic dogs can also trigger ketoacidosis.

• Take frequent urine breaks until the problem is solved. Otherwise, your dog may end up peeing in places where he should not be.
• If the dog is unable to hold urination, you can use a belly band or pads. But this is recommended for older diabetic dogs. When young diabetic dogs are introduced with pads,  their toilet training will become difficult. Also, they will end up peeing on any soft thing like carpet,  rug, or bed sheet that will give a feeling like a pad. Urine pads will also increase the risk of UTI in young dogs.
• Try to limit the area where your dog pee. If your dog will start peeing everywhere, it will be like territory marking. The urine smell will draw him back and he will urinate there again ( Read why do male dog licks other dogs’ private parts to know how dogs define their territory).
• Make a proper bed in a kennel to encourage your dog to stay in an area. Also if you have already crate trained your dog, this will be easy to handle but the crate size matters a lot especially if you own a golden retriever.
• Take your dog for a kidney and bladder checkup every three months.

How to clean diabetic dog pee?

Diabetic dogs can pee anywhere and their urine has smell and stickiness.  The urine doesn’t only leave stains but also attract ants. To clean the pee use these tips

• Sprinkle baking soda over the pee. This removes both the stain and smell.
• Use floor cleaner to cleanse the floor.
• If a dog is living indoors with you, a dog peeing in a house can be a problem. Use disinfectant to kill bacteria.
• Deep cleanse the carpet and rugs once in a while.

Conclusion

Sticky urine is a symptom of diabetes. This could be handled and as long as you effectively manage your dogs’ diabetes,  things will go well. Your dog can enjoy an active lifestyle without worrying about pee everywhere. However, in some rare cases, your dog peeing everywhere could be a symptom that his organs are failing.