Difficulty urinating

Look out for yelping when urinating, a hunched back or blood in the urine. Obstructions in your dog's bladder or urethra can lead to urinary retention. These obstructions can be the result of bladder stones, urethral plugs, blood clots, a narrowing of the urethra (called stricture), or even cancerous tumours.

Also, if minerals accumulate in the urinary tract, it can also cause an obstruction.Urinary tract infections are common in dogs. If you’ve ever had a urinary tract infection, then you have an idea of how uncomfortable they can be. Some of the same symptoms apply to dogs as humans, including the frequent need to urinate, combined with difficulty expressing urine.

Kidney failure can also lead to difficulty urinating, as can neurological conditions, and injuries or diseases that affect the nerves or spinal cord, but perhaps the most concerning possible cause for your dog’s difficulty is cancer.