Urinating While Sleeping?

[Nell's Mom]

We've noticed yet another new "odd" behavior with Lucy. The past two nights she has urinated in bed. I take her out for a walk right before bed and she always urinates. We go to bed and she plays in bed with Nell for maybe 20 min - 1/2 hour and then we turn out the lights. Both nights, within 15 min. of turning out the lights, we realize she has peed in the bed. Both times it seems that she is already laying down and "settled" when she pees. Could she be peeing in her sleep? We are already working on dealing with the fact that she likely has complex partial seizures. So, I'm also wondering if she's having some kind of mini seizure in her sleep and losing bladder control. Yet, I'm puzzled by the fact that she is doing it as soon as she settles down but then doesn't have any other accidents throughout the night. I just don't know what that means.

I am going to have her checked for a UTI but she's not having accidents any other time or in any other place in the house. Also, once she urinates, she sleeps the rest of the night and doesn't have any problems. Tonight, I will try taking her out once more right before we turn out the lights, after she's had playtime with Nell. Although I can't imagine that could be the issue as she plays with Nell all evening and never has any accidents in the house. She is currently on an antibiotic for a possible kidney infection but I don't know if this particular med would clear up a UTI or not. She only has one day left.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

[FourteenLegs]

Oh dear Amanda!! If it is a UTI she has to be getting an antibiotic that the offending bug is sensitive to, so it doesn't necessarily follow that the med for her kidneys would clear up the UTI if there is one. There are many things that could cause this, I couldn't begin to think. Time for a phone call to the vet!!

[Nell's Mom]

Ok, another thought to run by you all! We get home from work around 6:00 and I usually walk Lucy quickly then feed her dinner then take her for a longer walk to try to get rid of some of her excess energy. Sometimes she'll pee on both walks but sometimes only on the first one. Then (bad mommy) sometimes we get involved in playing, etc and I'm just constantly trying to keep her busy and sometimes I don't walk her again until before bed (around 10:00/10:30). Is it possible that by not walking her in between 6 and 10 that her bladder is excessively full and she's not emptying it completely on her walk before bed? Is that possible? She rarely pees twice on a walk but I guess I could walk her longer and see if she does. Wouldn't that be a medical issue if she wasn't able to empty her bladder during one elimination? Just a thought! Would it help to walk her more during the evening? She is only 8 months.

[ViralMD]

I agree, you need to talk to the vets. One thought that has occurred: urinating without awareness is one sign of seizure having occurred (I know, not a pleasant thought), but with her odd other behavior, this might explain a lot. In any case, I'd talk to the vet.

[Nell's Mom]

I agree, you need to talk to the vets. One thought that has occurred: urinating without awareness is one sign of seizure having occurred (I know, not a pleasant thought), but with her odd other behavior, this might explain a lot. In any case, I'd talk to the vet.

I've already emailed the vet. (Yes, I can email him and he actually responds! It's great for easing the mind when you have a question after hours and just want to get it off your chest!) We already know (or at least both the vet and behaviorist feel at this point) that she has some form of seizure activity going on. We're actually starting meds very shortly so we'll see what happens! Although it's a catch 22 because the meds are going to cause her to have to urinate more. To add insult to injury, I just read that the antibiotic she's on lowers the seizure threshold!

[Lemon]

It's seriously a good thing I can't e-mail my vet. She'd be hearing from me constantly.

Amanda, I don't know if this is related, but... last year, Lemon was leaving little dime-sized spots whenever she slept or rested. It's a classic sign of spay incontinence, so the vet started her on Proin. But a while later, that's when we found out she had crystals.

I hope you get to the bottom of all this. I really feel for you and Lucy.

[Lynxa]

My friend's pitbull, Stella, has the same problem. She has a problem with the muscles around her urethra (i think) and can't control her urination when she's relaxed. She's on medication for it, but if she misses it or is late she'll still pee. A lot.

Found that out by accident.

At any rate, should probably talk to the vet. I hope it's nothing serious!!!

[Nell's Mom]

Amanda, I don't know if this is related, but... last year, Lemon was leaving little dime-sized spots whenever she slept or rested. It's a classic sign of spay incontinence, so the vet started her on Proin. But a while later, that's when we found out she had crystals.

These are more than dime sized spots. They are full, empty your bladder puddles! I'll ask the vet about spay incontinence. Did it start with Lemon right after she was spayed though? I also just read tonight, in addition to the antibiotic she's on lowering the seizure threshold, it said it can cause crystals! Did the crystals cause Lemon to have accidents?

[Nell's Mom]

My friend's pitbull, Stella, has the same problem. She has a problem with the muscles around her urethra (i think) and can't control her urination when she's relaxed. She's on medication for it, but if she misses it or is late she'll still pee. A lot.

Interesting! I'll ask about this as well. Since the only time she really ever relaxes is when we're in bed that could explain why she doesn't have accidents any other time.

[ViralMD]

Amanda, sleep generally lowers the threshold for seizure (as does lack of sleep - go figure!), so if Lucy is prone to having seizures it's not unreasonable that sleep makes a seizure more prone to occur. So I'm still going with the seizure theory...