If you notice that your pet is having urinary accidents, always consult your veterinarian since various health problems may be affecting your pet’s urinary system. Oe such condition is urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI), which is most common in older female dogs. In a rapid summary on USMI,ย The Meowing Vetย explains the cause, clinical signs, and treatment of USMI and why you should schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.
Learn more below…ย ๐ถ
Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI or SMI), commonly called โspay incontinenceโ is a common condition of urinary leakage in adult female dogs. Although all dogs can potentially have bladder leakage, spay incontinence is so named because it is most common in adult to geriatric large breed female dogs following after a spay procedure.
During a spay (either an ovariohysterectomy or ovariectomy), the ovaries are removed and with them, the ability to produce estrogen. Estrogen aids the contraction strength of the urethral sphincter (the muscle that either holds in urine or allows urine to pass out of the bladder through the urethra). When estrogen is no longer produced following a spay, the urethral sphincter loses its muscle tone and can allow urine to leak out, especially when a dog is at rest or sleeping. Up to 1 in 5 spayed female dogs will develop USMI with most cases occurring nearly 3 years following the spay.
In addition to be being spayed, other factors which may predispose a dog to USMI, including obesity and having a docked tail. Certain breeds may also be more susceptible, including boxers, dobermans, English springer spaniels, German shepherds, giant schnauzers, Irish setters, old English sheepdogs, rottweilers, and weimaraners.
Other causes of urinary accidents should be differentiated from USMI by your veterinarian, such as ectopic ureters, neurologic abnormalities, endocrine disorders (such as Cushing’s disease or Addison’s disease), liver diseases, kidney disease, urinary stones, or a urinary tract infection (UTI). In addition to a physical examination, your vet may also wish to perform a urinalysis, bloodwork, and perhaps radiographs (X-rays) to rule out other causes of bladder incontinence. A specialty diagnostic procedure called a urethral pressure profile may also be recommended.
Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence should be diagnosed and treated. Why? Not only is it annoying to have to clean up urinary dribbling around your home, but prolonged urine contact on your dog’s skin can lead to malodor and urine scald.
Therapy for USMI involves either oral estrogen supplementation or the use of phenylpropanolamine (such as Proinยฎ) which stimulates the muscle tone of the urethral sphincter. Side effects can occur with either drug option, so be sure to discuss them with your veterinarian. Estrogens can cause bone marrow suppression, and phenylpropanolamine can cause a fast heart rate (tachycardia) and high blood pressure (hypertension). Your personal vet can help guide you in determining the best treatment option for your dog.
– Maranda Elswick, DVM
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This article originally appeared as a post on The Meowing Vet’s Instagram profile, @themeowingvet (January 10, 2018).
