Older Male Dog - Incontinence Or Being Naughty?

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

I have a 10+ male foxy I adopted last year from the pound. Apart from having bad teeth and having surgery, he has been in fantastic health.

about 2 weeks ago, he was sleeping on my bed - he likes the same spot every night. Anyhow, about 4 am, he'd moved (this was unusual) and I moved my hand to find the covers soaking wet.

I took him to my vet that night and she did a urine test and there was no infection. She said to keep him in a crate at night and see if it happened again. I did for 4 nights but it has been cold so I got him back on my bed, under the doona to keep him warm.

Next morning, same thing, he'd moved and there was a great big soaking wet large area in his usual place.

Back to the vet that night. She said I have to keep him in a crate for a month and check each morning if he has wet. She thinks he is possibly being lazy and doing this deliberately.

Having had my other foxy die of a brain tumour last year this frightened me as he had developed incontinence as well but there were other symptoms present.

With this foxy, there appears to be nothing else wrong. Just wondering if anyone has any experience of this or any suggestions.

[puggy_puggy]

It really doesn't sound like he is being naughty.

If he was being naughty I think he would probably me more likey to get on your bed during the day and pee on it and get off and go and do something else. My pug boy did this a few times when he was young and it was because he was peeved off at me for some reason or another.

Have things changed recently with his sleeping arrangements? Do you have a new dog?

Doesn't seem like your vet is being very understanding. There is a medication that can help incontenet dogs stop peeing themselves. I am wondering if they would be willing to prescibe this and see how things go.

In the mean time you could grab some puppy pee pads or the similar things that humans have to put under them in bed and put it down on your bed for him to sleep on.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

He's a very clean dog, I'm pretty sure he's not being naughty but my vet said to give it a month in the crate before I start doing the other tests.

I've just had HUGE vet's bills for my other dogs and my vet said that there are lots of tests required to determine male incontinence.

I had also read on the web that Chinese herbs help incontinence. I do also go to the All Natural Vet at Russell Lea but it's much further away and hard to get to and I didn't want to wait 2 wks for a check up so went to my local vet.

[puggy_puggy]

Others might yell at me for saying this but seriously do they have to run tests? Why couldn't they just prescribe the meds and see if they work.

When my female pug was younger she would wet herself when she got excited all the time. My vet said that hopefully she should grow out of it but if she didn't they could prescribe some meds for her. Thankfully she has gottne better now she is older.

Going off to google what tests could possibly be needed to determine incontinence, because I really can't think of what they would do, and if prescribing an incontinence drug to dog that isn't incontanant would harm them.

[Aequus]

Is the dog desexed and has the vet checked his prostate? Its an easy test that only costs a rubber glove or a fast ultra sound whilst the dog is in the consult room?

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

I believe he's been desexed many years ago as he had an ear tattoo when I rescued him (he's the boy in my avatar and the apple of his mother's eye!!). They stopped tattooing quite a few years ago.

The prostate is an interesting thought, a few days before he had his first accident, he had his anal glands emptied, I wonder if that could have started this off.

I have had a new foster dog for about a month but I've since adopting my foxie in May last year I've had a few foster dogs and he's never had any issues. I don't think it is that.

I also wondered about just trying the pills, I read on the web that it's hard to determine the cause of male incontinence. He's just taken himself out for a wee as he likes to go to bed early. He's a creature of habit and a dog that has never caused me any troubles, I just don't think he is doing it deliberately.

[RoxyNHemi]

I have a rescue, she is semi incontinent. Some nights, I will wake with a wet patch on the bed, other nights she will whine to go out.

She was treated with some medication, I only gave her one course, but it just reduced the size of puddles, and as soon as she came off it, it started more reguarly. The vet said there may be side effects with continuous dosage, so I have gone against it, how hard is it to wash the sheets, as apposed to putting my dog through possible side effects...

The vet also mentioned it could of been a result to being steralised.

She also doesnt always sleep on the bed and has her own 'couch' so Im not so heavily affected by it

All the best, I would be changing vets to one who is keen to figure out what the issue is NOW.

Sarah

PS I beleive some vets do still tatoo as I have come across x 18 mth old dogs who have been tattood rcently. I spoke to the vet nurse about tattooing and she said some vets do if requested

[peibe]

Does he wet in the crate or just your bed?

[ex coordinator]

One of my dogs, a desexed male silky, aged about 8 ,was found to be incontinent over 3 years ago,with no apparent reason,despite all the tests and suggestions at the time, nothing worked.

I know it upset him, plus he would get fungal infections from being damp in his groin.He would need frequent baths and bedding changes.

I tried a lot of things, and FINALLY,about eighteen months ago, my wonderful vet after making further enquiries suggested I try a medication named INCURIN , and THANKFULLY,it worked.

This medication was I believe originally designed for females, but can be given to males with no harm.

He weighs about 4.5 kg, I gave it to him daily to begin with and now only have to give it to him every second day, with no side affects, and no accidents. If it is missed the incontinence does return.Another vet suggested once, that I stop the medication, which I tried and the incontinence immediatley returned.

He is much happier now, [as are we!], and not smelly and no has not had any more fungal infections.

Hope this works for your little chap .

Edited September 16, 2008 by ex coordinator