Incontinence in a bitch - when to medicate?

[JustBeingJuliet]

Ddog is 8.5 yrs and has been a bit dribbly since she was speyed 4 years ago. Sometimes, she can go for a couple of weeks with no accidents, then other times, like this last week, every time she goes to sleep, she wakes up in a huge puddle. I've mopped 6 times today already. That's not a huge issue though, but she's long haired and I'm having to bath her daily at the minute else she smells really bad really quickly, and I'm worried about her getting sore. I saw the vet a couple of weeks ago and she said we can start her on medication whenever it becomes unmanageable, but when is that? Next week she might be completely dry again and then it feels unnecessary to be giving her drugs. I've tried to work out if there are any triggers but it's random.

Has anyone had any experience?

[JustBeingJuliet]

Another factor, just to add, is that I'm going away in 10 days and she's staying with a friend for a week so I guess it would be fairer all round to get her on the medication now. I think I've just answered my own question!

I'll rephrase it to: does the medication start working straight away?

[villainousbroodmare]

I'd start her on it now. You can usually then reduce the amount of medication to the minimum effective dose, but probably best to do that yourself after the hols.

[JustBeingJuliet]

Yeah I've made the decision to book an appointment on Monday and get her started on it. I've been putting it off because I know once she starts on it, she's going to be on it for life, but she's been soaked through that often today that she smells better after a swim in the lake tonight than she has done all day and the whole house smells pissy after this last week. It's the fact that it's intermittent that's been putting me off, as we have several weeks of nothing, then a week or two of constant weeing. I just can't work out why it's not happening all the time?

[Veterinari]

It will depend on how full her bladder is when she lies down.

The medication is well tolerated with few side effects

[Scuttlebutter]

One of our girls is on it, and she's doing brilliantly. Clean beds at night and no wet patches on her, more importantly. She's bouncing around like a delightful little pup even though she's now 11.

[mayhew]

My 12 yr lab has been on Incurin for 3 years. She has one tablet every 3 days and is completely dry. It's been amazing.

[JustBeingJuliet]

Finally picked up the incurin today after a right palaver with the vets not ordering it in! Given her the first one this afternoon and hoping they kick in pretty quick as we're flying off on holiday tomorrow so she's off to my friends house for a week, and I don't really want to leave him to deal with the mess. Bathed her every day this week as she's been wetting so badly that she stinks to high heaven otherwise. My house smells like ab I cleaned rabbit hutch! Fingers crossed it works for her.

[JustBeingJuliet]

• an uncleaned rabbit hutch. Damn auto correct!