Old Girl Struggling To 'hold It'

[Zug Zug]

Any ideas to help my older (desexed) girl? She has wet herself a few times in the last month. Not like her - she is not at all happy about it.

I know this happens and can be a normal part of the ageing process (she is 11.5 yo) - but maybe there are things I can do to make it easier for her?

Diet? Drugs? Something else?

I've got in the habit of getting her up for a wee again before I turn in at night. But she still doesn't always make it until the morning. If I hear her crying I get up, but last night I didn't hear anything.

[chuckie500]

I'd get a litter tray and put it somewhere she can get to. Thats what i'm planning on doing when mine get to that age.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

I don't think a dog will start using a litter tray necessarily but I have had this before and just cover the floor with newspaper along the normal route to get out. I'm presuming she's heads towards her normal exit and doesn't make it rather than randomly going anywhere.

Vets also have medication that can help if it is incontinence. You should also get her kidneys checked - blood test required.

[D & D]

Any ideas to help my older (desexed) girl? She has wet herself a few times in the last month. Not like her - she is not at all happy about it.

I know this happens and can be a normal part of the ageing process (she is 11.5 yo) - but maybe there are things I can do to make it easier for her?

Diet? Drugs? Something else?

I've got in the habit of getting her up for a wee again before I turn in at night. But she still doesn't always make it until the morning. If I hear her crying I get up, but last night I didn't hear anything.

This started to happen with my old girl (RIP Razz) when she was 13. I took her straight to the vets, full bloodwork, diagnosed with pancreatitis. She was in hospital for almost a week on a drip, when she came home, she was on a restricted diet.

I had pancreatic bloods (amylase and lipase) done every 6 months. Hers were always quite high, so she was on a restricted diet for life.

At almost 15 years old, she started to leak again, so back to the vets with me in a panic. Bloods were all ok, so she went on meds. There's two types, can't remember names at the moment. One didn't really work for her, the other did.

If it was me, I'd take her to the vets for bloods. My vet originally thought it may be a UTI, and wanted to put her on antibiotics for a few days. I told him that she wasn't her normal self, he then suggested bloods. Only you know what's 'normal' for your dog, go with your gut, and all the best.

BTW, Razz gave herself her wings at 15 years and 3 months old.

[mutt lover]

My litle lady is a little incontinent not all the time but sometimes has accidents and leaks a bit on her bed's, I took her to vet and she is on tablets for incontinence isn't gr8 for their kidneys but at 16 years of age they probably aren't that gr8 anyway, If however has only recently started for your dog perhaps he also may have an infection but your vet will be able to advise you more on what the problem may be the tablets aren't expensive. Edited November 30, 2009 by mutt lover

[Zug Zug]

Thanks - we'll be off to the vet to have her checked out.

One interesting thing - we had changed dog food last week (our pet shop ran out of the good stuff) so I've just changed her back (drove to another pet shop a long way away). Hopefully having her back on the stuff she's used to might help a bit also.

She seems well otherwise but needs her teeth cleaned anyway so we might do it all together.

[Sandra777]

I know this happens and can be a normal part of the ageing process (she is 11.5 yo) - but maybe there are things I can do to make it easier for her?

Is she one of the dogs in the pic? If so I really wouldn't consider a dog of that size "old" at 11.5 years - definitely a vet check for UTI and there are meds to help with the problems spayed bitches can have because of the lack of hormones.

They do feel very bad about it don't they - is a dog door an option if it's incurable?

If not I would supply newspaper or training pad or whatever suits (there are indoor dog loos available) and lots of praise when you discover her "accident" on this place - so she doesn't think she's done wrong even though she couldn't help it. Confine her to a smaller area as you would a puppy while she's getting the idea that this new place is OK to pee on.

[Zug Zug]

Yep - she is the darker one but that photo makes her look smaller than she is for some reason. She is the height of a small-ish kelpie. But she's quite lightly built - only 11kg of her under all that fur.

So yes we're hoping she's got quite a few years left yet. And she is still quite fit. Perhaps a bit slower than she once was.

Change of food seems to be helping. Vet appt Friday.

[Monah]

Hi, also get her checked for bladder stones. My old ACD had enormous ones! I don't know how she held on for so long, poor thing. She was a different girl after having them removed!!