Incontinence (also known as “leaky bladder” or “dribbling”) is relatively common in dogs and is sometimes seen in cats. Canine and feline incontinence may be caused by a weak bladder sphincter (age, large dog breeds, spaying or multiple pregnancies), inflammatory disease, bladder stones, infection, congenital defect, nutritional deficiency, epilepsy, nerve impairment or emotional disorders. Symptoms include involuntary leakage of small amounts of urine during normal activities or while sleeping. The good news is incontinence usually amounts to little more than an annoyance in an otherwise healthy dog or cat.

The specific cause of urinary incontinence is often unknown. It’s important to work with a veterinarian to try to pinpoint the problem so you can select the best treatment. It may be related to hormonal factors, as demonstrated in spayed and neutered pets and those with other hormonal imbalances like hypothyroidism. Bladder tumors may also cause urinary incontinence, but it’s rare and there are usually other symptoms (blood in the urine, licking, increased urination, and painful urination).

Natural Treatment & Support for Urinary Incontinence in Dogs & Cats

There are dietary, herbal and homeopathic treatments that may help your incontinent dog or cat. It’s important to use high quality herbs for full effectiveness.

Note of Caution:  Talk to your veterinarian before using herbs for incontinence to avoid drug interactions or complications with other conditions. Use extra caution with cats as they may not tolerate some herbal treatments.

Natural remedies for incontinence may include:

Grain-free diet
Kale
Parsley
Shiitake mushrooms
Schizandra fruit
Couch grass
Gingko biloba
Uva ursi
Mullein
Corn silk
Plantain
Seaweed
Marshmallow
Raspberry leaf
Saw palmetto
Nettle Root
Horsetail
Agrimony
Saint John’s Wort – For emotional causes.
Skullcap or Valerian – For urinary incontinence related to epilepsy.

Rehmannia Six (also known as Liu Wei Di Huang or Six-Flavor Teapills) Chinese herbal formula – Contains Rehmannia, cornus, dioscorea, moutan, hoelen and alisma.  Rehmannia Eight (also known as Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan or Golden Book Teapills) Chinese herbal formula – Contains Rehmannia, cornus, dioscorea, moutan, hoelen, alisma, cinnamon bark and aconite.

Homeopathic – Depending on the cause:

• Plantago Major 6c & 30c
  
• Gelsemium Sempervirens 6c & 30c
  
• Alumina 6c & 30c
  
• Cantharis 6c & 30c

There are more convenient solutions on the market that combine some of the above natural treatments into one supplement. Canine Urinary Gold is often recommended for dogs by holistic veterinarians.

??? Do you have any tips for dealing with incontinence in pets? Please share your wisdom in the comments below.

Sources:
Tilford, Gregory. Wulff, Mary. Herbs for Pets: The Natural Way to Enhance Your Pet’s Life. 2009.
Messonnier, Shawn DVM. Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats: Your A-Z Guide to Over 200 Conditions, Herbs, Vitamins, and Supplements. 2001.
Cooksley, Valerie G. RN. Seaweed: Nature’s Secret to Balancing Your Metabolism, Fighting Disease, and Revitalizing Body and Soul. 2007.

✔ You may also be interested in reading:
Natural Treatment and Prevention of Chronic Bladder Infections in Pets
Natural Support for Feline Chronic Kidney Disease / Renal Failure

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