Dog pissing and shitting over everything. AIBU to PTS?

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I've just caught my dog pissing all over a fairly new side table. He stood and did it right in front of me, despite being less than two feet from access to the garden. I chased him out into the garden and cleaned it up,only to find he'd crapped in the kitchen without me knowing about it. I've shut him in the (tiled) kitchen, where he's howling and barking to be let out. He's ruined an expensive carpet through this.

Not to drip feed, he's about 17, a small crossbred who has free access to the outside and is walked daily. The vet has checked him several times and can find no physical reason this. I've also cleaned the carpet/furniture with enzyme cleaner, bio soap power and have had it professionally cleaned. My house stinks. I have a niece who will soon be crawling and I can't have her over if she's going to be crawling in dog urine (or worse, poo.)

I'm honestly thinking about having him PTS. I've owned him since he was a tiny pup and it would probably break my heart to do it, but I can't take much more of this mess either. I'm sitting here trying to get some very important work done and all I can smell is piss. All I can hear is him howling because he's been shut in the one room with a floor he can't ruin.

AIBU?

If he's 17 then it could be dementia.

AnUtterIdiot Appropriate name. There are clearly options in-between your ridiculous caricature and killing the dog.

Op I've been there with two dogs - a westie who made it to 20 and a cairn who made it to 18. In the end they died naturally but looking back PTS earlier would have been kinder as I think they had hardly any quality of life at the end both were deaf and one blind too.

Haven't time to RtT right now ... has anyone mentioned canine dementia to you?

Google signs & symptoms of canine dementia and see if there is anything else there you recognise in his behavior.

If this does seem to apply, you can discuss it with your vet. Even be referred to a specialist.

I was lucky enough to keep one of our old boys going for two nearly years after the onset of dementia. He was incontinent, but with applicable management, that wasn't too much of a problem. It was only when other dementia symptoms became distressing for him that we PTS.

Having said that, there are things about your posts that suggest it might not be this. For example, you suggest there were always potential continence/training issues ... hence the dog-flap.

I, too, would get another opinion. A referral to a specialist.

There is some really bollocks being spouted on here. Putting down a very elderly dog coming towards the end of its life before it suffers too much when that suffering cannot be releived is the duty of an owner. Animals have no concept of future and there are far far worse things that can happen than a painless and peaceful end. The phrase better a week to early than a day too late is very true.

If I make it to 119, which I think is the equivalent in dog years, and start losing the plot and pissing on the furniture, my family have my express permission to have me euthanised assuming it's legal by then!

I would ask for a vet home visit and have him gently PTS in his happy familiar surroundings. Always better a few days too early than a few days too late.

OP, you obviously love your dog, after giving him a home for 17 yrs.
I understand, as unfortunately, my 17 yr old boy, went the very same way.
There is certainly something amiss, if you do get a diagnosis of dementia, then I think it would be kinder to let him go, amidst his confusion.
I really feel for you, its very hard letting go of a much loved pet, and member of your family. 💐
Give him a scratch from me.

My old dog is 13 and she is starting to either get a bit of dementia or losing the use of her bowels/bladder. Nothing wrong, just old age. I make sure she goes out straight after her tea, first thing in the morning and at regular intervals to lessen the occurrence. No it's not pleasant but for me she still is a happy fun loving dog and I couldn't put her down for it so I manage it.

There are some very unhelpful posts on here. TheEternalForever in particular seems to have the judgy pants hoiked to bosom level

Our elderly cat did this. And yowled. Very distressing

Sadly also had a severe fit one night, so we had to get the vet out and had her pts.

Was either dementia or a tumour, Either way when there's no quality of life (and a clean animal hates soiling) there is only one thing to do.

I can't believe those having a go at the OP for thinking she's PTS a 'perfectly healthy dog'.

It's obvious that the dog isn't perfectly healthy or he wouldn't be pissing and crapping everywhere. He's trying to tell the OP that he's not right, regardless of what the vet says, it might not be physical as other PP have said.

Also, to the poster who claims the OP is heartless, you clearly have no idea how hard she's finding it. Normal people don't enjoy putting animals to sleep. I had my 'perfectly healthy' 5 yo horse pts as he had a bowed leg and kept falling over. If you'd had a go at me for that, I'd have completely lost it with you.

