Furosemide is a type of water pill that helps dogs when they’re holding a lot of fluid due to an injury or disease. Unfortunately, your dog may begin wetting the bed on furosemide.
The drug helps dogs release fluid through urination and can cause incontinence in some dogs. You can do some things to help your dog if it is experiencing this problem while taking furosemide.
Before you read this guide, “Why Is My Dog on Furosemide Wetting the Bed,” check out: Why Is My Dog Peeing So Much After Being Spayed or Neutered? (2023) and My Dog Bed Is Wet But It’s Not Urine? Causes and Treatments! (2023).
Can Furosemide Make My Dog Incontinent?
Excessive urination and increased thirst are common side effects for dogs on furosemide. Furosemide intake directly affects your dog’s urination, which is the best remedy to remove accumulated fluids.
Your dog may need to pee a lot and sometimes may not be able to control itself. This can lead to a loss of bladder control for as long as the dog is taking the medication.
The most common side effect of furosemide dosage is urination during sleep. It is recommended that you prepare a padded mat under your dog’s bed while he is sleeping.
After two hours, the effect decreases, and your dog might occasionally pee until the next dosage. Water and mineral-rich diets can help counter excessive water and salt loss in your dog.
What Are the Signs of Incontinence in Dogs?
A dog suffering from incontinence generally has trouble controlling their urination, so it may pee in unusual places or leak urine.
In some cases, they might leave behind urine trails while walking, or wet spots wherever they lay or sit down. Additionally, you may notice your dog is always damp at the hindquarters.
You’ll most likely find urine in the area where your dog spends the most time or where it rests. Dogs also lick their genitals when they have urination problems. This can lead to them becoming red and inflamed.
Often, dogs who are incontinent will urinate during the night and at random times during the day.
The problem shouldn’t be ignored. Additionally, you should contact your veterinarian immediately if it worsens. An impaired urethra may cause a dog to leak urine occasionally while still allowing him to urinate correctly at other times.
A full blockage, which usually occurs within a few days at most, may develop if left untreated, causing your dog to have trouble passing urine.
What Are the Symptoms of Too Much Furosemide in Dogs?
Furosemide side effects may be amplified if you accidentally give your dog more than prescribed. A number of symptoms exist, including diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, and electrolyte imbalance.
When your dog takes a high dosage of furosemide, he may suffer from acute toxicity. Toxicity symptoms in dogs include cramping, dizziness, excessive urge to pee, loss of balance, and severe thirst.
When you forget to give your dog a furosemide dosage and remember it one to two hours later, you can still give him the proper amount.
However, if the next dose is approaching, skip it and follow the prescribed schedule. If you want to prevent furosemide toxicity in your dog, do not give your pet extra doses.
What Is Furosemide Used to Treat?
Furosemide is used to treat a variety of issues. It helps remove fluid from the body so it is typically prescribed to dogs that are retaining fluid, experiencing swelling, and illnesses that cause congestion and fluid build-up.
Congestive Heart Failure
A condition called pulmonary edema is a form of congestive heart failure characterized by fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen, and lungs. When the dog has too much fluid buildup, it can have difficulty breathing.
It is possible for excess fluid in the tissues to travel to the bloodstream and then be excreted by the urine since furosemide helps the kidneys expel fluid.
Edema
In dogs, edema occurs when excess fluid accumulates in the tissue. Aside from fluid accumulation from heart failure, furosemide can assist in the removal of fluid from the body cavity.
Bronchitis
Besides its diuretic properties, furosemide can also reduce coughing in dogs by opening up airways. When it comes to chronic bronchitis, furosemide can be helpful, but it’s not typically used on its own to treat the problem.
Kidney Disease
When kidney disease occurs, waste products normally eliminated by the kidneys are built up in the bloodstream, causing uremia. This waste is filtered out by the kidneys by producing more urine.
In addition, furosemide can be combined with other medicines to increase urine production if the kidneys aren’t producing enough.
Hypercalcemia
Furosemide increases the amount of calcium passed through the kidneys. Consequently, furosemide can treat hypercalcemia by decreasing blood calcium levels. The use of other drugs, such as prednisone, can be combined with furosemide to promote calcium excretion.
