Old dog poops inside, struggles to walk. How to help him get out?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. 17.5 years old is great! My late dachshund just passed away in June and was 20 years old. It's always nice to have a friend that sticks around this long! It sounds as though Zak may be dealing with some arthritic pain causing him difficulty to position himself to defecate. I would recommend starting joint supplements and pain medications to see if this helps. I would also add fiber to his diet such as canned pumpkin or green beans to help normalize his stool movements. I would have a veterinarian examine Zak and discuss pain medication and joint supplement options with you . I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns that I may help you with.

There is more you can do for Dexter. He may improve with acupuncture for the neurological deficits and it can relieve his pain and help him relax and enjoy life. As far as the walking goes getting him specific exercises to retrain his legs will improve his walking. If there is a veterinary rehabilitation center near you they should be able to help you with these exercises and get you in touch with an acupuncture veterinarian. If they offer hydrotherapy, walking in the underwater treadmill will improve his strength and gait. Many dogs do get better so please continue with the medication and seek out some alternative treatments if you can. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Dexter.

I recommend you take a look at the links below and then consult with your veterinarian about what other options would be suitable for Grogan. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951467 https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=8896028 The Help Em Up Harness and Toe Grips at the links below may prove helpful as well: https://helpemup.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjc7P5_vm4QIV16mWCh0GSgUDEAAYAiAAEgLsV_D_BwE https://toegrips.com/ I also recommend looking into rubber-backed carpet runners over any tile or hardwood floors to provide more traction for Grogan. You can also look into acupuncture, massage, physical therapy and chiropractic as treatment options for Grogan in future, and see if your vet can refer you to vets in your area who practice them.

Hi Bill, I'm so sorry that you are having this problem with Champ. Unfortunately, we do see neurological problems in older dogs that can result in fecal incontinence where they are unaware when they have to defecate and/or unable to control it. There are not a lot of good treatment options for this condition. However, since you know that Champ has bad legs, I would start with discussing pain medication with your veterinarian. Sometimes if we are able to improve the pain in their rear legs, they seem to have an easier time squatting to defecate and will have less accidents. I am attaching more information on pain medications below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=587 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I'm so sorry Roxy is struggling with her mobility. This is common in geriatric dogs. I would recommend trialing pain medication and consulting with a rehab veterinarian. NSAIDs are often useful for dogs without kidney or liver disease. You may also ask about pain medications like Gabapentin, amantadine, or pregabalin.

Hello and thank you for posting your concerns regarding Genie. Genie is quite the old man! 10.5yrs old is a great age for a dog his size. With the description you have provided me with, it sounds like Genie is dealing with a lot of age related problems. There are multiple things you can do to try and help Genie out with any arthritic pain he may be experiencing. As for the weakness in the hind end, this may be due to muscle loss which is most likely due to him not using his legs as much as he used to. Managing his level of pain and getting him back on his feet may help re-establish some of this muscle loss but in my experience, there will most likely always be a degree of muscle atrophy due to the chronicity of the arthritis. I would consult with your veterinarian to discuss options as most of them you will need to get from your vet to manage the arthritis. Some options to start considering that you can start now at least would be the following: 1. Welactin omega 3 fish oil for canines 2. Dasuquin glucosamine for canines 3. Toe grips (if you have solid tile or wood floors) 4. Help 'em up Harness to help get Genie up easier (easier on your back!) Your veterinarian may want to start long term anti-inflammatory drugs as well as the above therapy. Some options your vet may consider would be Carprofen, Tramadol, Gabapentin, Amantadine, etc. to manage the level of pain. You can also consider administering Adequan. This is a natural product that helps stimulate joint fluid production and reduce inflammation within joints. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please contact me with any other questions / concerns you may have. I am also available via consultation.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. There are MANY different things that can be done to help him get around better - namely medications that your vet can prescribe. I think it would be the least you can do to help him. Remember, just because a dog is not crying or complaining doesn't mean he is not in pain. Animals do not manifest pain the same way we do. They just carry on and do the best they can like they would do in the wild. Please take him to a vet for an exam and to get him started on some NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication). Don't let him continue to be in pain. You will be surprised at how much the medications help. You could also get him nail grips or special boots/socks for him to wear the have grips on them to help him not slide around on the floor: ( https://toegrips.com ) ( https://www.amazon.com/DOK-TigerToes-Premium-Non-Slip-Hardwood/dp/B0BHKN1G9C/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.