Ideas for dog with bladder urgency/ control problems

Cyclamen

Hello,
Before we start I want to reassure everyone that we have been to the vet and are in regular contact with them. Medications are being tried. She is a happy dog still, playing, eating lots of wags, enjoys her walks and sniffs. Arthritis managed with prescription. She is happy and still has good quality of life so not talking anything drastic here. 

Our JRT cross dog is now struggling to sleep through the night without toilet trips.  She doesn't always wake up with enough time to get to the door (its not a big house) so puddles are happening.   She can be a little leaky with drips at times during the day but mop deployed and door can be left open. (not great for heating bill but she's a bit stiff for jumping the dog door now)

I am asking for advice, ideas and tips please on what others have tried or think might help. 

Things we have tried / or are doing
Vet advice - and she has been on a number of antibiotic courses as seems to have frequent UTI.
Keeping her clean, fresh water on hand
Motion alarm so when she gets up in night to go to door she triggers a bell so we can let her out. (marketed for elderly and disabled care)
when either of us get up in the night we now wake her and let her out, she always wees. 
Reducing water over night.. she still has fresh water but comes in from garden and will drink a lot
Washable dog bed and spare covers

But this is physically draining and she is moving between two sets of family members to allow the humans to rest and take a break.  She is very happy with sleeping-over and has 'owned' two sets of humans and homes since she joined the family so this doesn't distress her. Both sets of humans have health/ disability difficulties so its an added challenge for them.  

So I was hoping someone else here may have some ideas of 'coping strategies' or ideas we could try out please?

elsien

My query is whether the vet thinks it’s a physical problem or whether there might be the start of some doggy dementia going on.

Because if it’s the latter, then it is going to around management still  rather than being able to resolve the issue physically, and I’m sorry to say may well get worse.
i’ve not tried but many Americans in a group that I’m in talk about something called belly bands which seems to be some sort of doggy continence pad thing.
 

Misslayed

I support a kennel free dog rescue - ‘Dogs4rescue’ - they give a home to all kinds of disabled dogs, many of whom are completely incontinent. There are often photos of dogs wearing ‘doggy diapers’, I’m not sure if that’s a commercial thing or if they adapt regular baby nappies (a hole for the tail). They’re very active on social media - facebook, instagram, threads - so might be able to give you some advice/tips. Hope that helps. 

Emmia

Misslayed said:

I support a kennel free dog rescue - ‘Dogs4rescue’ - they give a home to all kinds of disabled dogs, many of whom are completely incontinent. There are often photos of dogs wearing ‘doggy diapers’, I’m not sure if that’s a commercial thing or if they adapt regular baby nappies (a hole for the tail). They’re very active on social media - facebook, instagram, threads - so might be able to give you some advice/tips. Hope that helps. 

Doggy diapers are definitely a thing - either disposable or washable/reusable. They also come in male/female varieties and various sizes depending on the size of your dog.

https://amzn.eu/d/aJ9wSVm - disposable.

https://amzn.eu/d/df4d64X - reusable 

Cyclamen

Thank you both 

Elsien.. the current theory is 'old age' and recurrent UTI.  Even clearing the UTI the problem persists but then another UTI comes along.
I've heard of belly bands.. i thought they are more for male dogs not females (not sure if i can use female dog term here) but will go research

We wondered about dog nappies.. vet is concerned about them leading to infection or sores.. but i have been looking at some softer washable ones.

At the moment she still very much knows she needs a wee and asks to go out ts just sometimes she isnt waking up with enough time to get to the door (even discounting us being a bit slow) and gets very upset when she puddles on the floor. 

Misslayed i will find them on fb and see if they can offer any advice. 

Its so hard realising she is no longer the 3 year old 'puppy' that moved in and is now an older dog at almost 13. 

elsien

If she is fine during the day and the main issues are for you guys is the disturbance at night, then you can leave her without anything on during the day and only use them at night, which should help with any concerns about furtherinfection, et cetera. 

