My senior Pomeranian suddenly won't use pee pads. What's wrong?

I would recommend taking Sammy to a veterinarian to have him evaluated. It may be something as simple as a urinary tract infection but there can be more going on with him. I would recommend a good physical examination, blood work, urine and a stool sample. That way they can rule out urinary tract infection, intestinal parasites and look to make sure his kidneys and liver are functioning properly. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

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.

There are many possible reasons for incontinence and a basic physical exam can be useful to check for arthritic changes which may be contributing and treatable. If no obvious reason is found euthanasia may be worth considering as invasive tests and work up although providing diagnosis may not uncover treatable causes and quality of life can quickly slide in such patients

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.

In addition to hearing loss and arthritis, Jabba may also have some cognitive dysfunction. I would recommend that you talk to your vet about this new change. It could be that the concrete is closer or easier to walk on. Maybe the grass is wet or the ground is uneven or Jabba has difficulty posturing in the yard. He may simply be confused and need some guidance on where to go potty. While inconvenient, at least he is still going outside rather than inside! You may also want to talk to your vet about medications or adjustment in medications for arthritis, and consider a medication like selegiline or special diets like ProPlan Bright Minds for cognitive dysfunction.

It is possible that, at the age of 13, she has severe arthritis pain and squatting to urinate hurts. This may be the reason why she holds it in until she can't hold it in anymore. I suggest you have her hips checked for arthritis, and your vet may prescribe her some NSAIDs to alleviate her pain.