Older Dog Incontinence Bowels
Parasitic infection is another aspect that can contribute to fecal incontinence.
Older dog incontinence bowels. Old dog incontinence is often regarded as a part of the life of a senior pet. Incontinence in senior dogs is a fairly common problem that starts when a dog enters middle age and normally stays. Managing incontinence in a dog can be frustrating. Bowel incontinence in dogs is also a problem that can increase with advancing age.
But here s the good news. Based on the history and physical findings now you need to decide how far you want to go with the diagnostics including blood work fecal exams radiographs an abdominal ultrasound further gi testing and surgical biopsies if indicated. Cocker spaniels springer spaniels doberman pinschers and old english sheepdogs are among the breeds often prone to incontinence. Urinary incontinence is a condition where a dog is unable to hold their urine.
Rolling up your rugs can ease your burden if your senior dog poops in the house uncontrollably. When a dog is truly incontinent the urination and or defecation can happen without the dog realizing it until it s too late. It may be watery or a strange colour. Understanding the causes and seeking treatment can lead to the best outcome for your pet.
Incontinence is the inability to fully control the bladder and or bowels. And while sometimes the cause of the incontinence can be something more serious more often than not it is just a leaky bladder and in the case of fecal incontinence many times it is related to a spinal issue and not life threatening. Medically referred to as fecal incontinence losing the ability to control its bowel movements is distressing for both the dog and the owner. Sadly incontinence both bladder and bowel is one of the main reasons people put their dogs down.
Bowel incontinence is common in older dogs from lack of muscle tone or from a medical problem such as diabetes inflammatory bowel disease ibd colitis liver or kidney disease or cushing rsquo s disease. As the aging process takes over the anal sphincter becomes less efficient at holding in bowels and allowing a dog to detect when he needs to eliminate. You keep finding and having to clean up dog pee in the house and you may even start to feel angry or upset. Typical causes to this condition include injury to the spine or tail anal gland disease s and or an intestinal disorder.
In older dogs the most common cause of fecal incontinence has to do with a disorder of the nervous system. Some other illnesses may cause your dog not to want to go outside to have a bowel movement such as arthritis blindness and some. A dog that looks at you and squats to eliminate is probably not incontinent.