# Older dog has started peeing and pooing in the house



## Vicky Malarkey (May 7, 2011)

Help - I am desperate. I have a very lovely deerhound who is now nearly 8 years old (old for such a big dog, I know, but she thinks she's still a puppy!) She has always been a bit wobbly about being housetrained - she always used to wee before she became on heat, and last year she had a urine infection that caused her to wee.
Well, it has started all over again, and this time she poos as well. It happens every single night night, and on Sunday we alll went out for 3 hours and came home to find it had happened again. Then again it happened yesterday while I was at work (usually I work from home).
I think this is behavioural because it started a month ago when we went on holiday. A dog sitter came and moved into the house to stay with her and our other 2 dogs. She has also started eating poo (her own, the other dogs' if she can get to it before I clear it up, and horse poo she comes across on walks). Also, my 17 yr old daughter took her for a long walk through a forest last week, and she howled and whined the whole time, so I feel there is a separation anxiety thing going on here...
The poor dog was hand reared as a pup as her mother tried to kill the pups (the breeder died before the litter was born...so the mum was moved while preg.) I think this has made her very "needy" - for eg she will come up to me during walks and need big hugs before she can run around again. I used to crate train her, but she got too big...and too unhappy. Now sleeps outside my door, and runs downstairs in the night to pee/poo in the hall.
Vet sold me a pheromone spray that has done nothing. Husband says she's got to go... her pees are the size of a lake, her poos are like mountains,and the house stinks. But I love her, and can't think of getting rid of her. SO how do I cure her? Please help!! Thank you!


----------



## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

not sure of the training side of it , i am sure someone will come along soon...but my first port of call would be back to the vets and perhaps blood tests to see if there is a medical problem..if these have not already been done

juliex


----------



## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Vicky Malarkey said:


> Help - I am desperate. I have a very lovely deerhound who is now nearly 8 years old (old for such a big dog, I know, but she thinks she's still a puppy!) She has always been a bit wobbly about being housetrained - she always used to wee before she became on heat, and last year she had a urine infection that caused her to wee.
> Well, it has started all over again, and this time she poos as well. It happens every single night night, and on Sunday we alll went out for 3 hours and came home to find it had happened again. Then again it happened yesterday while I was at work (usually I work from home).
> I think this is behavioural because it started a month ago when we went on holiday. A dog sitter came and moved into the house to stay with her and our other 2 dogs. She has also started eating poo (her own, the other dogs' if she can get to it before I clear it up, and horse poo she comes across on walks). Also, my 17 yr old daughter took her for a long walk through a forest last week, and she howled and whined the whole time, so I feel there is a separation anxiety thing going on here...
> 
> ...


Older dogs can get a certain amount of confusion in older age, they also dont cope with changes, so you could well be right as regards the pet sitter and change to her routine. They can have lapses in toilet training, get food driven and attention seeking too, although some go the other way and become withdrawn and not so responsive. They can also start wandering, and become confused when in strange places.

From what I gather, she may be unspayed? and has previously had urine infections around season time? firstly if she hasnt been recently especially I would get her checked out again, Older bitches can be prone to urine infections, and also older unspayed bitches can be prone to uterine infections,
that if left can be life threatening, so I would personally get her an MOT.

There are medications that can help with incontinent bitches in the way of
urinary incontinence. They are prescription to thats something you can discuss with the vet too. There are several, propolin,Urillin and Incurin.

For older dogs, you can also get medications to help if they are being confused. My old girl was on vivitonin, it increases the blood supply to the brain,is still going, but there are others probably now even better so again something you can speak to the vet about as they are prescription too.

Something well worth a try might be Akitivait otherwise. Its a combinations of nutrients necessary for sustaining optimum brain function during the aging process and has had good reviews in older dogs experiencing disorientation,loss of house training, irregular sleep patterns etc. That you dont need a prescription for and can get from Vet-Medic - the same medicines as your vet at consistently low prices. or is one place anyway.

Regarding the Poo eating, its said that putting papya or pineapple in the dogs food will stop it, so even though, you will have to give it too all your dogs that might be worth a go, otherwise there are things you can buy to give them in tablet form now, One I think is called something like stool repel-um
and is natural, there is another but cant remember the name at the moment,
think that might be one from the vets.

Personally though I think a good check over to rule of urinary or uterine infections, plus you can speak to your vet about the prescription meds anyway.


----------



## Vicky Malarkey (May 7, 2011)

Thank you both so much!!!! Those are really helpful suggestions. I'll take her back to the vet's on Monday, for tests and examination, and I'll try out those medications. I'm feeling more hopeful already. I had no idea there were tablets for brain power - I think I might take one myself!

Is it possible to buy dog meds online? I thought I would need to get drugs from a vet only. Hmm, what a lot I'm learning. My oldest dog (17) is on painkillers for her arthritis and they are costing me an arm and a leg... I will see if I can get those too. Are online meds of the same standard/quality as ones I could get from the vet, do you know?

Many thanks!

Vicky M


----------



## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

you can buy them on line, but you may need a prescription off your vet for some of them..who will probably charge you for it...so you need to work it out, but they do tend to be alot cheaper online

good luck with your visit to the vets xx


----------



## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Vicky Malarkey said:


> Thank you both so much!!!! Those are really helpful suggestions. I'll take her back to the vet's on Monday, for tests and examination, and I'll try out those medications. I'm feeling more hopeful already. I had no idea there were tablets for brain power - I think I might take one myself!
> 
> Is it possible to buy dog meds online? I thought I would need to get drugs from a vet only. Hmm, what a lot I'm learning. My oldest dog (17) is on painkillers for her arthritis and they are costing me an arm and a leg... I will see if I can get those too. Are online meds of the same standard/quality as ones I could get from the vet, do you know?
> 
> ...


Well the Aktivait I mentioned you dont need a prescription for you can buy that from the link I gave you.
The Stool repel-um again that you can buy might even get in in pets at home or a good pet shop.

Everything else I mentioned probably including your dogs artritis stuff dont know which one shes on but Vet medic do most of the usual suspects.
however for these, the vivitonin i mentioned and the urinary incontinence medication, you do need a prescription for from the vet and they do charge for this. but once you have the prescription then you can send it with your order and get it from there too. You would have to find out how much he charges for the script the cost of buying it yourself and weight up, if you save anything. One member does get her arthritis meds for her dog and even with the script charge saves loads. There are many differerent vet pharmacies, the one I suggested is one I use personally and have for years so they are OK. If you look on the website and look up your meds, you should be able to compare.


----------

