Incontinence in old dogs, what would you do?

[Thistle]

I've always been firmly of the belief that an incontinent dog is not a happy dog and also practice better a day to soon than a minute to late to PTS.

However????

Lily is somewhere around 14 years old, staffy, Battersea cruelty case, we've had her 13 years, she was spayed approaching 2 years old. A year ago she was crippled with arthritis, I was ready to say goodbye, vet suggested Librela as the pain meds were making her constantly vomit. Magic drug! She's now fully weight bearing on her lame keg, happy and fully mobile in a wonky old dog way, she eats well and is still top dog in our 5 dog household. She comes right round our 10 acre paddock every day when the others have a good run.

2 weeks ago she started wetting overnight, she also looked uncomfortable, we suspected UTI, vet agreed and she had a 5 day course of antibiotics, we discussed propalin vs incurin and decided on daily incurin if the overnight urination continued. I'm pretty sure the UTI has cleared, however she now has a peeing habit! She sleeps in the kitchen alone, her bed is soaked every morning, she's a digger/nester so puppy pads, absorbent blankets etc just get cast aside. She is totally unaware that she's peed, is happy and jolly, just moves into another bed once she's wet her favourite bed.. She's been on Incurin 5 days now with no improvement, my washing machine is working hard.

She does drink quite a bit, we're picking up the kitchen bowl overnight and making sure she only has a quick slurp from the garden bowl when they go out last thing. She is completely dry during the day and all evening, even when sleeping deeply, or left for up to 4 hours or so.

I'm not sure what to do next, my head says pts, a wet dog is an unhappy dog, however she's so bright and jolly that I don't feel that this is an option just now, it would be a selfish decision based on my needs not hers. I'll ask the vet to run bloods at her next monthly Librela appt

I've looked at the scales that help you decide on dogs quality of life she scores well, so I do feel that she hasn't reached her sell by date yet.

Ideas and opinions welcomed please.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Incontinence knickers overnight? My friend used these on her old lurcher.

 

[Thistle]

Incontinence knickers overnight? My friend used these on her old lurcher.

I had no idea that you could get dog incontinence knickers or are they human ones.

She hates wearing 'clothes' even her little dog rug for when the weather is horrid is barely tolerated but I could give it a go.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I would take her back to the vet this week to find out what is going on. We had our remaining Rott pts just before Christmas, she was only 8 yrs old but had been diagnosed with bladder cancer in May. Her illness seemed to start (become noticeable) with UTI.She stopped weeing randomly for most of the time until about 1 week before we called time. She was dry overnight and although had always been very clean didn't seem worried about weeing in the house. We took the decision when there was blood in her urine, she was more tired, less playful and grumpy with 'her' Labs.
In your position, if your dog is ok with things, I would just clean up as necessary (wrong time of year for constant bed washing, though!), monitor and bring forward investigations before making any decision, which might just be to continue as is.

 

[Equi]

I would try and get a urine sample. Our old boy who would never go in the house randomly did a flood every night and turned out his kidneys were starting to fail secondary to his heart becoming weak. The tablets the vet gave us made him much worse and we decided to call it. It’s such a hard time to go through but 14 is an amazing age for a staffy so she’s clearly had wonderful care from you

 

[Thistle]

Her next vet appt is in 10 days time, she sleeps quite a lot and had a thorough physical exam 10 days ago, eyes, gums etc all a good colour, vet feels kidneys are prob ok but I'd like bloods done I think.

She's an old girl, we can't fix everything but I'm happy to fix small things that improve the quality of both her life and mine.

She's always been a very clean dog and still is apart from overnight. She has a heart murmur hence using incurin (HRT) rather than propalin (vaso constrictor)

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I had no idea that you could get dog incontinence knickers or are they human ones.

They are for dogs, just google them, lots available. My friend has used them on her Tibetan Mastiffs when in season.

 

[skinnydipper]

Possible side effect of Librela?

I've sent you a PM.

 

[Odyssey]

Someone I know had great success with the "Hold It" herbal supplement from CSJ for their incontinent staffie. Herbs take a while to build up in the system so don't usually work as fast as drugs, but it might be worth a try. I hope you find something that helps, it's such a difficult situation. An incontinent dog is something I've always dreaded. I knew someone who had her dog pts when she could no longer cope with his incontinence, and it must be so hard to know when to make that decision when their health is otherwise pretty good.

 

[TPO]

*disclaimer, no idea what I'm talking about just my experience

One of mum's frenchies became mildly incontinent after being spayed. Turned out the vet had nicked something while doing the procedure.

Anyway she is now on Propalin twice a day and no issues since. It's dirt cheap online with a prescription compared to vet prices.

It's an incontinence drug so might help?

 

[Chiffy]

TPO, read above….there is a reason she is not on propolin!

 

[TPO]

TPO, read above….there is a reason she is not on propolin!

Apologies, totally missed that post ??‍

 

[Thistle]

*disclaimer, no idea what I'm talking about just my experience

One of mum's frenchies became mildly incontinent after being spayed. Turned out the vet had nicked something while doing the procedure.

