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The doghouse

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

Original poster

Fecal incontinence in elderly dog.

30 replies

Louisa111 · 07/01/2023 12:06

Our lovely dog is 15 , partially sighted and deaf and has now started to not to be able to hold his poo. I know generally this can be quite common in elderly dogs but it getting quite frustrating for us and prob not nice for him either.
I know the vet will want to run tests but at 15 I wouldn't want to put him through it.. what would you do in this situation. We have said if he becomes totally incontinent we would have to make the inevitable decision but it's heartbreaking for us to know what to do 😢

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 07/01/2023 12:08

Your dog is likely incredibly unhappy about being incontinent.

It's time to make a tough decision and PTS.

BiteyShark · 07/01/2023 12:10

I would go to the vets and say his quality of life is now poor and you think it's in his best interest and the right time to PTS. Leading from this at the start should hopefully mean your vet understands that you are not wanting to prolong his life.

I too would not start investigations or treatments and I know my dog would be stressed to poo/wee in the house.

Flowers
Beamur · 07/01/2023 12:11

Check with the vets - there may be medication that can help.
You might find it helpful to look at quality of life indexes for dogs (our vet recommended this with our elderly dog) look up HHHHHMM
To be honest it made us realise how poor the quality of life for our dog had become and made decisions easier for us.

KangarooKenny · 07/01/2023 12:14

If he seems upset about the incontinence, or if it’s affecting you/your home, then it’s time to give him back his dignity and PTS.
There are worse things that can happen than to have a needle in his leg, like a blood test, and go to sleep.

justasking111 · 07/01/2023 12:17

Ours it was dementia gave him some pills for that and he was fine again. BUT he was not deaf nor blind. If he had been I might have made that hard decision

Original poster
Louisa111 · 07/01/2023 12:19

Thanx everyone..my Dh thinks it is the right time to make this decision, it me and the children that's holding back but I know deep down his quality of life is not what it was..he sleeps a lot , doesn't enjoy going for walks anymore and doesn't play as he can't see 😢. But he's not ill which would make it easier if he was and still loves his food .

OP posts:
Original poster
Louisa111 · 07/01/2023 12:20

Thanx @Beamur I will look up that survey

OP posts:
KangarooKenny · 07/01/2023 12:22

Don’t let him get to the point where he is ill/suffering.

BiteyShark · 07/01/2023 12:23

Look at it in another way I would rather be able to plan the time, spoil him rotten then have him PTS in a calm manner.

I say this because we have on many occasions and as recently as the beginning of this week had to rush our dog in as an emergency with the vet saying there is a significant risk of death during it. I hope one day I can 'plan' a peaceful ending for my dog when the time is right.

It's hard but you are doing the best thing for him FlowersFlowersFlowers

MummyDummyNow · 07/01/2023 12:24

I'm so sorry OP it's heartbreaking but I think it's time. Flowers

AnnaMagnani · 07/01/2023 12:25

Your children need you to be the adult and make the decision, it isn't fair to involve them as all they can see is the dog they have known all their lives.

A dog that:
can't see
doesn't want to exercise
doesn't want to play
is incontinent

is not happy and in pain regardless of how much he eats.

GenerallyGreenerGrass · 07/01/2023 12:26

I’ve had many dogs and adored them all but sadly there comes a time when we have to let them go and I think your old boy has come to that stage.
I realise it’s heartbreaking to let them go but when they get to this stage it’s the kindest decision.

Goosefatroasts · 07/01/2023 12:27

We are in the exact same situation with our 15 year old staffy. Totally deaf, her sight does seem okay though. Her legs give away slightly but totally incontinent now weeing and pooing in the house which does seem to upset her.

I am making an appointment very soon with the vet and I will be making it known I wish for her to be PTS. I think her quality of life is poor and I don’t wish to go down any other route and I hope the vet does not try and recommend this.

It is sad isn’t it.

Ariela · 07/01/2023 12:31

When our collie really struggled to get outside, he looked SO miserable we knew it was time. We had him PTS at home because he hated going to the vets.

Honeyroar · 07/01/2023 12:34

BiteyShark · 07/01/2023 12:23

Look at it in another way I would rather be able to plan the time, spoil him rotten then have him PTS in a calm manner.

I say this because we have on many occasions and as recently as the beginning of this week had to rush our dog in as an emergency with the vet saying there is a significant risk of death during it. I hope one day I can 'plan' a peaceful ending for my dog when the time is right.

It's hard but you are doing the best thing for him FlowersFlowersFlowers

I agree.

