Dog doesn't know she's pooing

[TwoBlondes]

12 year old lab x collie, she's been pretty bullet proof up to now.

She's started to struggle a bit with steps and was very reluctant to get in the car but we now manage with a ramp. She has been on glucosamine for about eighteen months. It made a difference for a while but no longer seems to be effective.

She's still happy to walk but not the five/ten miles we used to do fairly regularly.

The problem in the past six months is she doesn't seem to realise when she's pooing. She rarely squats and just carries on walking, scattering it everywhere. She's now doing it in the house too on pretty much a daily basis.

I mentioned it to the vet who seemed unconcerned and just said it was probably her age. I will go back, but I was wondering if anyone else has had this.

Is my dog unique ?!

I would say age bless her, like humans does can age and become unaware or can’t stop it happening.

Does she still seem ‘herself’ otherwise?

Pretty much. She's always been highly strung! Sleeps a lot more now.she still has a great quality of life.

We had this. The vet was only concerned from my point of view, clearing up after him. But as his quality of life was otherwise excellent I couldn't have him PTS for my convenience. You do need to see your vet about his reduced mobility as he sounds as though he needs prescription painkillers.

Very very very common in the older dog. It is often down to nerve damage in their backs and they cant feel the sensation to poo. Most dogs are not worried about it as they do not realise that it is happening.

If you have quite a structured day you can usually allow most poos to be outside but the odd accident will happen often in their sleep.

Go back to the vet and ask for pain relief. Sounds like she is in pain. This may resolve the issue.

Very common in older dogs (just as it can be in older people alas) in my experience it is often the first indication of dog dementia unfortunately. I know several people who have had dogs like this as well as myself and confinement to one room most of the time is a partial solution, if it gets worse go back to your vet.

Find a vet qualified in acupuncture. It's miraculous for stiff and painful joints.
I didn't believe this either until the vet demonstrated on my needle-phobic dog.

Thanks everyone, I'll go back to the vet and see if they can rule out everything except old age ☹️

My springer collie does this - she is 17 and certainly has a bit of dementia as well ( walks into corners and can't get out).
Sometimes I can see the signs she's about to do it and can rush her outside.
Tbh I know we won't have her much longer so I'm not going to put her through a vet visit about it. She has loads of supplements. medication for vestibular disease, and painkillers.

Bit of an update: I saw the vet two weeks ago. Poor dog shuddered during the examination, she was obviously in pain. They reckon arthritis and dementia.

Bloods were normal and they gave her a pain killing injection they said would last a month and a short course of Dermipred. We had a bit of respite from the poo for a few days but it's as bad now as it was before.

X rays at the end of the month ☹️