I completely understand what you mean about seeing them get older. Mine has recently died after a slow physical decline (although he did lose his marbles a bit as well). It was very much the spirit was willing, but the body was weak. 

Cyclamen

Elsien ..I am so sorry to read that.  I remember your name from reading posts about your dog years ago and he sounded so happy and well loved. 

She does sometimes drip a bit daytime .. we have vinyl floors so no big problem.. her other humans have carpets.  But as the humans are often at home she gets plenty of garden trips and her walks. 

I am dreading the time, as all us dog owners do but for as long as she is happy and has quality of life we will mop up the puddles and carry on.. 

Nightime is strange as she seems to need more toilet trips than in the day... i wondered if she is having a quick wee and not emptying her bladder fully so have left her longer to sniff around and have an extra wee but she still seems to nee dto go again very soon. 

elsien

Thanks cyclamen. He was an idiot, but he was my idiot. And he had a good innings, we got  him to about 14 or 15. 

Have you tried taking her out for a walk as opposed to just letting her out in the garden? 

I appreciate it’s not ideal in the middle of the night. I was getting a lot of 3 am wake-up calls to start with but I found that if I took him out for a walk round about 11 or midnight and stayed out till he done several wees it did then help him to go through the night. I think also the different smells from the garden prompted him to go a bit more as well.

Also is there anything else in the environment that might be waking him up and he then thinks “I need a wee?” Warm enough, for example? 

sheramber

When a ftiend had that problem with her dog she went to bed late and set the alarm for however long  the dog lasted before needing out.

Could you put puppy pads down at the door to catch any puddles.

it really is a case of   managing the situation in a way  that works for you and her.

one of my dogs developed kidney problems in old age and needed to pee every two hours, day and night.

Cyclamen

Elsien - A fine vintage for a dog but we'd still prefer 40-50 years.  I can see the love in your words as I spoke about my lass that way too.. we share this little dog who is also loved as not well enough to rescue/adopt again. 

Walk.. her last wee before bed is a big event here we both go out with her and sit in garden until she has had plenty of sniffs and chooses to come back in.  Mobility difficulties and human medication mean a walk in the night isnt an option.  We tried taking her out on a lead for speed but decided letting her go solo and sniff she seemed to have more wees.

In the summer the hedgehogs would wake her here and she'd do that funny scenting snorting wuff through the house until we let her out (supervised to protect hogs but they were front garden and she goes in back so not a likely problem).
Temperature unlikely to be an issue and she gets tucked in and waits for it ... its ok people can judge us there are worst things to do than love an animal. 

I do wonder if its a bit quieter here.. no breathing machines here .. so maybe we could try radio on quietly .. worth a go. Then at least she would be getting up when she needs a wee or we take her when we are awake and not a daft game of every hour for a few hours perhaps.. worth a try,

Sheramber- yep we've started to go to bed later when she is here so she can have garden easier.  Or start the evening sleeping on sofa with door open and then move through later.  Setting an alarm is an idea but i dont know what duration would work.. not a visible pattern yet and needs to work for both sets of humans in different households and different health needs. 

I cant decide where to put the puppy pads.. as sometimes she gets to the door and other times different places on the way as she's not got that far.

I did wonder about trying to encourage her to wee in the wetroom shower.. i know again its a bit grim .. but apart from her absolute hatred of the room with the clean water and soap i wasnt sure if she'd then get more confused about when to wee there and when to go to the door and ask and when to just go enjoy the garden as door is open.. ?  

I guess i was hoping someone here would say .. my dog developed that issue we fed her a boiled egg for breakfast and it was no longer an issue.. but thats a bit wishful thinking i know.  
 

MayDogsandCoffee

If this was my girl I would put puppy pads down to take the pressure off a bit, esp overnight.  When toilet training pups and getting up every few hours most of the time it is just for a few weeks but on the longer term it is very difficult.  But you could try getting up every two hours and then shorten or lengthen time, but if she drips during the day this might not work either.  If she doesn't like the wet room she is unlikely to start going in there and it could stress her out which would bring on a whole new set of issues.