What to do when my senior dog has early morning indoor accidents?

I'm sorry you're dealing with this frustrating issue. If needing an early morning bathroom break is a change, I'd recommend starting with a vet visit to make sure she doesn't have a UTI, bladder stone, skin infection, or even organ function problem etc. Those issues all can all increasing the amount of water she's drinking, making her need to go out in the middle of the night. If there is no medical issue, then it's a house training problem, which is difficult at her age. Usually using a crate to re-house train as if she were a puppy is the most effective course of treatment to deal with this.

At her age there are several things it can be. Your vet can collect a urine sample to check for a urinary tract infection. They can always draw some blood to check her kidneys and blood sugar and for Cushings disease. All these can cause an increase in drinking and urination which will lead to accidents. If all of that is normal, than she may be getting incontinent and they have medication for that also!

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.

He could have a urinary tract infection so he should be examined by a vet. Your vet can run a urinalysis to look for infection and other potential causes. He could also have urinary stones, prostate problem, tumor, etc. If he has an infection then he will need an antibiotic to treat.

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/

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The urinary tract symptoms you describe could be due to a urinary tract infection, urinary stones, a tumor, among other possibilities. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further diagnostics would include abdominal imaging and lab work. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a good night!