[Beverly Anne]

Help! I'm having big problems with Francis in the last couple of weeks (maybe a month)that seems intractable. Out of the blue, for no apparent reason, he's peeing in the house but only when I'm home asleep. I can be gone all day and there won't be a drop on the floor, I can sit up all night and he'll ask to be let out a hundred times a night (as he's totally blind, 2:00am and 2:00pm are all just 2:00 to him) He usually has no problem waking me up to go but lately he's just going out to whatever room is not blocked off and going...even near his bowl in the kitchen. Yesterday I fell asleep in the afternoon and when I woke up there was a puddle in the den (he NEVER pees in the bedroom) I'm a light sleeper, any request from Francis would be noticed
There have been no life or lifestyle changes that would precipitate this obnoxious behavior. He's eating and exercising the same, I changed last summer from permanent nights to permanent days at work but it's now 4 months later.
The big problem is that I never catch him in the act so it's hard to correct the behavior but I'm at wit's end. Francis is 10 years old and has been blind for last 4 years so even that wouldn't seem to have bearing as he'll go 12 hours without a drop.
AARRGGHH ! I love my little Boodie-Boy to death but this is killing my hardwood floors. Help!

 

[LouieDog]

ok..i'm sure this may not be the issue, but what about a UTI? Since he is getting older, he may have a little infection. But then you'd think that he would be peeing when you were out as well...hmmm...i'll have to think on this one!

 

[shallhb]

I'd get the guy to the vet ASAP. It could be a UTI, or that sort of involuntary peeing older dogs do because their muscles are relaxed--they don't even know they've gone--but it's easily treated with a relatively inexpensive pill. I think it's called 'spay incontinence', but I had a male that had that problem as he got older. Or something else that needs treatment. Let us know what happened.

 

[biscuit]

I second getting Francis to the vet ASAP.

I've dealt with spay incontinence in females (the Lovely Lady), and it was very easy to solve without medication - better diet, much more exercise, much less stress. When she began getting ancient and her health started really nose-diving, she began to lose control of her hind end, but it didn't show up as pee - instead, she would occasionally poop w/o awareness and she had difficulty with her hind end which was, in part, from horrible dysplasia, but also because there was something neurological going on that the vet never actually gave a name to.

Yogi, meanwhile, who's a male and a bit older than Francis, is getting a little leaky, but *nothing* like Lady. And no puddles whatsoever. Just a tad leaky.

Long way around to say, Bev, definitely get Franny to a vet. This does not sound in the realm of normal, in my limited experience!

 

[Mikey T]

Spay incontentince typical occurs while they are sleeping so it would be where they are sleeping. If francis sleeps on the floor not a bed then it would be typical symptom.


If there is not a medical cause for the problem confinement would be a simple solution. If you are a light sleeper you can try what i have done with puppies in the past. Attach a leash to the dog and put your hand through the loop thereby the dog wakes you when it gets up.