Dog urinary incontinence – when should I see a vet?

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Book a vet visit

This is not usually an emergency on its own – contact your vet if it lasts, gets worse or your dog seems unwell in any other way. It can be linked to a lack of proper toilet training, submissive urination, pain, or drinking and peeing more than usual.

When to contact a vet What to do now

Contact a vet if you see any of this

Blood in urine
Drinking and/or peeing more than usual
Limping, stiffness or weakness in the back legs/lower spine
Changes in appetite

What you can do now

Contact your vet.
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
Keep fresh water available.
Let your dog rest somewhere calm.

Don't

Do not give your dog any human medicine.
Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it can mean

It can be linked to a lack of proper toilet training.^[1] It can be linked to submissive urination.^[1] It can be linked to pain.^[1] It can be linked to drinking and peeing more than usual.^[1]

Other signs that can come with it

Wet patches on your dog's bed
Urine dribbling while walking or after urinating
Licking their penis or vulva more than usual
A constant smell of urine
Faecal (poo) incontinence

Possible causes

A lack of proper toilet training
Submissive urination
Pain
Drinking and peeing more than usual

What the experts say

“Your vet may ask some questions about your dog, for example when you notice the symptoms. They will then examine your dog. It may help if you try to collect a urine sample from your dog to take to the appointment.”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

Is urinary incontinence normal in dogs?

No. Leaking urine isn’t normal and should always be checked by a vet.^[1]

What can urinary incontinence be linked to?

It can be linked to a lack of proper toilet training, submissive urination, pain, or drinking and peeing more than usual.^[1]

What might happen at the vet appointment?

Your vet may ask when you noticed the symptoms and examine your dog. It may help to collect a urine sample to take to the appointment.^[1]

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages