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My senior dog strains to pee on walks, but nothing comes out.

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

My 10 yr old shepherd mix is stopping every few minutes when I walk him, trying to urinate but nothing comes out. He does per normally in morning and before bed, sleeps all night and doest ask to go out much, is not in discomfort. He was on antibiotic for 10 days because vet thought maybe he had an infection, but nothing changed. Any ideas?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

Published on August 12th, 2017

Hi there! I agree that urinary tract infections can cause these symptoms. However, it could be that your pup's infection is now resistant to the current antibiotics. Other possibilities include urinary stones and cancer. It would be wise to have your pup evaluated by your veterinarian again to continue the work-up. This may include radiographs and ultimately an abdominal ultrasound which is the most sensitive test. At the end, these diagnostics will help your veterinarian come up with the best course of action. Keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes well!

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    Answered By Jeffrey Milner

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I would agree with Ricardo, but I would also add that a rectal exam should be performed additionally. You indicate that your dog is a boy. If he is in tact, a prostate problem could very likely be part of the issue here potentially.

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