Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

At the end of my tether with 9 year old dog

22 replies

MuchAdoAboutDog · 09/11/2021 14:24

I have a 9 year old large mixed breed dog. For the 3/4 years she has become increasingly urine incontinent. She has had several (expensive) tests to rule everything out, and the vet cannot find anything wrong with her, so we suspect it's behaviour rather than medical. We even trialed some incontinence medication, but made zero difference.

If she gets onto our bed she will have a huge wee on it, same for sofas. She used to have a large comfortable dog bed, but she weed on that as well, and after washing and replacing every couple of months, we have now started using large fleece blankets and washing them daily. She does not wee anywhere else in the house, just when she's lying on her blanket (or when she manages to sneak upstairs and into a bedroom as she can open doors).

DH walks her before he goes to work and again when he gets home, for a good hour each time. She gets an extra walk daily at the weekend. She has access to a large garden as well whenever she wants it. I cannot walk her, she doesn't listen to me and refuses to walk on the lead with me. We did try a dog walker, but they had the same issue with her, despite persevering for weeks. I'm also quite poorly and have days where I barely leave the settee from pain and exhaustion.

My house smells like a dog pound, of wet dog and urine. I wash the kitchen and living room floors daily, sometimes more than once, have candles burning just to mask the smell. I'm embarrassed to have anyone visit because of the smell.

I'm at the end of my tether with her, starting to resent her. I'm not nasty to her or anything like that. She gets treat the same as out other dog, who she plays lovely with. I just can't cope with the smell much longer, especially when I don't have the energy to clean the floor or bedding but have to do it, and considering rehoming her, but really, who would want to have a dog who wees like she does.

What can I do with her, any suggestions or offers to take her?

OP posts:
LostArcher · 09/11/2021 14:39

Is it possible to restrict her to one room via baby gates???

This sounds very stressful. Behaviouralist? I would try that next. Was there a trigger moment when it started? Something new into the family?

TonyThreePies · 09/11/2021 14:42

Could it be doggy dementia? Is she still herself in other ways?

TheTempest · 09/11/2021 14:45

Have you tried the dog version of Feliway? Could you see a behaviourist with her?
My old girl is 16 now and has doggy dementia so does the ocasional wee in the house, we tend to put the odour neutraliser stuff on it, and keep a close eye on her to try and see when she is going to.

PollyRoullson · 09/11/2021 14:46

Go back to the vet. Urine incontinence in older female dogs is extremely common and there are several medications that can help.

If she is only weeing when she is lying down relaxing then urinary incontinence is a common reason for this. Just because one medication does not work does not mean there others wont.

If she is weeing at other occasions eg when just standing up again I would think this is more physical .

However if she is weeing when left or on her own but fine with she is with you I would consider behavioural.

To clean up you need to get some enzymatic cleaner which is really easy to get hold of and you can spray the area and all the smell will be removed. (No need to wash the whole floor just sary the area that has urine on it)

As she is weeing in her bed use a plastic bed with vet bed in it . SO easy to wash and dry and no smell will remain.

Do not let her on soft furnishings or your bed. Also you can use human incontinence pads to protect your furniture if you do want her on it. Dont use puppy pads as they will encourage her to wee due to their smell.

This is not due to lack of exercise or enrichment so do not blame yourself for not being able to exercise her.

This is hard to live with but your vet should be able to help do not hold back on how hard it is to handle. If they still rule out medical then they can refer you to a behaviourist who will have a plan to help you.

Has she always done it or has it got worse recently?

ArcherDog · 09/11/2021 14:48

She does not wee anywhere else in the house, just when she's lying on her blanket (or when she manages to sneak upstairs and into a bedroom as she can open doors).

If she’s only weeing when laying on the blanket the obvious thing would be to have her sleep in a small, easy to clean room at night, and put lots of blankets down that you wash each morning?
Stop her going on the sofa and beds.

Turn the door handles upside down if she can open them, or use baby gates to stop her getting into unwanted rooms.

I would also start taking her out into the garden every hour to restart toilet training, and high praise every time she toilets there.

MuchAdoAboutDog · 09/11/2021 14:48

Sorry, missed a part off. We have seen a behaviouralist, went to doggy training when she was a puppy and again when she refused to walk with me or dog walker.

We have a baby gate in the kitchen, so I have left her in there with the kitchen door open for outside when she likes, but she just sits and cries and looks miserable. She still wets her blanket.

No real trigger that I can think of. She did do it occasionally as a puppy, mainly just on a bed if she managed to get there.

She seems fine in herself, still playful with the right motivation.