Poor little fella sounds like he's not enjoying life anymore. If it were 'just' a case of losing control of his bladder/bowels then I'd say suck it up buttercup and accept that you owe him some extra EOL care.

It doesn't, however, seem he has much quality of life so perhaps it's time to take that difficult decision. It's hard and I still feel guilty for not being strong enough to make that decision with one of my pets. If I could rewind and do it again then things would be different and I would have ended their suffering. Sadly it was more about my own emotions than the welfare of my much loved companion.

Not hard to see why you're at the end of your tether with it.

Before taking the last resort I'd strongly encourage you to

1. get a 2nd vetinary opinion from a different vet
2. get a dog specialist trainer/behaviour expert to visit and give advice
3. get a 2nd opinion from another dog expert
4. look into dog "nappies" and if they're feasible.

Once you've tried 2 vets and two behavioural/training experts, I think you could PTS with a clear conscience.

Its already been mentioned, but talk to your vet about Aktivait and/or Vivitonin, no tests needed but it will need time to kick in if I remember correctly, it certainly helped my old dog when she started to lose her marbles & I'm glad I went down this route, we had a good number of years with her after she started taking them.

If you've had enough, don't want the stress of the vets, tablet taking and costs then pts ..

Could he possibly be afraid of the doggy door? Some animals really don't like using them.

PaulDacresConscience judging? I have given OP some advice, and then given my opinion on what I would do in that situation (which OP asked for by creating this thread). My opinion is that I wouldn't send my dog to be put down until I had sought a second opinion and tried everything I could to find out what was wrong with him. It's OP's dog and OP's life and she is free to do whatever she wishes and whatever she thinks is best for her. But she asked for opinions and I stated what I would do if it were me.

Perhaps my post came across as aggressive, I work with dogs everyday and sometimes my emotions run high when I have to consider difficult situations. I cannot help that, although I try to keep my feelings bottled up. If OP thinks I was being aggressive and unnecessarily judgemental then I apologise to her. However, I did as everyone else on this thread did. I attempted to offer a judgement of the situation (not of OP specifically) as it has been presented, alongside my personal opinion. OP is being reasonable if she does whatever is best for her and her dog. None of us can know if the dog is in pain or distress, and if OP does know that and decides to act on that then she is being reasonable. It is my personal opinion that I would consider MYSELF unreasonable if I put my pet down without trying to find out what is wrong. OP has since stated that she's trying to contact the vet to find out more and I hope that she's able to find out what's wrong with her dog and is able to make an informed decision based on this.

So sorry about your horse Catchit, very distressing. 🌺🌺🌺

Also remember that 17 is very old for a dog. The vets can come to your house if you would like (no need to be "thrown" on a vets table, which I'm sure vets don't do!!!) x It is an act of love for you to put your dog to sleep as he is suffering. xx

This is a very emotive issue. We all want to put our ten penneth in, but we are not wearing OPs shoes. She knows her own dog.
OP, I don't think anyone is trying to add to your distress, just that emotions are high, and in the case of Eternal, plain honest speaking, from her point of view. Each of us has a point to make, and shouldn't judge each other.
Let us know how you get on. 🌺

Omg I could have written the op myself we have an elderly bulldog who also started pissing and shitting in the house. He's petrified of thunder and fireworks and bonfire night has tipped him over the edge. He's always been guilty of pissing in his bed if he couldn't be bothered to go out but never done this before. I have also had to lock him the kitchen as its the only room that's not carpeted ( moved house at Easter) and he barks constantly but I can't trust him. His is def behavioural and all we can do is keep dragging him out into the garden.
It's v stressful and I'm constantly on guard when I do let him out. Otherwise he's healthy in himself

Poor OP, to be fair there only seems to be CharlestonChaplin having a go at OP. (Comparing dog to killing a human being is clearly a ridiculous thing to say.)

Do the right thing OP, I can say with absolute faith that putting your dog to sleep is a true act of love xxx

If he's not suffering, YABU. There are treatments, ranging from pills to doggie diapers to surgery. Find out the cause of things before making any decision.

Poor thing, he's just old and incontinent just like humans get.