Out of my last two beloved dogs, one was left too long and died, probably in pain, leaving us with a lot of guilt and trauma too. The other one was diagnosed with a tumour, the vet wanted to treat to possibly give him another year. We tried a course of meds for a week, it didn’t do anything. We booked him in to be pts at home a week later. We spent that week doing all the things he loved, that were often rare treats because they weren’t good for him. We spoiled him rotten, fussed him, told him we loved him. Then he “went to sleep” forever in his own bed, quietly without knowing any fuss. I know which memory is best to look back on…

BiteyShark · 07/01/2023 12:36

Goosefatroasts I think it's easier if you lead with a clear statement that you know their quality of life is poor and you want to discuss PTS. It avoids any misunderstanding that you might be looking for treatments as I suspect it's hard for vets to judge what owners want as some people would be horrified if they suggested it as they don't want to face losing them even though it's the right thing to do.

Roselilly36 · 07/01/2023 12:36

Our dog, when he got to this stage, he seemed so upset with himself, I would clean up, saying it doesn’t matter, but he just looked so sad & ashamed, it just wasn’t fair to him. The decision to PTS was the right one. Very sad for us but right for him,

Paperdolly · 07/01/2023 12:36

I know exactly what you mean OP. I sobbed massively when we said goodbye to the best dog we’d ever had a couple of months ago. We realised we were keeping her going for OUR sakes and not hers. Quite selfish of us. 🙁.

We are now in a quandary about our other dog as he often toilets on the kitchen floor during the night. He has always been a bit lazy so going for a walk brings little joy, he only plays for really short bursts and only if a food reward is ‘won’. And he’s getting ‘Labrador Lumpy’; the fatty lumps that old lab’s are known for.

Galarunner · 07/01/2023 12:36

I think still eating is pretty low on the list for scoring a dogs well being. It's a basic survival instinct for dogs to keep eating.

idiotmum · 07/01/2023 12:37

Similar situation with my elderly dog recently, and it was a heartbreaking decision but we used dignipet and they came to our home to PTS.
As much as I miss my fur baby dreadfully I am 100% at peace with the way that they made it as stress free as possible for us.
Highly recommend looking for similar service in your area when the time comes.
Thinking of you

CuriousMama · 07/01/2023 12:39

My senior dog started doing this. We coped for a while but when he started to look miserable we got a vet out and had him pts. If he'd have stopped enjoying walks it would have been a lot sooner.

Please do think hard about getting him pts as it really is kinder.

I said to our vet I'd hoped he'd die in his sleep. She said what if he'd been suffering through the night before dying and we weren't aware? I hadn't thought of that. So mine had a very peaceful end laid in his bed with me feeding him bits of sausage that he just about managed to eat. Even that had started to go think that was the dementia.

Stupidbonfire · 07/01/2023 12:40

Sorry OP, I also agree with your DH. It’s time to PTS.
I kept our old boy going far too long because DH couldn’t bear to let him go. And I massively regret not putting my foot down.
If he is 15 it sounds like he has been loved and looked after all his life. And now he deserves a safe pain free passing with his people with him. I would ask the vet to do a home visit rather than put him through the stress of a vet trip to the practice. They will come out and sedate him in his bed while you stroke him etc. you can stuff him full of his favourite foods before hand without worrying he will her tummy ache etc
i’m sorry OP, it’s the only bad things about dogs. They just don’t last long enough do they 😔

CuriousMama · 07/01/2023 12:42

Galarunner · 07/01/2023 12:36

I think still eating is pretty low on the list for scoring a dogs well being. It's a basic survival instinct for dogs to keep eating.

Yes it is. Mine ate well right until the last day strangely.

Deadringer · 07/01/2023 12:49

We had this with our old boy, he was nearly 16 and had been very fit and healthy. He wasn't just incontinent he keep going all the time, his bum was actually red and sore from going. The vet couldn't find anything wrong with him but it was so distressing for him that we had to get him pts. We gave him a lovely last day, a walk, lots of cuddles, Sausages for breakfast, and the vet came to the house and took care of him. We still miss him, but we know it was the right thing to do.

Goosefatroasts · 07/01/2023 12:58

@BiteyShark

Yes you’re right. Thanks for the advice. I’ve never had to do this before she was my first dog as an adult. I am ringing the vets next week and I will assertively tell them my wishes due to her poor quality of life. She will be quite sprightly no doubt to the vet as she loves people but she is nearing 16 and I want her to go peacefully before any potential emergency.

As a child I have an awful memory of our spaniel having a stroke, eyes rolling and she was stumbling everywhere and I fear that if I leave this any longer we are heading for an emergency. I guess my worry has been what the vet will “suggest” but I am going to be assertive and simply tell them my wishes.

Bless her she has been a perfect family dog.