There is a possibility that my dog (12 years old) may have to have surgery to remove a cancerous growth from her urethra. I am told that the surgery may leave her incontinent – bowel (because the growth is close to her sphincter) and bladder.
My vet is not coming right out and saying it – but I sense she feels it would be better to put my otherwise super healthy, active, bright companion to sleep than have her be incontinent.
She mentioned “quality of life”. From what I’ve read incontinent animals are still active and maintain a high level of enjoyment. Can people please comment on their experiences and give me an idea of what I would be getting into. THANKS
what's the "quality of life" for an incontinent do
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LynnCrocker
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:55 am
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GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily
- Posts: 5011
- Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 7:00 pm
- Location: St. Helena Island, SC
Re: what's the "quality of life" for an incontinen
Lots and lots of incontinents here, and most all the para-pups have issues with this. We find that our critters (sorry critters) take the incontinent issue much better than we do emotionally. They live for our love. And yes, they can have a tremendous qualitly of life.
I was asked to evaluate a paralyzed (shot) dog's will to live by a fellow rescuer. I met this dog, Faith, in tears. She doesn't even realize she is shot, paralyzed, incontinent. She LOVES life! She is so happy to be rescued, she actually smiles.
So while your vet may not be up to the task, he/she isn't the one who has this life in their family. So don't lose hope. There is a bunch of hope. I pray your surgery comes out well, and let us know.
There will be a lot of folks by soon with some answers for you.
But I can tell you as a middle-aged olde bagge, that it bites us all one day
WELCOME!
I was asked to evaluate a paralyzed (shot) dog's will to live by a fellow rescuer. I met this dog, Faith, in tears. She doesn't even realize she is shot, paralyzed, incontinent. She LOVES life! She is so happy to be rescued, she actually smiles.
So while your vet may not be up to the task, he/she isn't the one who has this life in their family. So don't lose hope. There is a bunch of hope. I pray your surgery comes out well, and let us know.
There will be a lot of folks by soon with some answers for you.
But I can tell you as a middle-aged olde bagge, that it bites us all one day
WELCOME!
Karen, Andy's ^i^ mom
Lethal White Aussies Rule!
INTERACTIVE RESCUE SITE!
http://www.s8.createphpbb.com/lethalwhiteauss/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LethalWhiteAussieRescue/
Lethal White Aussies Rule!
INTERACTIVE RESCUE SITE!
http://www.s8.createphpbb.com/lethalwhiteauss/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LethalWhiteAussieRescue/
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maryteresa76
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2006 12:40 pm
- Location: Illinois
Re: what's the "quality of life" for an incontinen
Hi, I just wanted to check in and let you know that your dog will have a wonderful quality of life, even dealing with incontinence! My baby, Sydney (2.5 yr old Bichon), is incontinent and has lost the use of her hind legs as a result of ivdd. She had surgery about three months ago. Her bladder needs to be expressed every 6-8 hours, which made her very angry for the first couple weeks. Now, thankfully, she's used to it, and doesn't give me any problems, except for trying to walk away with her front legs, out of boredom, I'm sure. She has the same personality, same spunk and same lively little spirit that she had before the surgery. It's amazing how happy she is with life and how quickly she has adapted to her present state of disability. I know that your dog will adapt quickly as well!! Now, as for your quality of life... developing and getting used to scheduling expressing your dog's bladder can take some getting used to, but it's worth it! I swear Sydney actually acts grateful! I hope this helps- Good luck!
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Cindidoxiemom
- Posts: 1359
- Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:17 pm
- Location: Houston, Texas
Re: what's the "quality of life" for an incontinen
My pup Oscar is paralyzed (IVDD) and bladder/bowel incontinent....and he is a happy and healthy guy! He travels with me and enjoys life to the fullest!
It is with a resounding YES that I tell you that a bladder/bowel incontinent dog can have a wonderful life!
Hugs,
Cindi
It is with a resounding YES that I tell you that a bladder/bowel incontinent dog can have a wonderful life!
Hugs,
Cindi
I am not a vet; please consult your vet before making any treatment decisions.
Hunter IVDD Surgery x 2~Walking
Oscar IVDD Surgery x 1~ Paralyzed
Sage and Misty
Hunter IVDD Surgery x 2~Walking
Oscar IVDD Surgery x 1~ Paralyzed
Sage and Misty
Re: what's the "quality of life" for an incontinen
I have an incontinent cat named Simon who I got when he was about 3 months old. He is now 4 and 1/2 years old. He was born with severe congenital deformities---paralysis of his back legs and could not urinate on his own. I have been expressing his bladder 3 to 4 times a day. Simon is very outgoing and seems to love life. He has also gone with me to do presentations in the schools. He also (knock on wood) has never had a bladder infection. He was recently diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. I hope to have him for another 10 years and could not imagine life without him. Go for the surgery and do what you need to do for your dog. I am sure if he had a choice he would want to stay with you as long as possible. Diana R.
