Have you noticed that your dog’s pee smells like burnt rubber? Are you worried that your dog could be sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. We understand it can be scary when you notice this type of symptom in your dog.
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In this article, we’ve put together some information on the possible causes of burnt rubber-smelling urine in dogs and what you can do to help your dog. Let’s get started!
What Causes a Dog’s Pee to Smell Like Burnt Rubber?
There are several reasons your dog’s pee may smell like burnt rubber, including:
Dehydration: when your dog doesn’t have enough water every day, it can cause his urine to have a very strong, unpleasant smell. Dehydration may cause a higher concentration of waste products to build up in the urine, which causes a strong odor.
UTI: a UTI (urinary tract infection) may also cause a dog’s urine to smell bad. UTIs are caused by fungal or bacterial infections in the dog’s urinary tract.
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Diet: your dog’s diet may cause his urine to have a strong smell. This can happen if your fur baby is eating a lot of fish, asparagus, or other veggies.
Kidney disease: or kidney failure can cause a dog’s urine to smell bad. This is because the kidneys aren’t able to function correctly due to disease, etc. When this happens, waste products build up in the urine, causing it to smell very strong.
Other medical conditions: in addition, other medical conditions can cause a dog’s urine to smell like burned rubber. These include metabolic disorders (such as diabetes), cancer, stones in the bladder/kidney, prostate issues (in male dogs), and more.
Skunks: another common problem in dogs is that they are sometimes sprayed by skunks! Or maybe there’s been a skunk in the yard, and it sprayed the area. In that case, it may not be your dog or his urine that smells. Instead, the burnt rubber smell could have been left by a skunk! However, it is possible your canine companion has been sprayed by a skunk, and this is what is causing his urine to smell like burnt rubber. The urine doesn’t actually have that smell. Instead, it’s coming from your dog’s fur.
Symptoms of Urinary Tract Issues in Dogs
You may notice these symptoms if your dog’s pee smells like burnt rubber:
- Urine is bloody or has a cloudy color
- Straining/crying when urinating
- Accidents in the house (in dogs that have previously been potty trained)
- Needs to go outside more often
- Licking near the urinary opening
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Bad smell (urine may smell like burnt rubber)
If you notice these symptoms (and your dog hasn’t been sprayed by a skunk), along with a burnt rubber smell, then it’s best to take your dog to the vet. The vet will examine your dog and run tests to find what’s causing the bad odor.
It’s best to get your dog to the vet as soon as possible because some medical conditions (including a UTI) can become more serious and be more difficult to treat.
Julie
Julie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, where she studied Animal science. Though contrary to the opinion of her parents she was meant to study pharmacy, but she was in love with animals especially cats. Julie currently works in an animal research institute (NGO) in California and loves spending quality time with her little cat. She has the passion for making research about animals, how they survive, their way of life among others and publishes it. Julie is also happily married with two kids.
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