Old Dog Pooing at Night

[chrissa1]

Our old 11 year old Lab has started to poo while we are asleep. Now this wouldn't be so bad but he has always slept in my daughter's bedroom and so it's not the sort of thing you want to be cleaning up at 4 o'clock in the morning.
Does anyone know why this sudenly started? There has been no unusual things he has eaten and he's walked for 2 good long walks per day and allowed out for a quickie in the garden before we turn in.

[Ratty2E]

Well as you say he is an old dog and like a lot of old animals and people he may not have as good a control over his bowels as he once did. I would take him to the vets to rule out any illness which could be causing it, but you could find it's just one of those things that comes with old age, and you may need to find him somewhere easier to clean to sleep.

[RATTER15]

Try a short walk with him before turning in, exercise and movement will activate the bowels.

[Pinkypie]

Aww bless, my dog is around 14/15 and he's deaf and going blind. He hasn't started pooing but he is smelly beyond belief (rotting from the inside) he's had a health check and it's just old age!

I agree that you should take him to vets, just to rule anything out! :0)

[carmalee]

I would get the vet to check him out just in case there is an underlying medical reason - you can't be too careful in older dogs - it must be distressing for him too.

[ladybirder]

Perhaps you could look at changing his feeding times to try and time it that he will have emptied his bowels before bedtime. Just a thought. Poor lad.

[andy-hughes]

It probably is just his age.

Wheras years ago, the need to evacuate would wake him up, and he would ask to go out, in his old age, those signals just stop working, and his bowels will operate themselves while he sleeps.

If he has a bed, then you should look at getting some old comfy sheets or blankets that you can wash easily - there really is unlikely to be a solution that will stop him doing this.

You should make sure that your daughter is aware that these are the signs that your dog is getting old, and he's not going to live for ever. A little gentle preparation will hopefully prepare her for that morning when he has slipped away in the night.

[chrissa1]

Thanks all. I've just got back from his first walk and he did 2 massive ones and will do another on the 2nd walk.

We'll try taking him up the street (+ poop bag) before bedtime and see what happens. He is not loose at all so I think it maybe old age but will get him checked him at the vets too.

Andy-hughes, my daughter is 26 so there's no problem there.

[lankeela]

If the vet check proves ok then I'm afraid its one of those things we have to put up with for all the years of pleasure they have given us. I have an oldie who sometimes doesn't make it through the night without going, so I just put newspaper down so he doesn't feel guilty.

[barb1314]

Chrissa,I just wondered if you are still feeding him the same quantities of food that you did when he was younger. I would imagine now he may be doing less exercise (or certainly less running) It might be an idea to reduce his food a little. We did this on our vet's recommendation with our old Border Collie. Hope all goes well with his check up and it's nothing more than his 'golden years' xx

[islasmum]

Poor old chap - my oldest labrador is getting a bit incontinent, and he's 14.5. I found that by feeding him earlier in the afternoon, and cutting his food down a bit can make him last through the night better, but unfortunately it's just one of those things.....horrid to watch them get older.

[chrissa1]

Thanks for that islasmum. I fed him earlier this afternoon and have just had him down the road with poop bag. He did one for me and so my daughter is going to give him another chance tonight and allow him into her bedroom. Fingers crossed, poor old man.