Old dog becoming incontinent, any advice?

marmalade76

marmalade76

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I have a collie who's at least 12 this year, she was a second hand dog so I don't know exactly how old she is, I've had her 10 years this year and she was an adult dog when I got her.

She had vestibula around Christmas and whilst she has recovered for the most part, she's not quite the same dog she was before. She's a bit doddery when she first gets up but is otherwise still fairly active, she spends at least two hours at the yard daily, often longer and still spins at high speed.

I have noticed that she's piddled in her bed at least twice recently while she's lying down and we're now having regular solid accidents in the morning (not every day, though). I am a night owl and take her out in the garden when I have my bedtime smoke and husband is a morning person so it's not a long night for her.

Any suggestions? Husband is seriously poo phobic. Cheers.
 
I’d ask for her bloods to test liver and kidney function also heart. I’d consider moving her feeding times so it’s later or earlier, meaning the solids come out at a more convenient time. Sadly the older they get the more it’s like puppy training, just have to keep going out every 30-1hr
 
My old dog was incontinent, vet put her on incurin, I bought those rubber backed terry mattress protectors and wrapped her bed in them! Much easier to clean.
She was on incurin for about 6months but has been dry now since last September.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I would talk to your vet about what can be done to help her. I'm afraid that if the answer is 'nothing', I would spoil her for a couple of days and pts. Very few dogs enjoy being incontinent. I hope your vet can help.
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This as well. When my old girl became pee incontinent, we bought loads of vet bed and popped it over puppy/incontinence pads and that kept her dry. She became poo incontinent which was distressing (for her, more than me) and the vets did give her something which helped, but it turned out it was caused by a tumour. She kept her dignity to the end (can't remember what the meds were), but I would have let her go earlier if not as she really found it difficult. Pee, she couldn't care less. Even without the vet bed this dog would sleep in a puddle of pee quite happily.
 
Vet would be my first port of call.

My terrier had a spell of it, but it was resolved with monthly injections for his arthritis. He never struggled getting up and down from bed but would be slow to start going down the stairs (very steep cottage stairs).
 
canteron said:
Put a large towel on her bed - easier to clean. To be honest, I always think at this point you don’t have long to go, so look after them with good grace and enjoy ever minute of the few months left.

And maybe mention to your husband you will do the same for him 😧
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To be quite honest, I probably wouldn't!
 
I am glad that you know what's going on. When our Rott was diagnosed with bladder cancer, we kept her comfortable with Metacam/Loxicom and she had a good life for the next 6 months. When she became incontinent again with blood in her urine we decided that she had had enough and pts. The vet said he wouldn't have been surprised if it had been a shorter time.
You have given your girl a very comfortable 2nd chance and she has lived to a good age, please try to take some comfort from that.
 
She's gone now, went last week. Can't get used to it, every morning I get up and expect to see her, coming home, etc. I thought 5 months wasn't bad as at our previous vet visit he made it sound like she had only weeks to go. As it happened she perked up no end after the medication, I thought the hot weather would have a negative effect but no, she was fine. Then she started scouring regularly so trial & error finding food that suited and stuck to that. Then a couple of weeks or so before we said good bye she started scouring on that food too, noticeably lost weight despite eating well, coat started falling out more than a regular moult and she slowed down. Then the final blow was the return of vestibula. It was a hard decision because she still seemed happy, I nearly cancelled the appointment but I thought if not that week it would be the next. RIP Tilly :'(
 
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