You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Recent reports from the UK have identified the breeds of dog in which abnormal development of the ureter is most common

Abnormal development (called ectopia) of the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder (the ureter) is one of the commonest causes of urine leakage in young dogs. A recent report published in the Veterinary Record (May 6th 2000) concludes that in the UK the following breeds have a higher risk for the occurrence of this condition than other dogs :

• Border Terrier
• Briard
• English Bulldog
• Golden Retriever
• Griffon
• Labrador Retriever
• Skye Terrier

The breeds afected in the UK are different to the breeds cited in reports from America  (Journal of Small Animal Practice 1984) in which the following breeds were reported to be at risk to develop ectopic ureters :

• English Bulldog
• Fox Terrier
• Newfoundland
• Poodles (miniature and toy)
• Siberian Husky
• West Highland White Terrier

In the UK the following breeds have been reported to be at risk to develop another defect which can lead to urine leakage (called urethral sphincter mechanism  incompetence), and it is interesting to note that they are different breeds to those at risk to develop ectopic ureters :

• Doberman Pinscher
• Irish Setter
• Old English Sheepdog
• Rottweiler
• Weimaraner  

Updated October 2013