Incontinent dog

Hi Val, so sorry your dog is at this difficult stage, and yes I'm going through it too. My poodle is fourteen and has needed heart pills ever since I adopted him when he was seven. He is now in end stage heart failure, with a terrible cough. He is not incontinent but cannot hold it all night, probably due to meds, so I have to clean the kitchen of wee and sometimes solids, each morning. He does still have the waggy tail and a zest for walks, so I shall have a difficult decision to make at some time soon.
On the subject of 'clean' cats, this is not my experience. One of mine comes in from the garden totally covered in leaves, burrs, twigs etc etc and drops them tastefully around the house, and artistically arranged in a muddy patch on 'his' chair. However another, a neutered male, sprays liberally on any 'new' item to arrive in the house. All my animals are adopted and this one obviously has issues.... But cats and clean is a fallacy in my book lol
Sorry to rant and very good luck Val. I feel for you

 

Thanks everyone, really appreciate your answers, he hasn't got a urine infection, but it isn't just urine, he poops everywhere as well and the poop is the bigger problem because if you don't notice it you tread in it!! I feel guilty even typing this, like I am telling things about him which I shouldn't. But yes, his tail still wags, he stands in front of me waiting to be fussed, there is no answer to this, I love him too much to have him PTS I just wondered if anyone else has this problem. I will just add though that Robbie is the third Cocker which I have owned and 2 of them have had this 'problem' I have been told that Cockers can be prone to this, so anybody considering owning one just bear this in mind.
Personally I would not have chosen to have another Cocker but my husband wanted one.
Thanks for 'listening' it's always good to share a problem especially with you guys.

 

My heart goes out to you Val!
Don't feel guilty, by reaching out you will hopefully gain strength to help you carry on looking after your much loved Robbie, in whichever way is right for him and you.
Also sharing is like research, in my view, someone may come up with a coping strategy that you hadn't thought of which may benefit Robbie and you.

We faced a very similar situation with our 17 year old collie "Whisper" did all the mopping up for a few months, she was almost blind and virtually deaf but still enjoyed a cuddle and a sunbathe in the garden, as the vet said she was in no pain, we just let her choose her time. Whichever way you call it you still beat yourself up, so you have to go with your instinct.

 

Hi @Val.. ,

My cocker spaniel Cilla had the same problem , you can get drops from the VET takes about two weeks to get the dosage right and you mix in with the food but it worked, it all started when she was 14 but she lived to 18 1/2 and for her the problem was solved and for me !

here the link also you can get homeopathy treatments as well
http://www.vet-medic.com/dogs-c348/...c351/vetoquinol-propalin-syrup-for-dogs-p7679

 

@Spruce Thank you so much for the link, of course it wouldn't help with the pooping problem which to be honest I find the worse of the two, with these dark mornings I keep treading in it even though I walk around shining a torch on the floor.!! Regarding the urine issue well here we get into the complexities of the situation, when Robbie was about 4 years old he developed Struvite bladder stones which he had removed and he is fed a special diet to prevent them forming again, to be honest I would not be entirely happy giving him something which messes around with the bladder function and as said I consider the poop to be the bigger problem.
Thank you again though for taking the trouble to post a link.

 

Oh Jesus, how true this is!!!! As I said, even starting this thread I was filled with a kind of disloyalty feeling towards my dog.

 

It's because you care Val...

 

Why do they have to go and get old on us, aye

 

Dogs age faster than humans, but consider the alternative.
It dont bear thinking about.

 

I got some wise words from my vet when my old fellow was getting weary..."Love him,enjoy his company like he does yours and worry about 'other' things when the time comes"...valuable words those ...I still worried myself sick though

 

that is definitely a problem, because you can slip on it and fall down. I wish you all the best to find a solution...

 

The only advice that I can give is that you explore the problem with the vet before making a decision. It may have a simple solution and if it doesn't you have at least the comfort of having made a fully informed decision.
My vet always comes to the house when I have made that decision - to me it seems kinder.

Good luck

 

@longk Yes I did this 6 months ago when his senility was first apparent, I spoke with the vet for quite a while about Robbie, his advice was that "That time has arrived, he's an old fella, probably also deaf he can't go on forever" if I had agreed he would have put him to sleep. He then suggested as a last resort that I put him on Vivitonin as he could see that I was not ready to part with him yet, I have to say that 3 weeks prior to this I had to have my labrador PTS and I just couldn't go through that again at that point.
I'll know when I have to do this, I would not let the dog suffer in any way to spare my own feelings but apart from the incontinence Robbie is well, he eats well, drinks well and sleeps well, so we just go on. I can't have the vet come to the house because I also have a little Bichon and he would bark like mad.

 

awww Val im so sorry, you poor love

 

Thanks honeybunny, he wasn't ill or anything, just old age, he too was nearly 15, so so hard, I still miss him, us 'doggy' people bring this on ourselves.