Excessive Thirst, Peeing in House, Shivering?
 

Hi guys! So my 5 1/2 year old Yorkie/Silky mix has suddenly (literally over the last two days) started spending an inordinate time at the water bowl and subsequently peeing in the house OR, if I catch the signs in time, needs to be taken out and pees a commensurate amount.

She will spend up to 3 or 4 minutes at a pop at the water bowl; then a little while later, sit there and look at us or start shivering, and if I don't get her outside immediately, pee on the floor; even right in front of me/us.

My gf is pretty sure it's behavioral; she says Lucy doesn't drink excessively unless I'm upstairs (my studio is downstairs and the dogs don't like to go downstairs, generally). I really hope she's right. I'm a nurse and naturally go directly to diagnosing diabetes or kidney disease, etc.

In EVERY other way, though, she's fine; she's eating good food (Farmer's Dog) with a healthy appetite, pooing regularly and healthy-looking, playing, loving, sleeping just fine - this obsession with the drinking dish and subsequent peeing is the only thing that's off about her.

I'd love to hear your input, tips, suggestions, experience, etc.

Thanks!


NOTES:
- I just moved in with my gf who has two dogs, and though we've spent a lot of time here before, and Lucy has spent a month here without me, this is the first time we're all together for this long.
- The water bowl is one of those two-tiered ones with the pump and a little waterfall; perhaps she's just developed a fascination?

It could be behavioral, but it could be a urinary infection or the onset of diabetes or kidney issues. I wouldn’t take the risk of guessing. I’d take her to the vet and have the medical causes eliminated before assuming it’s behavioral.

It sounds like a urinary tract infection. You need get get her to the vet as well as a urine sample. I suffer from constant UTI’s and I can tell you they really really hurt.

UTI, huh? I'll schedule an appointment with my vet. Anything you guys can recommend in the meantime? I don't imagine she would be too tolerant to cranberry juice...

She has had one or two UTIs earlier in her life; it usually manifested differently; I don't remember her drinking so much, and when she would pee, it would be tiny amounts frequently, like every few minutes or seconds.

Anyway, if anyone's got any ideas of things I could do for her between now and when I can get her to the vet, I'd appreciate it.

If she’s hurting, soaking in a warm bath might help.

Cranberries are pretty sour, but maybe she’d eat a couple of blueberries?Blueberries were recommended when my daughter had a UTI recently.

Great ideas. I don't know if she's hurting, though. She's pretty much her normal little happy, playful self with just this one constellation of quirks (excessive drinking then peeing it out, and shaking before peeing).

I don't know. Maybe the shaking before peeing thing is fear of knowing it's going to hurt, but when she goes, she doesn't hesitate or anything - I take her outside, she does her business, and that's that.

Like I said; I'll schedule an appointment with the vet. In the meantime I'm going to be watching her and collecting as much data as possible for the vet. I imagine they'll probably order a round of antibiotics based on my words, since they're not going to wait to collect urine and grow cultures and whatnot.

It is also a symptom of Cushings which my older dog has but normally they would be a few years older then 5. There are other things it could be to so it’s best to have her medically checked out before thinking it is behavioral.

Vet check definitely. In the meantime, if she’s stressing about the new dogs in the house, some extra special time just for her might help. Little things, feed her first, let her in or out first, pet her first. Might help, might not.

Your pup needs to see a vet

Hope your vet finds a UTI or other simple explanation, but she does need to be seen. Good luck, and let us know how she does please.

Vet needs to examine, test and make a diagnosis and treat. This isn't normal behavior and changes in behavior are usually our best indicator our dog is feeling sick or hurting.
She could be in pain, running a fever, ill and as dogs are stoics, as a species fear showing pain/illness, try their best to hide their weaknesses, injuries, illnesses out of a sense of self-preservation as in nature the weak are subject to attack or abandonment. Get her in to your vet as soon as possible as she could have a well-established infection, diabetes, kidneys at risk, so many things could be going on. Dogs do pee to relieve stressors in their lives but the excessive water drinking, the frequent, obviously uncontrollable peeing and certainly the shivering are very worrisome. I'd have her at whatever vet is open first thing tomorrow, even if it is the ER vet clinic.

Update
 

:aimeeyork

I appreciate everyone's input and concern. Obviously, she is the most important thing in my life and I would do anything for her to make sure she isn't suffering physically or emotionally.

In any case, the situation seems to have self-resolved. Basically, since the day after my last post, things are back to normal; before I had any opportunity to take her to the vet. Me and my gf still have residual PTSD from her water habits, and if we're mid conversation and hear her go to the water dish, we'll stop and listen quietly to see if it's normal drinking behavior (and it has been normal since).

While it might have been medical, it also might've been behavioral; I have been making it a point to have her downstairs in the studio with me more often and have been making sure to give her extra attention.

Anyway, she's fine once again, but I'm gonna remain vigilant for any signs of out-of-the-ordinary behavior.

Thanks, everyone!