Young dogs or puppies suffering from uncontrolled urinary incontinence may have ectopic ureters. This is an anatomical birth defect of the urinary tract. This is an annoying condition for both the dog and the owner. Fortunately, this condition can be treated surgically.
- What are Ectopic Ureters?
- Cause
- Symptoms
- Diagnosis
- Therapy
What are Ectopic Ureters?
Ectopic ureter is a term that refers to a ureter that is anatomically out of place. The ureter or ureter is a small tube that connects the kidney to the bladder. When these are ectopic, this means that one or both ureters does not open into the bladder, but at a different location. The ureter can flow into the free abdominal cavity or directly into the urethra. In addition, the ureter can discharge into the vagina or uterus in females and into the prostate or vas deferens in males. We speak of unilateral ectopy when one ureter is incorrectly installed and of bilateral ectopy when both ureters terminate incorrectly.
Cause
Little is known about the origin or method of inheritance of ectopic ureters. Hereditary factors are believed to play an important role. The condition is more common in certain breeds such as the Entlebucher Mountain Dog, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Siberian Husky, Newfoundland, Bulldog, West Higland White Terrier, Fox Terrier and Poodles.
Symptoms
Urinary incontinence
In normal circumstances, urine is discharged into the bladder through the ureters. The bladder has a sphincter that keeps the bladder opening closed. This allows dogs to control their urine. In ectopic ureters, the ureters extend past the bladder sphincter, resulting in uncontrolled leakage or incontinence. This incontinence can already occur in very young dogs. The incontinence is usually seen in females. The condition is more difficult to detect in males. Because of the longer urethra, males are usually not incontinent or incontinence occurs after two and a half years of age. The ectopic ureters can be noticed by the breeder in the puppies when the puppy leaks urine from the unclosed navel. When the belly button closes, the puppy gains a thick bulk from urine accumulation. Afterwards, this deviation is still noticeable by dripping urine and wet spots where the puppy has been lying (wet puppies).
Urinary tract infections
In bitches, the vulva can be inflamed because the dog is constantly wet due to urine leakage. In this way bacteria also get in more easily and often recurring bladder infections can occur. This leads to the dog displaying an increased urge to urinate, urinating indoors or detecting blood in the urine.
Overall illness
Some dogs with ectopic ureters also have kidney abnormalities. For example, when the urinary system is incorrectly constructed, it can cause urinary congestion and recurring infections that can cause serious damage to the kidneys. Sometimes the ureter is too narrow which creates too high a pressure in the drainage system. This can cause the kidney to burst and the dog to die.
Skin infections
Due to urine leakage, the dog is constantly wet. This can cause skin infections in the dog’s groin area. In addition, the coat can also discolor and smell enormously.
Diagnosis
The vet will initially listen to the findings. You will notice dogs that unconsciously lose urine while sleeping or while the animal is lying down. This is because wet spots arise where the dog has been lying. After that, studies can be proposed. The mouths of the ureters can be visualized by means of an ultrasound, X-ray, CT scan or scopy.
Therapy
The only treatment consists of surgery in which a new outlet of the ureter is made into the bladder. After surgery, urine leakage may still occur because the bladder sphincter is weak. This can be remedied by means of medication, but this does not always lead to full continence. Depending on the severity of the ectopic ureter, good and less good results are achieved. In addition, certain agents can speed up recovery, prevent infections and strengthen the immune system.