My old dog is falling, incontinent, not eating. Is she dying?

Hello. I wonder if Ruby is showing some signs for arthritis & is is pain. This would certainly cause her to be restless. Did your vet just check a voided urine sample, or was a sterile one sampled? This might give more information. We can also see urinary incontinence in spayed female dogs. Often this will respond to medications like Proin & Incurin. If she continues to not act well, the next step might be some x-rays or an ultrasound exam to see if there is something ongoing that was not apparent on the blood work. Hopefully, she will start feeling better soon & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I cannot comment on whether or not it is time to euthanize Sasha since I have never done an exam on her. With her not eating, drinking and urinating in herself, then you have to look at her quality of life. I would talk to your vet to see if there is anything that could help her or if her bloodwork looked too bad. You may talk to your vet about medicine for cognitive disorder (dementia) like anipryl and omega 3 fatty acids. Also, you can add a medicine that helps with incontinence (urinating while sleeping) called proin that may help. Finally, if she is weak and not able to get around and her bloodwork looks good, you may want to talk to your vet about medicines for arthritis. Thee are also appetite stimulants and anti-nausea medicines that usually work really well in animals too. I hope you are able to find a way to keep her comfortable for a little while longer. But also know if your vet says she will not improve, please take comfort in knowing you gave her a long wonderful life. I hope this helps. Hugs!

Poor Cheeba! I am so sorry that she is having this problem. Your vet could try an anti-inflammatory and see if that helps. Otherwise, it might be time to talk to your vet about her quality of life and possible euthanasia. If she can't stand up, keeps falling over, and can't control her bowels then her quality of life is probably poor. So sorry.

Yes, euthanasia is definitely a very valid option here, it is quite likely that inflammation in and around her spinal nerves is contributing to both the paralysis and incontinence and severely impacting her quality of life

It sounds like Mocha is definitely experiencing a pretty good deal of discomfort. There could be multiple problems occurring here or one greater issue. The type of urinary issue you are describing sounds like incontinence. This is not uncommon in older spayed female dogs. If this is the primary issue, it is generally treatable with medication. Pain that Mocha is experiencing, whether or not attributed to arthritis or something else, can be treated medically as well with anti inflammatory drugs and pain management. You might want to consider some diagnostics to assess the areas that are in most pain to make sure there is not another underlying condition besides arthritis that is causing the (out of the ordinary) pain. The most troubling part of all of what you've described is the not eating or drinking. This taken into account with the other clinical signs make me lean towards something more serious, such as an infectious process, inflammatory disease, or even a cancerous process. I would definitely say to get Mocha to the vet sometime soon to be assessed. Diagnostic blood work and imaging are definitely recommended to get down to the cause of the problems. Hope this helps!

Yes, uti, kidney disease or diabetes are all possibilities. I would definitely consider euthanasia at this stage given her progressive conditions which are not going to improve and are becoming increasingly restrictive on her independence and quality of life

I am so sorry about Nubby. It definitely sounds like it is time for an exam/consult re: humane euthanasia with a veterinarian you are comfortable with. Yelping when moved, panting and shaking when at rest are likely signs that Nubby is in pain. Incontinence and inability to use her back legs are definite factors that diminish quality of life. Wishing you strength and love during this difficult time.