7. How to Control Accidents - Senior Dogs Need a Helping Hand

Senior dogs are like their senior owners: they’ll start to slow down, become arthritic and tend to have dietary upsets and …. Urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence without disease is normally due to weak bladder walls. The dog will not pee on purpose, it’s purely an accident.

Other reasons for UI can be due to the dog not being quick enough to get outside due to arthritis or dysphasia.

Sick Dogs Have Special Needs

Urinary incontinence can also be due to certain diseases that can afflict dogs of any age. These diseases are not restricted to older dogs, although most of the time the dogs with these diseases are at least seven years old.

Those diseases include:

• Diabetes
• Bladder or kidney stones
• Bladder infections
• Cardiomyopathy
• And some cancers

Before you jump to conclusions that your dog is misbehaving, have a geriatric blood work panel done and maybe X-rays shot. This will help you determine the real reason your dog is having more and more accidents.

Medicines and Food Can Cause Accidents

When you put your senior or sick dog on some medications they can cause the dog to urinate more or have loose stools. Your job is to watch your dog closely and before they can have an accident, take them outside.

If their diet has changed up, they could also have loose stools so watch your dog after eating to see if has to go out more. High-fat diets will cause loose stools. But senior or sick dogs should not be eating high-fat diets as they place stress on the liver and gallbladder which need to help with the digestion of everything else your dog is eating.

Overstressed livers and gallbladders will end up in vomiting, loose stools and increased urination as the dog’s body tries to rid itself of the
fatty food.

How to Help Out Your Special Pal

It’s important to remember that if your old or special needs dog has to go, he has to GO! If he alerts you he needs to go out, move! He won’t be able to wait very long. If they’re arthritic or partially paralyzed, you’ll need to watch them since they may not be able to get to the door or to you to give you the high sign that it’s time to go out.

There are things you can do to help out your senior or special needs dog so they don’t feel bad if they have accidents. And if they do, don’t scold them. Remember: sometimes they can’t control it or they just can’t wait.

Tips to Help Out

There are some things you can do to help your senior or special needs dog out. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for them to get outside. Here are a few things that can help your dog stay comfortable and not have too many accidents:

• Put a comfy bed with a piddle pad in their crate. You can switch it out and wash the bed, or toss the pads.
• Place piddle pads near the crate or the dog’s bed. That will allow them to go on the pad and not just have an accident on the floor or rug.
• Keep everything in one area to allow for easy and quick access: crate, bowl, pads.
• Buy “dog panties” that a sanitary napkin fits in.
• For dogs without tails, you can get them with suspenders.
• Get at least two pairs so you have one to wash in between uses

Watch your dog’s diet

Talk to your vet about the problems and see what can be changed to help out. Most of the time carbohydrates are cut down, and lean protein is fed. Many of the treats dogs eat nowadays are full of chemicals which can lead to bladder or kidney stone formation, or make their urine acidic.

If you’re dog is too arthritic to walk on his leash, take him to a little grassy area and let him “take care of business” in one area. It’s best to still get some exercise, short walks or a little play time, to keep your dog moving and mobile. Inactivity is worse especially for arthritic dogs.

Talk to a holistic vet about herbs and other supplements that could be used to help with underlying problem. There are various herbs that help with inflammation, clean out the bladder or kidneys, etc. Acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments are also good for arthritics and sick dogs. And massage will help stretch the muscles and tendons on those sore arthritic muscles.

It’s All About Quality of Life

What’s important is your dog’s quality of life. As long as he’s eating, happy and wants to be loved, then keep carrying him outside…putting piddle pants on him…and feeding him a strict diet.