Fecal incontinence

[Toad]

Harvey, 13, has been losing his ability to hold his poop. He's not having diarrhea, just nice normal poop that sometimes falls out while he's sleeping and sometimes even takes him by surprise when he's awake. His whole back end is getting stiff and weak, and his primary doctor offered a referral to a neurologist but said the only thing that might help is back surgery if he has disk compression, but she didn't see radiographic evidence of that and wouldn't suggest a big surgery like that for him anyway.

I've been diapering him, but the Amazon diapers I got don't seem to fit very well. Now that I finally have them staying on, I've discovered that they can soak through, leaving a mess far worse than if he had just dropped a mess where he stood (I came home the other day to find that he had had pee and poop accidents in his diaper and then left a trail of soggy diaper prints all over the house).

I think part of the problem may be that his hind end is so sore he is reluctant to go when he has the opportunity - getting into position probably hurts - so eventually it just sneaks out on its own. He's on Galliprant now, which helps somewhat. Previously he was on Metacam and Tramadol, but the Tramadol made him too sleepy and he had a reaction to the Metacam.

Someone suggested CBD, but I'm skeptical of buying it online and there isn't a dispensary in town. I'd make the drive to buy some if I thought it would help. I may end up needing to crate him at night but that makes me so sad - he's slept on the bed for the last 12 years. But I can't keep waking up in a messed bed.

If anyone has any advice or anything I am all ears.

[Sue-Ram]

By the time my last dog had gotten to this point I was already sleeping downstairs with him on floor. I moved to the couch when the sleep poops started and he would sleep beside the couch. I tried not to make a deal about it. I would clean up and sing him a song to the tune of day tripper. I don't know if there is anything that you can give Harvey that would actually make any difference. It's a sad time in their life when you start to see them changing. Sending good thoughts to you and Harvey.

https://www.lab-retriever.net/board/...-song-ram.html

[Berna]

Oh I am so sorry. Cookie was also incontinent for the last year and a half of his life. We used pads instead of diapers, easier to clean up, you just remove the pad.

[Snowshoe]

Jet had that. We suspect that due to loss of sensitivity in her rear, possibly due to the pain meds, she didn't seem to know when a poop was coming. At any rate it didn't start till the pain meds did. There would be poop in her bed each morning. She was still pretty regular so once we got outside the rest were out there. The morning ones in her bed were normal, solid poops, not messy, I just picked them up. No diapers, it really was not that hard to deal with. Urinary incontinence would have been worse but she was ok that way. No such thing as CBD oil back then but I did try it for Oban and it did nothing. Others report good results though so my opinion is it's worth a try. Good luck.

[Toad]

Thanks, all - I was kinda hoping there would be a magic cure but I know better. What I really want is to stop the ageing altogether. He's getting acupuncture and laser in addition to regular Western medicine and I'm not sure if it's helping but it sure isn't harming him. I'll stop at the dispensary next time I go to Davis.

Berna, do you mean like the flat pads for puppies? Spread out on the bed or other surfaces?

[Berna]

Thanks, all - I was kinda hoping there would be a magic cure but I know better. What I really want is to stop the ageing altogether. He's getting acupuncture and laser in addition to regular Western medicine and I'm not sure if it's helping but it sure isn't harming him. I'll stop at the dispensary next time I go to Davis.

Berna, do you mean like the flat pads for puppies? Spread out on the bed or other surfaces?

Yes, exactly. We used the version for humans though, much cheaper.

[SunDance]

My Hershey had spinal stenosis and had issues with both urine and fecal.

If you Google "urine proof bed sheets" you can find listings for different bigger pads. Also, I'd bought large size washable puppy pads when Sunnie had her little ones. If I recall correctly, they were about 3' square.

Sending good thoughts and hopes for your good luck with Harvey. Aging stinks.