Hyperkalemia
Hyperkalemia can also be reduced with furosemide. There is often a connection with kidney disease.
Is Furosemide Dangerous for Dogs?
By increasing urine production, furosemide helps your dog accumulate fluids, which puts pressure on its kidneys. You shouldn’t give furosemide to your dog if he has weak kidneys or chronic kidney failure. It decreases calcium, salt, potassium, and other electrolytes in the body.
As a result, electrolyte imbalances in the body can worsen kidney conditions and cause a range of symptoms including weakness. When the kidneys are weak, this can also cause kidney failure. As such the use of furosemide should only be done under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
Given that furosemide can worsen dehydration, you should never give it to dogs if they are already dehydrated. To ensure that furosemide is beneficial and reduces its harmful effects, your dog needs to eat a healthy diet. Dogs receiving furosemide alone might suffer from hearing loss and imbalance.
How to Keep Your Dog From Wetting the Bed on Furosemide
If your dog is taking furosemide and you notice some incontinence problems, there are some things you can do to help your dog deal with the issue and make cleaning up after it a little less stressful.
Make Sure to Give the Correct Dosage
Make sure you don’t give your dog too much of the medication. This can lead to severe reactions and increase the likelihood of incontinence.
Take Your Dog Outside More Often
Often, dogs with incontinence are unaware they are urinating. This is because they cannot control their bladders as they once did. To get your dog to pee, you should help it like you did when it was a puppy.
You should get your dog in the habit of going outside more often. A waterproof pad can also be placed where your dog can go potty. You can prevent your dog from peeing at night by letting him out a few times before bedtime.
It is important not to reduce your dog’s water consumption. It is usually not excessive drinking that causes urinary incontinence in older dogs unless your dog is suffering from an illness that causes it to drink excessively.
Puppy Pads
If your dog sleeps in bed, waterproof pads under the bedding can help with accidents. Changing the pads regularly is a good idea. There are many puppy pads and dog beds designed for incontinence.
To prevent skin infections caused by prolonged exposure to urine, your dog should always be kept clean. A waterproof pad might also be helpful outside. Your dog will be motivated to pee more often with this strategy.
With the waterproof pads, you can train your dog to sleep only on surfaces that can be cleaned easily. This is easier when you use pads that show them where they can and can’t go. It becomes easier for them to understand this is a safe place to urinate and allows you to clean up after your pet more efficiently.
Doggy Diapers
The use of dog diapers can be beneficial to owners who have dogs that have incontinence issues.
Since diapers can cause irritation, it is best to change diapers frequently, give them diaper-free time, and take extra care of the skin around their diapers.
There are diapers designed for dogs of different sizes and fits so you can make sure your dog is comfortable while wearing them. It can take some time for dogs to get used to them.
Frequently Asked Questions
When your dog is taking a diuretic, you can expect them to have accidents inside and leak urine.
Lasix is an oral version of furosemide that can cause your dog to have accidents.
Adult dogs should not normally pee while lying down, so there may be issues like diabetes, UTIs, or a lack of bladder control due to old age.
Conclusion for “Why Is My Dog on Furosemide Wetting the Bed”
The most common side effect of furosemide dosage is nighttime urination.
It’s important to give your dog the correct dose, a healthy diet, and plenty of water. Instead of trying to prevent accidents while your dog is on furosemide, you can focus on making it easy to clean them up.
If you find this guide, “Why Is My Dog On Furosemide Wetting The Bed,” helpful, check out:
- Why Is My Dog Peeing So Much After Being Spayed or Neutered? (2023)
- Male Dog Leaves Odorless Wet Spot: What To Do (2023)
- Why Is My Six-Month-Old Puppy Peeing in the House Again? (2023)
Learn more by watching “Why Dogs Pee In The Bed? How To Stop My Dog From Peeing in Bed?” down below:
Garrett loves animals and is a huge advocate for all Doodle dog breeds. He owns his own Goldendoodle named Kona. In addition, he volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, where he fosters dogs and helps animals. Garrett enjoys writing about Doodles and believes that dogs can teach humans more about how to live than humans can teach a dog.
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