Re: what's the "quality of life" for an incontinen
Hi Lynn,
I would go ahead and have the surgery done. I have a dog who has been incontinent since Sept 23, 2003. She is a bright and happy little dog. To give you a better idea of the nursing care you are getting into...
There are 2 kinds of incontinence. In one kind, the urinary sphincter is tight and the dog cannot urinate even if she wants to, and for that you have to express the bladder. That means you squeeze her tummy several times a day to help her pee. This means you have to be home every 8 hours to express, which is not a problem unless you work across town and are gone over 8 hrs and cannot get home at lunch to express. Some pets with very tight sphincters benefit from daily medication to relax the sphincter.
In the other kind of incontinence, the sphincter is loose and they tend to dribble, and I assume this is what you will have--you might clarify this with the vet if she knows. These pets also benefit from having the bladder expressed several times daily to reduce the amount of urine soaking the skin. You may have a skin care issue if there is continual dribbling. In that case, you will want to keep her shaved around her bottom and protect the skin with vaseline or bag balm (or something similar) or by spraying on a 3M barrier spray that lasts up to 72 hours. She may also require daily bathing of the rear area, or cleansing with wipes to keep the skin healthy.
If she has dribbling, you will probably want to use diapers on her for part of every day. There is a lot of information on diapering in the links above. Most people prefer disposable diapers, if you can afford them. If there is only a little dribbling, you may be able to use "hot pants" with a Kotex, and that will be even cheaper.
People here have recommended that you do not use diapers on your pet all day as the skin needs a chance to breathe. The usual way to handle that is to confine her to an area with blankets or absorbent pads to lie on, and if one area gets wet during the night she can move to another area. Since she is mobile, you have a huge advantage. This does mean you can expect to do some extra laundry. This is not a problem unless you live in an apartment and do not have laundry facilities where you live. With paralyzed dogs people have used playpens, cribs, or x-pens. Since your dog is mobile, you will have to dream up something she cannot climb out of. Someone here had a medium-small dog who had back surgery that managed to climb out of a baby crib, so be careful--you don't want your dog to fall.)
You will probably spend about the first 2-3 weeks after she comes home from surgery perfecting your nursing care plan. It will probably take some experimenting to find the right fit of diaper (but you could start on that NOW) and figuring out the best way to arrange her bed at night. Once you've got that done, you will have your happy dog back, looking cuter than ever in her Huggies or flash pants with her tail wagging. I say go for it, and post us a picture!
I would go ahead and have the surgery done. I have a dog who has been incontinent since Sept 23, 2003. She is a bright and happy little dog. To give you a better idea of the nursing care you are getting into...
There are 2 kinds of incontinence. In one kind, the urinary sphincter is tight and the dog cannot urinate even if she wants to, and for that you have to express the bladder. That means you squeeze her tummy several times a day to help her pee. This means you have to be home every 8 hours to express, which is not a problem unless you work across town and are gone over 8 hrs and cannot get home at lunch to express. Some pets with very tight sphincters benefit from daily medication to relax the sphincter.
In the other kind of incontinence, the sphincter is loose and they tend to dribble, and I assume this is what you will have--you might clarify this with the vet if she knows. These pets also benefit from having the bladder expressed several times daily to reduce the amount of urine soaking the skin. You may have a skin care issue if there is continual dribbling. In that case, you will want to keep her shaved around her bottom and protect the skin with vaseline or bag balm (or something similar) or by spraying on a 3M barrier spray that lasts up to 72 hours. She may also require daily bathing of the rear area, or cleansing with wipes to keep the skin healthy.
If she has dribbling, you will probably want to use diapers on her for part of every day. There is a lot of information on diapering in the links above. Most people prefer disposable diapers, if you can afford them. If there is only a little dribbling, you may be able to use "hot pants" with a Kotex, and that will be even cheaper.
People here have recommended that you do not use diapers on your pet all day as the skin needs a chance to breathe. The usual way to handle that is to confine her to an area with blankets or absorbent pads to lie on, and if one area gets wet during the night she can move to another area. Since she is mobile, you have a huge advantage. This does mean you can expect to do some extra laundry. This is not a problem unless you live in an apartment and do not have laundry facilities where you live. With paralyzed dogs people have used playpens, cribs, or x-pens. Since your dog is mobile, you will have to dream up something she cannot climb out of. Someone here had a medium-small dog who had back surgery that managed to climb out of a baby crib, so be careful--you don't want your dog to fall.)
