Is Inability to Urinate an Emergency?
If your dog cannot empty their bladder, it is an emergency. See a veterinarian asap.
What can cause the inability to urinate? The causes break down into two groups – urinary obstruction and urinary retention. In any case, though, your dog needs to see a veterinarian immediately.

Urinary obstruction
Your dog can suffer urinary tract obstruction, either due to a blockage, inflammation, or compression of the urethra. Therefore, underlying causes include:
- urinary tract stones
- tumors
- urinary disease
- prostate disease in male dogs …
Urinary obstructions can be partial or complete. Your dog might take longer than normal to urinate or repeatedly pee in small amounts. The signs are similar to those of urinary tract infection (UTI). Naturally, the more serious is the obstruction, the more severe the symptoms, including collapse. Therefore, if your dog is not peeing normally, they need medical attention.
While male and female dogs can suffer from urinary obstructions, male dogs are at higher risk. It is because they are more likely to get complete obstructions due to their anatomy.
Symptoms of urinary obstruction in dogs include:
- painful urination
- frequent urination
- straining to urinate with little or no urine coming out
- bloody urine
- vomiting
- lethargy
Your veterinarian will take x-rays to look for stones. While some cancers show up on x-rays, but the best way to look for them is with ultrasound. At the same time, your dog will also need blood work to check electrolyte levels and kidney function. For example, dogs that cannot urinate can have dangerously high potassium levels, negatively impacting their hearts.
Unaddressed urinary obstruction can also lead to permanent kidney damage.

Further reading: Urinary Obstruction in Dogs
Urinary retention
Urinary retention results from dysfunction rather than an obstruction. This can be neurologic or systemic in nature. It refers to incomplete voiding of pee from causes other than obstruction. It can happen as a complication of:
- urinary tract infection (UTI)
- injury to the bladder or urethra
- or dysfunction of the muscles coordinating peeing
Systemic causes can include:
- electrolyte disturbances
- Cushing’s disease
Complications of urinary retention are typically result of a spreading UTI and include:
- rupture of the bladder or urethra
- permanent injury to the muscle that controls the movement of urine out of the bladder
Symptoms include:
- abdominal distention
- frequent, unsuccessful attempts to urinate
- weak or interrupted urine stream
- urine leakage
- recurrent UTIs
Further reading: Functional Urinary Retention in Dogs
A dog unable to empty their bladder is an emergency

Other complications
Urine buildup can lead to kidney failure, electrolyte issues, or bladder rupture. All of these things can be fatal.
A dog straining to urinate might actually look like a constipated dog, hunching over while urinating.
petmd
Signs to watch for, other than difficulty urinating, include:
- distended bladder
- unproductive attempts to urinate
- weak urine stream
- urine leakage
- blood in urine
- loss of appetite
- lethargy
- vomiting
- pain
Related articles:
Dog Symptoms: When Is It an Emergency?
Further reading:
Urinary Obstruction in Dogs
Inability to Urinate in Dogs