Just had a phone call from someone asking for my  advice.

They bred a litter of puppies and one is coming back tomorrow, a bitch, the new owners were having problems with lots of little puddles, took her to their vet, who has diagnosed an ascending urethra.

Apparently the urethra points upwards instead of downwards and the vet has said that she will need to be kept on permanent a/b's as she is likely to get recurring cystitis.

Anyone heard of this, as I hadn't and could give the chap any advice except to go and see his own vet when the puppy is returned.

Here you have some information:

Ectopic ureter is a congenital malformation that causes urinary incontinence in puppies. Ureters are tubes that carry urine from the kid neys, where urine is produced, to the bladder, where it is stored. But ectopic ureters are different. Instead of connecting with the bladder, they attach themselves to an abnormal location in the lower urinary tract. Sometimes they empty into the urethra. Other times they enter the vagina. Because they bypass the urethral sphincter, however, urine dribbles uncontrolled from the puppy. One or both ureters can be involved.

A body of evidence suggests a hereditary basis for ectopic ureters. For example, the malformation is a known hereditary disorder in Siberian Huskies. I have seen it in several families of Labrador Retrievers and in English Bulldogs, as well, suggesting a genetic basis.

Any breed can be affected, and it is very important to remove any dog or bitch with an ectopic ureter problem from a breeding program. To diagnose ectopic ureters, veterinarians use a variety of diagnostic tests. The most common test is an excretory urogram, performed by intravenous injection of a radiopaque dye. The dye is taken up and filtered by the kidneys, allowing radiographic visualization of the urinary tract. Although ectopic ureters don't always show up on an excretory urogram, it is probably the most sensitive test available to veterinarians today.

Other techniques involve the introduction of contrast material into the vagina to identify through radiography the opening of an ectopic ureter, and urethroscopy. Urethroscopy is performed under general anesthesia, and allows a direct look at the lower urinary tract through a fiberoptic device. It is usually used on large dogs.

Relocation of the abnormal ureter(s) is the only effective treatment for ureteral ectopia. Historically, surgical correction has involved severing the abnormal attachment from the lower urinary tract and transplanting the ureter to the bladder. Although this technique would seem to be curative, success rates have been disappointing: Approximately half of puppies that have had the treatment remain incontinent after surgery.

Dr. Mary McLaughlin, a soft tissue surgeon at The Ohio State University, has helped develop a new technique for surgical correction of ectopic ureters. She and her colleagues have found that puppies with ectopic ureters also commonly have abnormal urethral musculature. In these cases, urethral reconstruction is attempted in addition to transposition of the abnormal ureter. While the final tally of success using the new technique has not yet been determined, the preliminary results are very promising.

In cases where surgery fails or where owners decide against surgery, the end result of ectopic ureters is almost always euthanasia. However compassionate the owner, a dog that constantly dribbles urine is almost impossible to live with. To make matters worse, severe moist dermatitis and urine scalding are common sequels to soaking around the vulva. This problem is painful and difficult to manage. Despite the fact that dogs with urinary incontinence are otherwise healthy, euthanasia is sometimes the most humane option.

Here is the link with a bit more info on the matter
http://www.inkabijou.co.uk/incontinence.htm