You will probably spend about the first 2-3 weeks after she comes home from surgery perfecting your nursing care plan. It will probably take some experimenting to find the right fit of diaper (but you could start on that NOW) and figuring out the best way to arrange her bed at night. Once you've got that done, you will have your happy dog back, looking cuter than ever in her Huggies or flash pants with her tail wagging. I say go for it, and post us a picture!
Re: what's the "quality of life" for an incontinen
Good Morning Lynn,
Your dog can remain happy and healthy despite incontinence. Do NOT allow the vet to tell you otherwise. Most vets don't have many/any incontinent or paralyzed pets on their caseloads and have not seen the proof.
I have managed the care of a paralyzed male doxie for two years without an incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI).
Yesterday he decided to play tug of war with a dog toy, raced around the coffee table in circles, ran to the kitchen, and brought back a second toy... I can't catch him when he runs on two legs! You don't need to be continent or ambulatory to be happy.
My day starts early as the pets want fed. We have 2 dogs and 2 geriatric cats.
(1) I immediately do "poop on demand" into the toilet with the 22 lb. doxie to avoid an fecal accidents, and then express him on top of my dryer. I express urine into a single OLD washcloth and then drop it into a system much like a diaper pail with water, a splash of bleach, and a small amt. of Borax. We maintain a stack of old wash clothes for that purpose.
(2) The second urine expression comes at lunch time. Some people on this bb come home from work to express. I check to see if he needs to defecate, and hold him over the toilet to stimulate feces. Directions are on the "Incontinence Forum".
(3) The third is at 4 to 5 PM.
(4) The fourth is at bedtime. I find that my dog can go about 8 hours between urine expressing. Once again I check for fecal needs.
Accidents: If I am NOT home at the appropriate time, he sometimes leaves a urine stream/spot on the floor. No big deal as he was a sneaky dog that would mark carpet before his paralysis. It's actually easier now that I can contain his marking.
Do I wish that he were NOT paralyzed nor incontinent? YES...but I can't change that at this point. Learn to love your dog the way she is. She'll love you back.
A vet cannot speak to the quality of life of an incontinent dog. Dogs remain just as happy if they are incontinent. Do NOT allow the vet to convince you that you can't do this or that your dog won't be happy. I had one vet tell me my dog would die from a UTI...he has not had one in the last two years. There are many, many more pet owners on this bb who will attest to having happy pets despite incontinence.
CarolC has a female dog that she expresses. You might want to direct a question to her about the direction of the stream, etc. A male stream can be controlled to the front or side. Ask CarolC where she stands to express Katie.
Best wishes to you. We are glad that you found us.
Dianne
Your dog can remain happy and healthy despite incontinence. Do NOT allow the vet to tell you otherwise. Most vets don't have many/any incontinent or paralyzed pets on their caseloads and have not seen the proof.
I have managed the care of a paralyzed male doxie for two years without an incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI).
Yesterday he decided to play tug of war with a dog toy, raced around the coffee table in circles, ran to the kitchen, and brought back a second toy... I can't catch him when he runs on two legs! You don't need to be continent or ambulatory to be happy.
My day starts early as the pets want fed. We have 2 dogs and 2 geriatric cats.
(1) I immediately do "poop on demand" into the toilet with the 22 lb. doxie to avoid an fecal accidents, and then express him on top of my dryer. I express urine into a single OLD washcloth and then drop it into a system much like a diaper pail with water, a splash of bleach, and a small amt. of Borax. We maintain a stack of old wash clothes for that purpose.
(2) The second urine expression comes at lunch time. Some people on this bb come home from work to express. I check to see if he needs to defecate, and hold him over the toilet to stimulate feces. Directions are on the "Incontinence Forum".
(3) The third is at 4 to 5 PM.
(4) The fourth is at bedtime. I find that my dog can go about 8 hours between urine expressing. Once again I check for fecal needs.
Accidents: If I am NOT home at the appropriate time, he sometimes leaves a urine stream/spot on the floor. No big deal as he was a sneaky dog that would mark carpet before his paralysis. It's actually easier now that I can contain his marking.
Do I wish that he were NOT paralyzed nor incontinent? YES...but I can't change that at this point. Learn to love your dog the way she is. She'll love you back.
A vet cannot speak to the quality of life of an incontinent dog. Dogs remain just as happy if they are incontinent. Do NOT allow the vet to convince you that you can't do this or that your dog won't be happy. I had one vet tell me my dog would die from a UTI...he has not had one in the last two years. There are many, many more pet owners on this bb who will attest to having happy pets despite incontinence.
CarolC has a female dog that she expresses. You might want to direct a question to her about the direction of the stream, etc. A male stream can be controlled to the front or side. Ask CarolC where she stands to express Katie.
Best wishes to you. We are glad that you found us.
Dianne