Anyway she is now on Propalin twice a day and no issues since. It's dirt cheap online with a prescription compared to vet prices.

It's an incontinence drug so might help?

She can't have propalin, not good for elderley dogs or those with a mild heart problem, hence the incurin

 

[Cinnamontoast]

If she is otherwise enjoying life, I'd try the knickers and another vet visit. It's when the back end goes and they can't get up that I'd be considering pts. I hope she improves.

 

[TPO]

She can't have propalin, not good for elderley dogs or those with a mild heart problem, hence the incurin

Apologies, totally missed the further post

 

[Clodagh]

I can’t see many dogs enjoying wearing a warm wet nappy?
Incontinence to me is a pts issue. But I would want to be sure it wasn’t just an infection. Just MO.

 

[AmyMay]

I can’t see many dogs enjoying wearing a warm wet nappy?
Incontinence to me is a pts issue. But I would want to be sure it wasn’t just an infection. Just MO.

I can’t imagine putting an otherwise bright and healthy dog down because of a bit of incontinence.

 

[Clodagh]

I can’t imagine putting an otherwise bright and healthy dog down because of a bit of incontinence.

We all have different views on how much they should go through.

 

[AmyMay]

We all have different views on how much they should go through.

No, I appreciate that. Looking at my little dog though, I just couldn’t do it.

 

[Clodagh]

I do think I was more sentimental when we had less dogs. I’ve no idea what decisions I’ll take when Tawny is frail, but I’m quite accepting of Brandy coming towards the end.

 

[blackcob]

It'd be an easy decision if dogs became abruptly 100% incontinent and that was that but it doesn't happen like that often; occasional incontinence or dry during the day is so many shades of grey, IMO.

I'm not usually one for Facebook experience groups but I was convinced that Librela induced excessive drinking and urinating in one of mine including an uncharacteristic overnight accident and found there that many had experienced the same. Having discussed it with my vet and knowing she can maintain on other pain meds I've taken my bitch off it for now.

 

[irishdraft]

My 13 yo collie bitch is also weeing overnight /when asleep only . She has been diagnosed with spay incontinence. I had her on propalin for a while & it did seem to stop it . Then let it lapse to see how she was and she is now peeing every night I have bought her incontinence pants which I put on before I go to bed about 10.30 and take off when I get up every morning they are soaked & seem to do a reasonable job, but she's still damp from where she's been laying . I'm going back to vet to get some more propalin, so although this dog has driven me mad with some of her behaviour over the years I could not live with myself if I had her put down for my convenience. She's full of life loves her walks, initiates play with my terrier and is fit and healthy apart from this problem.

 

[Clodagh]

It'd be an easy decision if dogs became abruptly 100% incontinent and that was that but it doesn't happen like that often; occasional incontinence or dry during the day is so many shades of grey, IMO.

I'm not usually one for Facebook experience groups but I was convinced that Librela induced excessive drinking and urinating in one of mine including an uncharacteristic overnight accident and found there that many had experienced the same. Having discussed it with my vet and knowing she can maintain on other pain meds I've taken my bitch off it for now.

That’s interesting, maybe I’ll stop asking the vet for it! (Haven’t had any available yet).

 

[Thistle]

I always though I'd say pts but now I'm faced with it, it would seem to be for my convenience rather than her need, she's fast asleep when she pees, it drains through her bed and if she's uncomfy she moves to another bed. She's her normal cheeky, jolly self in every other way.

I may ask the vet about extending the librela interval, it's a real balancing act, before librela she was crippled and would have been pts a year ago.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Recently our lab aged 8 started weeing in the house. Medically nothing wrong.
He would literally guts water into him, like drink madly then flood the house.
A friend suggested wetting his food, I was very dubious but started. I don’t soak it as such, just put a few cm of water then add his dry food. He leaves the bowl clean and dry, has stopped the mad drinking and therefore stopped weeing..

 

[Thistle]

Lily eats Forthglade trays which is a wet food.

 

[Sandstone1]

You should not restrict water over night or at any other time unless you have had urine and blood tests done really. If she is drinking a lot there will be a reason for it.

 

[twiggy2]

I have always said incontinence would be a pts choice for me, that said if you feel it could be due to meds (short term) etc and the dog is not bothered by it could you try one of the wire mesh on a frame bed with something like vet bed on top if something softer is needed, both these things would allow the urine to drain away from the dog and you could put something absorbent underneath?

 

[Mule]

I always though I'd say pts but now I'm faced with it, it would seem to be for my convenience rather than her need, she's fast asleep when she pees, it drains through her bed and if she's uncomfy she moves to another bed. She's her normal cheeky, jolly self in every other way.

I may ask the vet about extending the librela interval, it's a real balancing act, before librela she was crippled and would have been pts a year ago.

I would get blood tests before you change the librela.

 

[Clodagh]

I’ve been thinking about Lily. I couldn’t, for love nor money put a nappy on a dog and force it to lie in its mess. I could possibly bear giving them very washable beds and just doing the short wash cycle every morning.