Diuretic complete food?

Hi guys,

Satch seems to have a weird problem I've not encountered before. Despite everyone's excellent advice on here not to change my brand of complete food, we thought we'd see how well he does on another brand (I know, I know, it was the OH's fault - he who must be obeyed LOL).

Anyhow, after researching as many brands as poss, we changed from Purina Pro Plan to Autarky. Satch's been on this food for about a week now and in that time he's started weeing in the house. He's weed four times, including tonight. For the first three times he did a full wee - tonight he weed quite close to where I was, I spun around and he bolted, so it seemed more like marking, but if I'd not been there it might've been a proper wee.

Each time it happens he knows he's 'done wrong' and shoots off somewhere to await a telling off. The thing is, he's not drinking any more than usual, weeing a lot more outside as well, and this in-house weeing only takes place just after his evening meal. At no other time during the day does he do this, and I'm at home all day. It's almost as if he just bursts and can't make it to the back door. He's been completely housetrained since he was about 4 months old and he's now 14 months - we've had no problems until now. I'm caught between telling him off in case it's a bad habit he's developing, and not telling him off in case it's a medical thing he can't help. Knowing him as well as I do, so far I've not been telling him off as it's so out of character.

Nothing else other than the food has changed over this past week, he certainly doesn't seem stressed by our new addition to the family, Sophie, who joined us around 3 weeks ago. Among other things, what's bothering me is that it only seems to happen just after he's eaten in the evening, but not after his morning meal - and he's fed the same things in both meals.

Basically, I'm asking if anyone else has ever encountered this in similar circumstances, and whether anyone's heard of a complete food having a diuretic effect. He was castrated at the beginning of Feb, but I'd've thought if that had anything to do with it it would've started before now.

I'll be contacting my vet tomorrow anyway, but I wondered what you lot thought?

Thanks,

Becs

I would be somewhat surprised if it was the change of food.

I certainly would be more inclined to think that it has something to do with the new addition to the family, and a feeling of insecurity.

Your dog does not know it has done wrong in the true sense of the word, it is not cognisant. therefore can not have or take a moral stance on guilt or innocence, the apparent guilty look is reacting to what it assumes your reaction would be, but not why. Dogs brains are not wired the same as ours.

I would not chastise it except to say "bad dog" and only when it is actively soiling, not afterwards, and not in a loud voice that could startle.

Do not clean the mess up in front of the dog, as these actions "marking" could well be a attention seeking behaviour. Your mind and time has been concentrating on the new arrival, the dog will have noticed this and could be seeking attention as reassurance. Whether that attention is positive or negative is irrespective.

If you can set a little time aside for the dog in these unsure times it may make all the difference.

Stan

Hi Becs I would think it possible a change of food could effect Sach's continence. Different foods may contain different ingredient some requiring more moisture than others to redehydrate, therefore Sach could be drinking more, have you noticed if he is . Or it may be a mild urinary infection, If I was going to the vets I would try to get a urine sample to take with me. He could also be feeling a little left out if you have a new addition to the family,if it were me I would not scold him at all for mistakes because that could add to his feeling of frustration/being left out and draws attention to the situation. I would also try if possible to praise him a little more when he is being good to improve his confidence.

Hi guys,

my first thought was that it may be to do with Sophie, but the more I think about it the more unlikely that seems. It's inevitable he feels a little jealous and left out, but having Sophie isn't like having any other dog - she's very overweight, despises walks and can't walk very far when I take her out, and she tries to sleep a lot during the day. She's really easy to care for, she has no concept of play and it's not as if she takes up a lot of my time. Satch doesn't seem to be missing out - he doesn't have to share me when playing, we still walk each day, just me and him, and since having Soph I've been taking him with me to pick up the OH in the evenings, just in case he was feeling left out. He still gets loads of affection and fuss - as much as before. We also still do our training every day, just him and me.

If it was to do with Soph, d'you reckon we'd've seen it sooner, rather than 3 weeks after getting madam?

Mini, I really haven't noticed him drinking any more than usual, which is what concerns me the most. He seems to be losing more water than he's consuming. Before Sophie/new food, he'd ask to go out maybe twice in the evenings - once in the evening, once before bed. Last night he asked to go out about 5 times, each time for a long wee, and that included the wee in the house. He's a naturally very confident dog and adjusts well to any visitors to the house - dogs or humans. Other than the weeing, he doesn't seem to be seeking attention. If anything it's reduced since having Sophie - he's more inclined to play with her and follow her round than trying to nick things from the bin etc, as he did before.

I'll try to increase my time and attention with Satchmo to see if it makes a difference, but if it doesn't, I'm not sure what else I can do other than change his food back again.

Becs

Hi Becs if you have ruled out a urinary infection, (is the urine strong/smelly ) it may be as I say above, did you change the food very gradually substituting a little new at a time new for old food I have noticed when changing food a definate difference in water consumption/urine output even when changing from one dry food to another. You ask about the three weeks, yes it could take that long to show any reaction to a change in the family but I would have expected a more imediate response . I would keep all the factors in mind..poss infection/food/new friend or other and watch the water intake. If you do change the food back, do that gradually too ..it takes about a week/ten days to introduce a new food

Hi Mini

I haven't ruled out an infection - his urine is quite strong at the moment - so I'll definitely take a sample with me. I changed his food gradually, and all his other food (moist, veg, cheese, rice etc) is the same.

I'm glad you think the 3 weeks thing is a bit too long to be a factor - if I'd been spending half my time playing, walking, fussing Sophie instead of Mo, I could understand him being put out and it maybe taking a while to manifest, but because it's mostly like she's not even there I just can't see him being jealous or put out enough to suddenly start weeing in the house. I can't even walk the two of them together cos she can only manage about 10 mins at a time.

I'm off to the vets with the pair of them now - Satch for his weeing and Sophie to get weighed. She was 29.7 kg when we first got her (should be around 20kg) so I'll let you know how she's doing when I get back.

Thanks for all your help

Becs

..hope it goes ok Becs..try for a sample if you can

Just got back from the vets - they tested the urine there and then and didn't find anything, but they're gonna do more tests in-house to be on the safe side. I'm well impressed!! Last time I took Satch in for a suspected urine infection (he was about 4 months old) my old vets tested the urine, didn't find anything but prescribed antibiotics at £35 anyway

They've asked me to monitor how many pints of water he drinks a day - gonna be difficult with two dogs in the house - and have booked him in with one of the vets who specialises in this. It could still be behavioural, or stress from Sophie (?), but I need to rule out the medical thing first.

Thanks for everyone's help.

Becs

Hi Becs thats good news it is I always feel best to look at as many possibilities as you can for a sudden change in a dogs behaviour, I can think of at least two other medical possibilities I would want to rule out, and your vet will be checking that I am sure. It could as you say still be 'change related' but to assume that and then find there is another problem that poor old Sach is going through would be much worse than checking and finding nothing

Hi Becs

Any further reports has the Vet found anything in the tests yeta and has the behaviour changed back to normal.

It is good news that it is not infection.

Stan