On the day he was brought in, his owner noticed he was trying to cock his leg to urinate but wasn’t having much success. Despite this, Sid had still been pulling his weight on the farm and was eating and drinking as usual – right up until this point.  

When Sid arrived at the clinic, he looked a bit down and wasn’t keen to walk. On examination, he had a raised temperature, signs of dehydration, and a very full bladder that could be felt on abdominal palpitation. 

We attempted a rectal exam to assess his prostate and found it was enlarged. To help relieve his bladder, we passed a small urinary catheter. Insertion went smoothly, but the tip kept getting blocked with ‘crud’, which made drainage tricky. Once we got things flowing, we managed to drain a full litre of urine.  

Sid was admitted to the clinic for bladder drainage and further investigation. We carried out blood tests, a urine exam, X-rays and an ultrasound to get a clearer picture of what was going on. Here’s what we found:  

• Blood results showed signs of infection and inflammation, evidence of kidney damage, and electrolyte imbalances. 

• Urine results showed a significant urinary tract infection, presence of blood, elevated protein levels, and urinary stones and debris.   

• X-rays and ultrasound showed a very large bladder and an enlarged and inflamed prostate. 

Sid was placed on fluid therapy, antibiotics, and pain relief, with a guarded prognosis. Once stable, the plan was to castrate Sid in hopes of reducing the size of his prostate.

In the meantime, he required urinary catheter placement 3-4 times a day to help empty his bladder. One of our main concerns was that his bladder walls had been stretched so much that he might not regain the ability to contract and urinate on his own. If this turned out to be the case, it wouldn’t be a happy outcome for Sid. 

After four days of intensive treatment in hospital, Sid was stable enough to undergo castration. A repeat ultrasound showed that his prostate had reduced in size thanks to the treatment, although it was still larger than normal.   

Sid spent nearly two weeks in the clinic, receiving ongoing care and support. During that time, he made slow but steady progress and was soon eating and drinking normally – and soaking up all the extra attention that comes with being such a good boy!  

It took just over a week before Sid began trying to urinate on his own, and another 3-4 days before he was able to actually produce urine when attempting.    

Sid was lucky to have a dedicated owner who was happy to continue treatment as long as Sid kept showing signs of improvement. After nearly two weeks in the clinic, Sid was able to head home and he’s doing well! 

While Sid’s case was a bit unique, with multiple factors contributing to his urinary issues, it really highlighted the importance of keeping an eye on your working dog’s urinary health. If you notice signs of excessive straining to urinate, it’s worth bringing them in for a vet check. Sid’s story has a happy ending, but that’s not always the case. 

Older, retired working dogs can be prone to prostrate issues, which was a contributing factor in Sid’s case. Castrating your older boys can help reduce the risk of these problems developing in the first place – something worth considering for their long-term wellbeing.