elderly dog toilet issue

liquoriceall

Hi all, this post is very painful to write but my almost 12 year old hound has started to have accidents with the toilet. He has done 2 poos in the car in the last week which I have excused as nerves in the car (he hares the car but we have to just accept it as part of life as he has to be dropped to day care). However this morning we got up, he went out to the loo, came in and as I was eating my breakfast did a poo. It was as if he didn't even know it was happening. He does have issues with his back and for the last year requires supervision on the stairs etc as he fell down them a few times. I'm just so upset for him and not sure what to do? Mostly I think I just need reassurance

muddypaws

I'm having the same thing with my 13 and a half year old husky. She just doesn't know she's doing it. I just clean it up and don't reassure or tell her off.

The worst one was when she was asleep on the back of the sofa, lying across my shoulders - it rolled down my arm.

liquoriceall

I've been reassuring him I suppose in reality it's for myself not him

DBB

Ahhh... The joys of our pals getting old
I'd have a chat with your vet op. Your dog may need to have medical issues ruled out, and some medications to ease the incontinence may be suitable for him.

aonb

Definitely a visit to the vet to have him checked.
My old guy started to suffer incontinence (age 17, who could blame him) - Im not a squeemish person, so apart from the nuisance factor, it didnt really bother me. It was sad to see him aging so obviously. We took up the rug in the family room (where he slept) bought vet bed (easy/fast to wash/dry) for his beds. Had lots of vetbed sheets to rotate, to keep his beds clean and smell-free. Put a sheet of plastic under his vet bed on the sofa. Used baby wetwipes for giving his rear end a 'swish' several times/day to keep him smelly-free. Had bottles of cleaner and paper towels in the rooms he would spend time in. It was just part of our routine. Would take him outside much more often than before.
Talk to the vet about possible medication.
My guy seemed to have good and bad days - accident-wise. We just got into the habit of cleaning up, without fuss, and didnt get in a state about accidents. Making sure that he couldnt soil anything that couldnt be cleaned was the main thing.

Poor chap - you might discuss diet with your vet as well - from the point of view of the food being more gentle on is stomach/bowel etc

cocker5

Def a vet trip is necessary there maybe something that could help

Also look at diet - maybe something easier on the bowel

I had something similar two months ago - my 13.5 year old cocker was weeing on himself in his sleep .. we carried out lots of tests etc - he’s grand after all the tests he stopped

jimf

at his age he may have prostate issues which can affect his bowel movements

erica74

My girl is 10ish (she's a rescue so we're not certain) and she has started having accidents and has stopped barking to go out to the toilet. So, what used to happen in the night if she needed to go out was she'd bark and I'd get up and let her out but she no longer barks so most mornings I get up to a wee and/or a poo in the kitchen. I think it's old age rather than losing control of her bladder and bowel for my girl.
I'm just hoping to reassure you that it is something we do have to cope with as our pets get older. I just make sure not to give out, just clean up without saying anything.

cocker5

erica74 wrote: »

My girl is 10ish (she's a rescue so we're not certain) and she has started having accidents and has stopped barking to go out to the toilet. So, what used to happen in the night if she needed to go out was she'd bark and I'd get up and let her out but she no longer barks so most mornings I get up to a wee and/or a poo in the kitchen. I think it's old age rather than losing control of her bladder and bowel for my girl.
I'm just hoping to reassure you that it is something we do have to cope with as our pets get older. I just make sure not to give out, just clean up without saying anything.

Wow 10 isn’t that old why not get her checked by a vet?

erica74

cocker5 wrote: »

Wow 10 isn’t that old why not get her checked by a vet?

What makes you think she hasn't been checked by a vet?

Knine

Some Breeds or crosses are indeed old at 10 years of age, especially in larger breeds.

erica74

Knine wrote: »

Some Breeds or crosses are indeed old at 10 years of age, especially in larger breeds.

She's a german shepherd cross, who knows what she was crossed with though, maybe the tazmanian devil:pac:

cocker5

erica74 wrote: »

cocker5 wrote: »

Wow 10 isn’t that old why not get her checked by a vet?

What makes you think she hasn't been checked by a vet?

Because you said you think it’s old age .. not the vet thinks .. imo any change in behavior needs to be investigated regardless of age