Most of us that own a dog believe that dogs were born to be a peeing machine and we never give much thought to what is involved in making that machine work.
So today, we are going to have a little history lesson on a dog's urinary tract, what makes it work, and what happens, when it does not work.
Your dog's urinary tract is a complex system that carries out four main functions:

The first one is to filter metabolic waste such as urea, mineral salts, and the various toxins from the circulating blood.

Secondly, it helps to regulate the amount of body fluids and the blood levels of important chemicals and hormones.

It is in charge of recirculating purified blood throughout the dog's body.

Takes care of storing and excreting the filtered-out waste products before they reach a toxic concentration in the body.

In order to do this the urinary tract system is composed of two parts, the upper tract and the lower tract.

The upper tract consists of two kidneys, their job is to manage the biochemical processes, along with two slender tubes (ureters) each one coming out of a kidney.
These transport the waste containing urine to the lower tract.

The lower tract's job is to excrete the waste containing urine and it consists of a bladder and a muscular sac that receives the urine and stores it, until it is expelled through the urethra ( a thin tube coming from the bladder.
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Now all this seems simple enough and it really is, but as with all things, problems do arise.
Both the upper and lower urinary tracts can have some serious ailments, which can severally compromise the workings of each and unfortunately can have lethal consequences.
The surprising thing is that problems are not rare.
What can go wrong with the upper tract? One of the most common problems is kidney disease, which can be an inherited condition.
There are two types, acute and chronic renal failure.
Acute renal failure is a condition that comes on suddenly, within a week or two; chronic renal failure on the other hand is a disease that progresses over several months or years, Acute renal failure can come from a blockage that prevents the blood from flowing to the kidneys or a blockage that prevents the urine from leaving the kidneys.
More often than not, this problem is caused by the dog ingesting something that is toxic to the kidneys, such as pesticides, antifreeze, cleaning fluids or even medications that are for human use and not for animals.
If treated at once, full recovery can be expected, however if not treated, it can become fatal.
Chronic renal failure is entirely different, as it is an incurable condition that affects mostly older dogs.
It happens when approximately 70 percent or more of functional kidney tissue has been destroyed and replaced by scar tissue.
The exact cause is really unknown, but it is thought that it is a progression of acute damage from a variety of kidney infections, toxins and inflammatory conditions and/or obstructions.
Some conditions such as dental problems, diabetes or dermatitis are also associated with chronic renal failure.
By the time a dog shows signs of chronic renal failure, it is usually too late to effectively prolong the dog's life, however if caught early enough treatment can prolong the dog's life for several years or more.
What are the causes of lower tract diseases? One of the most common causes of a lower urinary tract infection is bacteria.
This strikes more females than male dogs and also strikes dogs with such diseases as diabetes.
Bacterial infections can be dangerous if not treated and they can spread to other areas of a dog's body such as the bladder, kidneys or in male dogs to the prostate glands.
Incontinence is the second most common problem in a lower tract disease.
What is incontinence? It is the inability for a dog to hold its urine.
It involves the urethral sphincters, a type of muscle that normally relaxes or tightens around the urethra in order to release or shut off the flow of urine.
Female spayed dogs seem to have a greater problem with incontinence as they grow older and some dogs after years of eating grain type dog foods find that the grains, for some reason cause the problem.
Eliminating grains from the dog's diet, eliminated the problem.
Conventional treatment for incontinence.
PPA (phenylpropanolamine) is the most commonly used veterinary treatment for incontinence in both male and female dogs.
It is a decongestant that works by tightening the sphincter muscle from the bladder.
PPA is effective in controlling incontinence in about 70% of dogs that try it, with improvement in most of the rest.
A veterinary PPA product called Proin comes in chewable tablets made for dogs, and is also available in liquid form.
PPA must be given daily, usually two or three times a day, as its effect lasts only 8 to 12 hours.
It can be used on an as-needed basis, for dogs that have only occasional problems with incontinence.
Most dogs tolerate PPA without any problems, but side effects can include irritability, nervousness, panting, restlessness, rapid heartbeat, and excitability.
PPA should not be given to dogs with high blood pressure or heart disease.
DES (diethylstilbestrol), a synthetic form of estrogen, can be used to treat spay incontinence.
It is given daily for the first week, and then dosage is dropped to once or twice a week.
It's important when using this treatment to experiment and find the lowest possible dose that will work to control the incontinence, once it has been found to be effective.
Estrogen supplements are considered relatively safe, but in rare cases they can cause bone marrow suppression, leading to anemia that does not go away, when the treatment is stopped.
A natural estrogen supplement called Genesis Resources Canine Incontinence Support is available for treating spay incontinence, as are ovarian glandular products.
I have heard reports of each of these working for some dogs.
Another form of incontinence, which is common, is dribbling, which is caused by a congenital malformation in the tubes that carry the urine to the bladder and by pass that organ and empty into the urethra.
Surgery may be necessary to correct this form of incontinence.
The lower tract can also be infected by the development of stones.
This can be a life-threatening problem especially for a male dog, if the stone gets stuck in the urethra and blocks the flow of urine.
Different forms of cancerous growths should be watched for, and sometimes diet is the cause, as in the case of some incontinence problems.
What are some of the signs of a kidney/bladder problem? Weight loss, abnormal drinking, frequent urination, lethargy and vomiting are some of the signs that something has gone awry.
If you notice any of these signs, you should take your dog to your vet as soon as possible.
Early treatment usually can catch the problem and save you a great deal of money in the long run.
Cures are not always possible, but treatment can make the dog more comfortable and add happy years to its life.
The secret here is to know your dog and watch for any signs that something unusual is going on.
An ounce of prevention and/or treatment can save your dog's life.