Abstract: Urinary incontinence (UI) is the involuntary loss of an animal during the filling phase of the bladder.Among the clinical diseases of small animals,UI is more common in bitches,especially in spayed bitches,with the incidence of 1.74%-20.10%.The risk factors of UI in bitches include neuter status,breed,weight,etc.Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI) is the most common cause of UI in bitches.However,the pathogenesis is still unclear and influenced by multiple factors,including changes in sex hormones,structure and function.At present,the diagnosis of USMI is difficult in small animal clinical practice,usually confirmed by the use of α-adrenergic agents and estrogen products that alleviate the symptoms of UI after the exclusion of other differential diagnoses.Drug treatment is preferred for USMI,and surgical treatment can be considered for refractory cases.In addition,Chinese medicine therapy may be a potential effective treatment.The authors reviewed the research progress of UI in spayed bitches at home and abroad,in order to provide theoretical reference for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease,to deepen veterinarians’ understanding and make more efficient diagnosis of this disease,and provide new ideas for the research related to UI in spayed bitches.

Key words: spayed bitch; urinary incontinence; urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence