2007-10-16 05:15:01 · 22 answers · asked by BILL S 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Like people, older dogs (especially spayed females) can become incontinent, and unable to hold their bladders.
Please be aware that this is much harder on her, than it is on you.
She may have a urinary tract infection, which can be treated. She may also have weakened muscle walls. There are treatments for this condition as well. My elderly dog used DES, a bovine hormone which helped to aleviate the problem, but does come with some risk.
If she's drinking alot of water, there could be other issues...Please don't wait. Your vet is your best resource. I recommend you bring her in for an extensive exam.
In addition, your dog needs to be let out more frequently than ever, and she still needs exercise. Inactivity won't help her muscle tone or health.
Good luck to both of you.
2007-10-16 05:29:02 · answer #1 · answered by Suzi 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like your dog has urinary incontinence which means the muscles that control the bladder are not working as well as they used to. It happens to a lot of dogs as they get older. Sometimes it can be just a urinary tract infection (UTI) but given her age I would say she is just have trouble controlling her muscles.
You should take her to the vet. They will probably want to rule out a UTI first. Better safe than sorry. If it is not a UTI then there is a medication called Phenylpropanolamine that is used to treat urinary incontinence.
2007-10-16 05:40:15 · answer #2 · answered by Cynthia N 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
VERY treatable in most cases
possibly a Urinary tract infection which a few people mentioned treatable with antibiotics.
IF not the most common treatement is prion (PPA) which was sucessful for my ole' lady who is now 16 (yet only one of 19 answers mentioned it). the alternative is DES (2 mentions)
THese all need a vet script but are fairly inexpensive.
2007-10-16 06:41:58 · answer #3 · answered by ragapple 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Talk to your vet. There are medications out there that can help with this problem.
In the meantime, using waterproof crib mattress pads (like you find in the Baby section at Target) can bea godsend, because putting them on the couch or her bed or wherever it is that she lays can make clean up a LOT easier.
2007-10-16 05:49:29 · answer #4 · answered by Nandina (Bunny Slipper Goddess) 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Like "Bob" said, it sounds like urinary incontinence. You could ask your vet about Proin. I work for a veterinarian and we have seen a lot of success in the dogs who have tried it- including older ones. The fact that she is leaking urine after being in a state of relaxation makes it sound like incontinence. Ask your vet.
2007-10-16 05:31:30 · answer #5 · answered by ZeroCharisma 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As a sheltie owner (12 of them) I would stress a vet visit and soon. Shelties are not the healthiest breed out there and subject to a lot of cancer, especially mast cell. If caught early enough, surgery can fix it, but wait too long and nothing will help. Longevity isn't very good either, so 13 is really get ting up there for a sheltie. Glucosamine is a great supplement, but does not cure arthritis, only helps to strengthen the cartilage. By 13, the dose should be 1500mg daily, but subjecting your dog to slippery surfaces at his age, and also cold concrete will make any arthritis a whole lot worse. Drawing blood shouldn't bother your dog, and the vet should do a needle biopsy on the wound to see if any cancer cells are present. Then you can make an informed decision as to surgery, or not.
2016-04-09 05:03:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take her to the vet.
I have a friend whose dog does this. The vet prescribed medicine for the dog to take (sorry, don't know the name of the meds) that helps control this. See what the vet has to say.
2007-10-16 05:51:01 · answer #7 · answered by berner mom 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Is she spayed? If so, then it is likely incognitance due to spaying, but you're lucky it didn't happen a long time ago. It usually starts around age 4 with spayed females. My dobi was put on a medication called D.E.S. and it worked great....what happens is when they are relaxed, the muscles release so the bladder empties and this is due to being spayed. If she is not spayed, then I would say it is likely just her age. Check with your vet on the D.E.S. as it worked wonders for my dog and after she passed, I gave what was left to another dobi owner and it worked for her female as well....
2007-10-16 05:25:39 · answer #8 · answered by dobiqueenx2 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I had this happen with my old lady and took her to the vet. Thought maybe a UTI. It was determined it was just age, her bladder was weak and put her on medication. It was not very costly and the pills were very helpful.
2007-10-16 05:28:07 · answer #9 · answered by doxie 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
my late dog did that and what i had to do was pick up her water around 8 or 9 and that helps a bit they also have a pill that you can get from the vets to stop her from leaking..
2007-10-16 05:18:22 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