My senior dog wakes early to pee. Can medication help with this?

This could be anxiety as you suggest, or it could be canine cognitive dysfunction (doggy dementia). CCG often includes restless/wakeful behavior at night and sleeping during the day. It can also include loss of house-training, failure to recognize family members and confused or wandering behavior. Melatonin and/or Benadryl are considered generally safe medications to give before bed to help promote sleep. There are also medications and prescription diets made especially for CCD if that is what’s happening to Sherwood. Talk with your vet to see if s/he agrees and to discuss options and doses.

Poor Malcolm and poor you! I'm sure that is really disrupting your sleep. As of yet, we have very little research on CBD oil in veterinary patients, so we cannot make any recommendations one way or the other about this product - we do not know what an appropriate dose might be, and if there are any potential health concerns or drug interactions in dogs. In addition, because it's a schedule 1 drug, it's illegal for us to prescribe or recommend. He is an old dog, so it may be it's harder for him to hold his bladder, which would be why he's getting up so early to go potty. I would walk him right before bedtime to see if that helps. It also may be that he is suffering from canine cognitive dysfunction, which is an age related decline in cognitive functioning, one sign of which can be less sleeping at night. I would have him seen by a vet for this issue, as there are changes that can be made to his diet which can help canine cognitive dysfunction (if he has it). I hope this helps!

He could have a urinary tract infection or a medical condition that makes him urinate more. The best thing would be to have your vet run a urinalysis and blood-work to rule out medical causes. If the lab-work is normal then you should make sure you take him out as late as possible before bed time and you could also limit the amount of water he drinks late at night.

Hello, I am so sorry for your concerns about Dylan. It sounds like he has developed some issues concerning canine cognitive dysfunction, a type of dementia often seen in dogs this age. There are several options for trying to help Dylan & you rest easier at night. Some are prescription medications, some may be available over the counter. Please talk to your veterinarian about what would be most appropriate for helping Dylan. I am sure something can be found to settle his night wanderings. Take care & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You are correct, Proin and DES are both medications that are commonly used to treat urinary incontinence in dogs. However, its possible that urinary tract infections, bladder stones, or bladder tumors could also cause these symptoms. Therefore, a visit to your vet for at least a urinalysis (urine test) is indicated. If no cause is found, then medication such as DES or Proin can be prescribed by your veterinarian. Antihistamines will have a significant effect on urination in dogs. If you feel that we haven't met your expectations, please contact customer service at customerservice@Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.com. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Yes, all medications can have side effects and can be ineffective or even dangerous if given in the wrong situations. Your vet will likely want to run a urine test to rule out complications such as diabetes, infection, inflammation or even bladder tumours which could be triggering the reduced bladder control and if all is clear they can then prescribe medication to help reduce the leaking if it is simple incontinence

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The urinary tract symptoms you describe could be due to a urinary tract infection, urinary stones, a tumor, among other possibilities. There is not a general over the counter medication you can give to help without knowing what is going on. I recommend that you have Coco evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further diagnostics would include abdominal imaging and lab work. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day!