Winnie's loss of total bladder control is back. - Pet forum for dogs cats and humans

cpietra16 · #1 May 20th, 2010, 01:06 PM

Now, I am seeing a vet, but I want to have a preview of what may be the problem...so for those who have had this experience, please enlighten me.
Winnie is a 12 year old lab, who still loves to eat, drink and be merry...but
she pees ...just lays their sleeping, gets up and her tail her fur, the bed all very wet. Now we had that problem a few moths ago when she was on steroids...but she is not ont hem now and has not been on them since...she is talking her glucosimine, shark cartilege, adn 1/2 pill ( 100mgs) every other day....any ideas why she keeps on weeting herself...She doesn't even notice until she gets up

Dog Dancer · #2 May 20th, 2010, 01:18 PM

Cpietra, I sure hope Winnie's incontinence is just age related, which is entirely possible. The vet will probably want to do blood of course to rule other things out. Then he will likely prescribe Stilbesterol pills. They are basically estrogen. While they are not good for long term use on a daily basis due to the risk I believe of liver or kidney damage (can't remember which), with an older dog it's not really a problem. My 13 year old Shadow is on them now, she takes one pill per week and it has really helped. Our vet has suggested a urine test to ensure that no urine has leaked back and caused any infection, but I haven't done that one yet. Next visit. Hope this is all that's wrong with Winnie, it's an easy and inexpensive fix.

14+kitties · #3 May 20th, 2010, 01:19 PM

I'll be paying attention to this as well because Sammy is doing the same thing. She will be going to the vet as soon as hubby makes an appt for her. Same age, labx, doesn't know she's peed till after she's awake. She won't stay on a bed so she pees in different areas of the house.

I have limited her water intake at night but it doesn't always help. I think she gets into such a deep sleep (age related) that she doesn't know she's peeing.

Dog Dancer · #4 May 20th, 2010, 01:26 PM

14+ urinating in their sleep is often a sign of low estrogen due to their age. That is what triggered us to get Shadow back on her pills. She's been doing this for years, but we treat her for about six months (the first week they take one pill a day to load up the estrogen and then after that one pill a week to see if that's sufficient) then after the six months we let it go again until she starts to leak. It's always important to rule other issues out, but like I said, this is very common especially in spayed females which we have alot of here

.

ancientgirl · #5 May 20th, 2010, 01:39 PM

I hope the vet is able to help Winnie out. Maybe it's the same issue DD's Shadow.

Maybe you can get them doggy diapers

That way they won't feel uncomfortable when they wake up with pee on them.

14+kitties · #6 May 20th, 2010, 01:41 PM

Thanks DD. I figure it's age related as well. It was with my other girl. Nice to know there's pills for it. Was never offered any for Tasha.

Just have to wait for hubby to get her to her vet. She's "his" dog from before I moved here.

cpietra16 · #7 May 20th, 2010, 01:56 PM

thank you for all your info..I knew it was age related, but I just wasn;t sure what the cause was? If it is treatable with estrogen, then I feel better. I will keep you posted.

Frenchy · #8 May 20th, 2010, 03:40 PM

Same here , I would say it's incontinence.

When you're dealing with UTI , cushings disease , addison etc... dogs pee more but can hold it , well , a bit anyway. They will never pee in their sleep. When they do , it's incontinence.

If they can't treat it with meds , you could use diapers.

2sheltiesmom · #9 May 21st, 2010, 04:18 PM

I hope Winnie is fine. My nearly 13 yr. old Sheltie has the same problem and would get so embarrassed.

She would feel the wetness and jump up with her tail down. She too was treated with the Stilboestrol and is doing fine. Her dose was one for 5 days then one every 3rd day for several weeks then one once per week and it has worked very well. It happens to older females and I noticed it more when the Air Conditioning was on, dont know if that is related or not.
Also, I am vegetarian too, as are my dogs, so they take Recovery for joint health and arthritis. The Shark cartilage can cause allergic reaction. We were told the Flax oil in dogs does NOT work well; they would need a HUGE amount, so we do give them Omega 3.
Feel better soon Winnie!

cpietra16 · #10 May 21st, 2010, 10:23 PM

Thank you all for your support. The results are in and Winnie definately has a very bad case of bladder infection. This does nto rule of incontence however, but we will see after her dose of antibiotics. Being a lab I think there aren't any diapers big enough so I will just keep washing the floor and washing her fur.
Her poor bottom was all raw mostly due from the heat and laying in her own urine...I feel so helpless right now. I feel for her...the vet shaved her so that it may prevent the urine from smelling..anyway I hope she will recover soon. She's is a remarkable dog...smelly as all h***

but remarkable.

TeriM · #11 May 22nd, 2010, 01:26 AM

Poor Winnie

. Hopefully the antibiotics will work quickly and she will feel better soon

.

Perhaps some aloe vera gel will help soothe her sore skin. I have also had great results with a homeopathic lotion called Traumeel which is fine if they lick it. It has greatly helped soothe some cuts and scrapes on the dogs and I use it as well.