Having a dog like an Australian Shepherd in your home is a true blessing. But, when you notice some changes in your dog’s behavior or looks, it makes you instead worried. Frequent urination might be one of the reasons for your concern.
Why does my Australian Shepherd pee so much? There are a couple of answers why this might be happening to your dog.
Some of these causes are related to your dog’s health, and it is important for all Aussie owners to learn more about them.
You should also know how to recognize if your dog is actually peeing too much.
So, let’s start with clarifying this issue.
Why Does My Australian Shepherd Pee So Much?
You can learn a lot about your Aussie’s health from the dog urine color chart. But, not only your dog’s pee color can tell you something about your dog’s health; dog’s frequent urination might also be a warning sign.
But, does frequent urination always mean something is wrong with our dog’s health? Not necessarily.
1. Water Intake
Australian Shepherds not only need dog food of top quality, but also need to always have fresh water available.
But, of course you know this! Water intake is crucial for dogs as it is for humans. Your Aussie probably drinks a lot of water, especially during the summertime season.
Increased water intake will, of course, result in frequent urination. If nothing else seems to be wrong with your dog, and if it does not show any other symptoms, you probably have nothing to worry about.
If your dog exercises a lot on a daily basis, he will drink more water, which will cause him to pee more often.
2. Stress/Anxiety
Your Aussie might also pee a lot due to stress or anxiety.
If you are wondering what could cause stress or anxiety in your dog, well, there are many triggers for these emotions in dogs.
For example, your Australian Shepherd might suffer from separation anxiety, or some of your guests could be causing him to feel uncomfortable.
Also, if you have been through any kind of change lately – like moving to a new home, or having a new member in your house – this could also cause your Aussie to become stressed.
Stressed and anxious dogs are likely to pee often, and to show other symptoms, such as excessive barking, whining, or even manifesting some destructive behaviors.
3. Neutered/Spayed Dog
If you have noticed some clear signs your dog should be neutered, and you don’t want your dog to reproduce, then sterilization is a good idea.
Neutering or spaying an Australian Shepherd can make it calmer, more obedient dogs. But, there are also some consequences of this procedure in dogs.
Since your dog’s body and hormones change after this kind of surgery, your Australian Shepherd might pee more often in the period right after surgery.
This does not mean that something is wrong with your dog – it just indicates your dog’s body has been through a big change, and it will need some time to function normally again.
4. Health Issues
Frequent urination can also indicate certain health issues in Australian Shepherds.
Let’s see what your dog that pees so much might be struggling with.
Urinary Tract Infections
Bacteria are the most common cause of urinary tract infections in dogs. The most common symptom that dog owners first notice in urinary tract infections is frequent urination, and in addition, urination can be painful for the dog, and the urine can be bloody.
After the veterinarian diagnoses a urinary tract infection, he usually gives the dog antibiotic therapy.
In most cases, the dog recovers within 2 to 3 weeks, but some cases can be more complicated, so the urinary tract infection can be repeated dozens of times.
Kidney Problems
The kidneys are very important organs for the dog’s body, since they are responsible for filtering the blood, maintaining the pH value, and regulating the dog’s blood pressure.
Kidney problems occur more often in older Australian Shepherds, but they can also occur in young ones. In addition to frequent urination, you may also notice weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, and bad breath if your dog has kidney problems.
If you notice these symptoms, you need to take your Aussie to the vet immediately. The veterinarian will perform a detailed clinical examination to determine the correct diagnosis of your dog.
If kidney disease is confirmed, the dog will receive regular therapy, and will probably have to go for frequent check-ups at the veterinarian.
Diabetes
Just like people, dogs might also suffer from diabetes. Frequent urination might be one of the first signs of diabetes in your Aussie.
This is a severe health issue that will demand life-long therapy. So, if your Australian Shepherd has been peeing frequently for a while now, you must wait no more – take your dog to the vet’s right away!
How Much Peeing Is Too Much?
The frequency of urination is not the same for all dogs; it depends on several factors, such as the age of your Aussie, its size, its daily water intake, and its potential health problems.
Generally speaking, adult dogs can usually hold their urine for 6 to 8 hours. Most dogs can probably last longer, but you should definitely not test this, as regular urination is important for dogs’ overall health.
But how can you tell if your Australian Shepherd is peeing too much? If your dog is completely healthy, he will most likely produce 10 to 20 ml of urine for every pound of his weight per day.
So, most adult dogs will urinate 3 to 5 times a day. If you notice that your Aussie significantly deviates from this average, and that he pees much more, this means that you need to look for the cause of this increased frequency of urination in the dog.
How To Help Your Aussie Pee Less?
If you are wondering whether there is something you can do to help your Australian Shepherd pee less, you should first determine what is causing frequent urination in your dog.
If your dog has recently been spayed or neutered, frequent urination is totally normal, and this should be regulated in a couple of weeks.
If your Aussie pees a lot of water since he exercises a lot, and if it increases the water intake during the summer, frequent urination is also perfectly normal.
However, if you notice some additional symptoms, like your dog looking like he is in pain while urinating, or blood in his urine, you should contact your vet right away.
Frequent urination in many cases might indicate certain health problems in dogs, so, I recommend you not wait until things get worse – take your dog for a check-up as soon as possible.
To Sum It Up
So, why does my Australian Shepherd pee so much? He might just be drinking more water than he usually does. But, your dog might also be nervous or stressed about something.
Furthermore, frequent urination might indicate your dog has urinary tract infection, kidney problems, or canine diabetes.
I recommend you not to wait what will happen next, but rather to take your Australian Shepherd to the vet clinic right away.
Even if your favorite pet has some health problem, it is always better to catch it on time and, therefore, have a better chance for your dog’s full recovery.
So, pay attention how many times your Aussies pees a day. This might tell you a lot about its health.