Whats wrong with my pup! could se be in heat at 20 weeks?

[Justin]

My 4 month old pup, Belle recently "dripping" pee all the time.  I take her out, and she squats about 5 times each time she goes out.  I make sure that she only has water 3 times a day thinking that maybe she was drinking too much.  Now I am concerned that she might have a urinary tract infection, or worse going into heat!  Have any of you had this experience?

Thanks!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Extremely doubtful she is going into heat at 12 weeks. More like positive, she is not going into heat. She very well could have. UTI if she is squatting that often. I would say a Vet visit is in order. Be careful not to dehydrate her with too little water.

[Rebecca bratter]

That is one precious pup.  My girl had and continues to have the same problem but it's not a UTI, she seems to have a weak spinchter muscle or something like that.  If she drinks a lot of water and is exhausted she will leak, sometimes it's bad.  We have her on a medication for it now.  Not sure that's the answer long term because I don't want to keep her on meds forever but for now it stops the leaking.  I think it's not totally uncommon.  I posted about it somewhere else and got a lot of answers from people with doodles with the same issue and they have some good advice.  I'll see if I can find the chain.  Talk to vet about it to rule out UTI, My girl is almost 2 now but she had this as a baby too.  She would fall into a deep sleep and wake up with her side all wet because she leaked and it went into her fur.  I dont' think it has to do with heat, it's a UTI/bladder issue.  

[Justin]

Also, she is 20 weeks and potty training is not going well at all.   She pottys outside, but still pottys inside all the time.  Its like she can just pee whenever.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

5 months or 3 months, doubtful it is heat related. That is not a " symptom" of going into heat. Take her to the Vet to clarify if it is a UTI or bladder issue.

[Justin]

sorry, I counted wrong. She is 4 months.  The leaking just recently started.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

LOL...ok 4 months. Still the same advice. Vet visit is still
in order.

[Rae]

Three months is way too early for her to be going into heat. Sounds like a visit to the vet to check for a UTI. You should not be limiting her water at all. She really needs free access to fresh water all day. I know some owners pick up the water an hour or so before bed time to lessen the need to take her out during the night. It really is important that she gets all the water she needs. I would get her to the vet ASAP since a UTI can get pretty serious pretty fast.

She sure is a cutie! Good luck and please let us know the outcome.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Justin ~ I just saw this post.  I hope you have taken your precious puppy in for a vet visit.  Puppies should have access to water at all times.  (it is one thing, if you are withholding after a certain time in the evening, but you should not be giving her water only 3 times a day).  I doubt she is drinking too much.  She is quite young and it takes some puppy longer than others to be able to control their bladder.  Most puppies are 6 months old before they have no accidents.

[Justin]

after reading your comments, i went and filled her water ( feeling somewhat ashamed and like a bad dad !)  I called earlier today and made a vet appointment for tomorrow.  I really hope it is nothing serious.

While I have you guys in a discussion, What is your opinion of what age to spay?  

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Caring, asking for help, and learning? You're a great dad in my book! :-) Hope she gets better soon, so sweet. Keep us posted after vet visit! Oh, and you're using Nature's Miracle on her in house accidents, right?

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

There are lots of opinions on the " right" age to spay. My Vet, and I agreed, somewhere between 5-6 months. Enzo was spayed just before the 6 month mark. My Vet actually charged more after 6 months.
Great on the Vet visit for tomorrow...ask about his/her opinion on spaying while you are there. Hoping Belle's issues are an easy fix. Keep us posted.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Justin ~ No need to feel ashamed. The fact you have joined this site and are asking questions, tells me you are a very caring Dad!  We all have joined this site for the same reasons - a love of doodles, to gain knowledge and help each other.  I am hoping too that this is nothing other than an under-developed urinary tract problem.  Hang in there - pottying training take longer for some puppies and sometime quite trying.  I have two doodles and one was trained by 4 months, the other took 6 months and if I recall had an accident after that! LOL  Keep us posted on how she is doing, she is one of the cutest little doodles I have seen.  Regarding spaying - I think most vets suggest waiting until a female has had her first "heat" cycle which is usually somewhere around 6 months I believe.