Why is my 5-year-old dog suddenly having accidents in the house?

Sudden changes in behavior can sometimes signal a health issue, and accidents in an elderly dog can be caused by a number of things. Bladder infections can cause sudden accidents in the house, while changes to the muscles and nerves around the bladder may lead to incontinence-type accidents with dribbling or small puddles happening. Cognitive changes in elderly dogs (similar to human dementia) can also sometimes cause a pet to "forget" their training such as potty training, leading to accidents. It is a good idea to schedule a veterinary exam to see if any of these could be a possible cause and to find a treatment plan that helps.

I am sorry to hear about your dog! The first step is to have your vet examine him to be sure there isn't a medical reason for this new issue. There are a multitude of issues that can cause urinary accidents, including urinary tract infection, bladder stones, kidney disease, diabetes, and more. If the vet rules out a medical cause you can discuss if this is an anxiety issue or a loss of potty training. Anxiety is sometimes treated with oral medications. In mild cases a pheremone product like the Adaptil collar or diffuser (available online and at some pet stores or vet offices), thundershirts (also online and at stores), and oral supplements like Composure and Zylkene. You can read more about re-potty training at https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/is_my_male_shih_tzu_being_a_s_when_he_potties_in_the_house/

She may have a urinary infection that causes her to have accidents due to not being able to hold it as Kong. She may be doing this out of stress or anxiety or something has changed in her environment or routine. Depending on where she is in her heat cycle it may be due to marking and territorial problems influenced by hormones The best place to start is gave your vet check for infection with the urine then look in to getting her fixed. From there you can look into repeating house training or behavioral medicines

Poor LittleBit! When a dog who was previously house trained suddenly starts having accidents in the home, it is usually a sign of a medical illness such as a UTI or bladder bladder stones. She could also be drinking more due to a medical illness like diabetes or kidney disease, also leading her to have to urinate more. I would take LittleBit into the vet in the morning for a physical exam, routine blood tests, and a urinalysis to diagnose what is causing her to have accidents in the home. Once a cause is diagnosed, the vet can prescribe a treatment.

The first thing to do is have her checked by the veterinarian. It's possible there is an infection or other abnormality that is causing the behavior. Sometimes there is a neurological problem and the pet is not aware of what is happening. Dementia can also cause these symptoms. Some conditions have treatment with medications. Since Khloe can't talk and tell you what is happening, it's best to play it safe. I hope this helps.

Hello and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sometimes as a dog ages they develop something called cognitive dysfunction (like dementia) where they forget their training. This may be the cause of Tot's accidents. A supplement like Senilife may help withi this. Pain and arthritis can also lead to accident in an older dog as they have a harder time going outside and positioning to go to the bathroom. Sometimes urinary tract infection, internal medical issues or digestive problems may also cause accidents in the house. A visit to your Veterinarian may help to sort out what the cause of Tot's accidents are. Until you are able to take him to the vet you may want to take him outside more frequently to avoid accidents.

If Jewel is urinating in the house I would recommend bringing her into a veterinarian and have them check a urine sample on her. She may have a urinary tract infection. If she is defecating in the house and it is normal this can be behavioral and I would consider checking a stool sample and crating her until she goes outside again. If it is diarrhea then I would recommend checking a stool sample, putting her on a bland diet of boiled chicken and white rice and if it doesn't resolve discussed probiotics and medication with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.