I have an 11 year old dog who means the absolute world to me. I have owned him since he was 8 weeks old and he has been there through all the ups and downs.
The past three years with him haven’t been the easiest due to health issues. Arthritis, cancer, back problems, issues with urinating, bowel issues, constipation are just a few amongst other random non specific issues. Despite all these issues, he is currently pretty happy, healthy an fairly fit. However, he regularly has issues with urinating in the house. Sometimes it’s like he has lost control and completely peed himself, sometimes he seems to leak urine and sometimes he just goes in the same place as if he has been caught short. He can go a few months without doing anything and then there are times where it seems to everyday. The only thing the vets ever found was crystals in his urine which he now gets a prescription diet for.
He has had numerous surgeries to remove lumps around his bum. The second last one, just over a year ago, was very invasive and it’s lucky he’s not completely incontinent. He generally has a slight smearing left on his bum after a poo, which is easily cleaned, but anytime his faeces becomes slightly loose he starts to leak. The whole of his bum and back legs end up covered in poo as does anything he comes in to contact with. Again, he can go a few months without having any incidents like this but unfortunately the older he gets, the more prone he seems to be to an upset tummy.
Since Saturday he has had complete liquid diarrhoea. No ‘accidents’ in the house but again he is leaking everywhere, he is covered in it and it ends up all over the house, smeared on walls, floor etc. I have lost count of the amount of times I have bathed his back end. Three this morning alone. I have carpets in the majority of the house which I am going to have to get professionally cleaned (for the fourth time this year). I have been trying to keep him in the kitchen but he is so upset at being locked away, he paces, spreads poo everywhere then gets even more upset as he doesn’t want to lie down in poo. I don’t even manage to clean everywhere before he needs showered and I need to start again. I barely even managed to speak to my own child last night as there was just poo everywhere. I finished cleaning at half 9, ordered pizza, put DS to bed then started again.
It’s not Ddog’s fault but I can’t live like this anymore. We have different prescription food from the vet and some different meds but realistically even when this stops, it’s only a matter of time before the next episode. My house is a mess, the living room stinks but I can’t change the flooring because it’s just going to happen again at some point and I can’t afford to be constantly redecorating. My dog really means the world to me but I am honestly just at breaking point right now, I can’t cope with it anymore 😔.
AIBU to consider putting him to sleep? I feel so bad even thinking it. He’s not a dog on it’s last legs, I don’t look at him and think it’s time but I really am at breaking point now.