Holiday care for incontinent dog with mil

[Dogpeeandmil]

I have a lovely old dog who my pils always look after when we go away. They have always enjoyed this, as they're very fond of him.

However he is having more and more trouble controlling his bladder, and will usually pee in the house if left for 3-4 hours, and gets up at 5 every morning for a pee, sometimes failing to get there in time and peeing on the carpet. This week alone he's probably had about 12-15 accidents, most of them while we've been in the house with him, once whilst I was standing talking to him (and he wasn't looking for the door or anything) .

He's had blood tests recently- all normal, and urine sample tested - all normal. He's been on medication for dementia, and he has severe arthritis in his elbows.

He is very happy except when left, is still excited by walks .

But can I really ask my pils to put up with the incontinence - they're due to look after him for three weeks soon. I don't want to ask them, as they wouldn't say no. They're too nice.

I'll get the bloods and urine repeated anyway.

Would they look after him in your house I.e. come and stay? That way it's not their carpet getting peed on and he's probably less confused in a familiar environment. I think you need to be up front with them about the problem and see what they say. What's your alternative?

That is an idea. I will suggest it. I had decided that we will pay to get their carpets cleaned after the stay, but it would still be stressful having to let him out all the time and watching out for pee everywhere.

I wouldn't send him to kennels now - he's been a few times, but howls if I leave him for half an hour, and both times I've picked him up from kennels his bed has been soaking wet.( different kennels) .

If there is no more medically to be done, then the only other option is to put him to sleep, but it feels horrible when he's happy most the time. I've just had a count up, and the accidents are probably nearer 30 in the last week - our house is starting to reek, but I can get a carpet cleaner for that easily enough. We can't leave him in the kitchen - he only settles near us, otherwise he starts howling.

I don't want to put pressure on my pils- I don't want to say that pts is our 'other option' as that's like making them make the decision for us which wouldn't be fair.

Im sorry to say but having been through this recently and a long discussion with my vet. We had to get out old boy pts. It really isnt fair on the dog.

While you may not think he gets stressed by weeing everywhere, he will. But with dementia may not show it.

If your pil wont stay in your house then you need to think about what is best for your lovely old dog.

It is so hard, but the last kindness we can do for our hairy babies.

I would pts. It must be distressing for the dog. sounds like dog also has separation anxiety

i would PTS too

I wouldn't be rushing to PTS at this stage - I'd be having another chat to your vet about options for medication - and making sure he hasn't got a persistent UTI which can be quite hard to shift sometimes. A friend has recently lost her nearly 16 year old dog and his last year or so was punctuated by several UTIs which needed ABs and affected his continence in the house, however his "core" continence was great and returned quickly once the UTI was sorted out. One of our greys has just had one and needed two lots of ABs to shift it and we had a couple of accidents, bless him.

I'm another one who would look at your PIL coming to stay with you for the duration - that seems a great idea and will ensure your dog's routine is only minimally disrupted. A steam cleaner is also your friend!

Our old boy has pee problems, so we got him a 'belly band' from ebay and pop a really absorbent pampers nappy in it and put absorbent squares for bed wetters under his blanket and thag catches anything that doesnt make it outside! He still enjoys his life even though he's doddery and grey, and as he's given us the best of his life we're holding on while he still enjoys his walks, food and strokes. We make sure we go on hols places he can go and work things around him wherever we can.

I'm going to get his blood tests repeated tomorrow to see if anything else shows up, and test urine as well. I don't feel he is ready for pts, it just gets me so frustrated at times. But looking at him now, nice and relaxed and trusting, I just don't feel I could do it yet. I'll speak to my PILs , and see how they feel.

Tata - last year we camped with him, which he really enjoyed, but then had an accident in the last morning all over 3 sleeping bags and duvets, so I won't be rushing to do that with him again.