OP posts:
Kookookachuu · 09/11/2021 14:50

It sounds very stressful but honestly who is going to rehome a dog like that? I think it would be terribly unfair to put her through that. If she’s a large breed then she’s coming to her twilight years. I know it’s tough but honestly I’d just ride it out for the next couple of years she’s going to be around. It’s horrible but elderly dogs often become incontinent and it’s just something you sign up for when you get a dog. My previous dog lived til 18 (he was a small dog) and I was constantly cleaning up his accidents even with a crawling baby in tow but he had dementia and it wasn’t his fault. If you think it’s a behavioural thing, could you get a behaviourist in? Are you sure it’s not dementia or something?

Kookookachuu · 09/11/2021 14:50

Sorry cross post. Have you ever tried dog nappies?

MuchAdoAboutDog · 09/11/2021 14:51

To be clear, she isn't allowed on furniture or beds. She will get in them if left by herself (usually when one of the DC are distracted and I'm not in). Doors are shut but she is a huge dog and jumps up to open them.

She is too big for a plastic dog bed. We had the largest one and she was so uncomfortable in it.

OP posts:
Creamcrackersandricecakes · 09/11/2021 14:54

What medication have you tried? My friend's Lab used to leak urine when she laid down and she was put on Propalin. It worked brilliantly, (and still does), but they had to fiddle around with the dosage initially to get the right amount into her.

scully29 · 09/11/2021 14:54

Yes Id get a second opinion from another vet perhaps. You can at least order incontience kennel pads through them but there must be more meds they can try.

PollyRoullson · 09/11/2021 14:54

What breed is she?

Vet bed is comfy for all dogs on the floor so just use that on the floor.

The bigger the dogs the more common it is to have issues with urinary incontinence.

Seeing a behaviourist for issues as a puppy will not have help this situation at all so you will need to revisit them with this issue.

PollyRoullson · 09/11/2021 14:56

But I dont think it is behavioral - I would really revisit the vet.

I dont usually feel confident to say whether behavioural or physical from online info but this in my mind stands out as a physical issue.

(I easily could be wrong but my first port of call would be the vet again)

If they have already done tests it will be a matter of trying different medication initially. What was the medication she had before?

TheCreamCaker · 09/11/2021 14:58

When did you get the other dog? Any chance she started doing that at the time you got the other one?

MuchAdoAboutDog · 09/11/2021 14:58

Thanks everyone, will go back to vets and request a different medication. Can't remember the previous one, was last year some point, during lockdown, so head was already frazzled.

OP posts:
MuchAdoAboutDog · 09/11/2021 14:59

@TheCreamCaker

When did you get the other dog? Any chance she started doing that at the time you got the other one?
Other dog was here before she was. They're best mates.
OP posts:
Bythemillpond · 09/11/2021 15:05

It appears that she only wees when she is lying down
Could she have a muscle spasm or something not working physically when she is in that position.
Or is it a conscious thing where she purposely wees when on beds either her own or yours.

I think it could possibly an association that needs breaking.

Fwiw I would have her in doggy nappies for the time being

Gribbit987 · 09/11/2021 15:15

So it doesn’t sound like leakage but full wees when comfortably settled?

Could she be sleeping deeply and not waking when peeing? Or is there any issue with her getting up - does she have arthritis or anything?

Like someone else said I would be putting her in the garden every single hour like clockwork hoping that the right location stimulates the right action - as you do with puppies. I’d also be looking at dog nappies as that would catch accidents.

But I think the key will be having her in the garden under supervision A LOT so that she says “oh I guess whilst I’m here I’ll have a pee”.

Does she sit in it afterwards or does she pee and then move? Doesn’t really sound like dementia to me as it’s only in certain locations.

Realistically no one will take her. Dogs are meant to be for life. It sounds a trying time but I wouldn’t be leaving her to get full of pee. She needs to be emptied regularly!

Much as you are frustrated it sounds a bit off that you have always been incapable of walking her/controlling her. The dynamic between you sounds rather odd even before the pee. There is an air to your post that the dog pretty much gets on with her day and you get on with yours. I understand physically you aren’t always up to it but you’d do a lot less strenuous cleaning if you crack this and that involves quite a bit of time retraining her to only pee outside. Not fun but hopefully achievable Smile

ThackeryBinks · 09/11/2021 15:29

Can you put one of those big absorbent pad things under her when she lies down?

Undisclosedlocation · 09/11/2021 15:36

Agree with everyone else that you need further intervention from your vet.
As an aside, if she is opening doors by using the handles, then a simple solution is to put them on upside down so you have to lift them upwards to open……voila, the dog can no longer open the door

Grumpyosaurus · 09/11/2021 18:03

Is she spayed? That significantly increases the chance of incontinence (such a peeing when asleep) but that can often be controlled with medication.

SpookyPumpkinPants · 09/11/2021 18:44

Poor you & poor dog.

I'd do as the PP said, dig gates (like baby gates but taller) and find someone to help.

I'd try another vet too.
Is it only when she's actually sleeping? (Your bed/her bed & now blankets).

New posts on this thread. Refresh page