Searches for incontinence turned up nothing, so here goes. My Ambull Gyspy has recently (over the past week or two) started soiling herself, while she's laying in her bed. We rescued her two years ago, the history we got on her was that she was from Arkansas, she was used to hunt wild boar, and she was frequently left in a small metal crate for days on end, covered in her own feces and urine. We spent many many hours socializing her (she was great with humans, not with animals), and we found much sucess with an E-collar and the Leerburd DVD on proper E-collar training. She is now a well behaved girl, 100% recall, sit stays at distance, maintains a down for any length of time, strong heel without distractions, fair to poor with heavy distractions. Her detractors are an incredible prey drive and strong guarding instinct that requires constant attention, but she DOES mind when commanded.

We initially put her in a crate when she first arrived in our home, but gave up quickly. She broke the first cheap one we had, and she would always soil herself in the 2nd crate if she was left for any longer than an hour. From the 1st day we stopped putting her in the crate we always came back to a house that was exactly as we left it.

She is on a raw diet, chicken quarters, chicken gizzards and hearts, a steamed and pureed vegetable mixture, and various exotic red meats when we run across them. Her diet has been the same from day 1, no changes. Great weight, little to no shedding, sparkling clean ears, incredible muscle tone.

An environmental factor that I think may be an influence is that my wife and I are currently going through a divorce and are still living in the same home. The environment here is not very nice, could this be an influence?

Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

Also, I realize that not maintaining a crating "routine" is a big no-no, but the alternative really seemed to benefit her. Regardless, I don't believe it is an issue here, unless you think it could be a factor to her new soiling issue let's keep that discussion for another time

Almost forgot She had a urinalysis done by her vet, no bacteria present (she had a UTI last summer). And, we have another appointment with the vet friday.

Thanks!
Matt

Soiling = poop, right? Not wetting?

Not clear because of the urinalysis part near the end.

If poop, is it diarrhea?

Jeeze, what a dope I am... My mistake, she's peeing herself, and just laying in it...



Edited by matt ream (08/20/2008 06:44 PM)
Edit reason: clarification

When was the urinalysis?

How old is she?

I would get a second sample, a "clean catch," on the morning of the vet appointment.

Because the dog has a history, and because there are so many possible culprits (escherichia coli, esterococcus, straphylococcus, and more), and also because a stressed dog is more likely to have lowered immunity, which can allow bacteria to get a foothold and colonize, I'd want to be sure about it. Lying in her bed and wetting is different, IME, from peeing on the floor. It would make me wonder if she was dribbling in her sleep or half-sleep, which would make me think UTI.

But the vet will also check out the other possibilities:
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/incont.aspx

The dog's age is a big factor in some of the triggers.

The reason I would collect a second "clean catch" is that the vet may find no other cause, and I'd want to be ready for a re-test. If no culture was done, I'd want that, too, in addition to the urinalysis.

I'll get an early morning "catch" tomorrow 1st thing in the morning.

Let us know what happens, OK?

Is it like a puddle or just a few dribbles? Our boxer girl dribbles sometimes when she's sleeping. The vet said it might be from her spay. She gets Proin every night and that stopped it. Still get a vet's opinion of course. Just wanted to present one possibility.

Edited to add: Watch the skin on her belly. Sometimes the dogs that lay in their own pee all the time get crusties and skin problems.

It is BIG "puddles", but they are soaked into her bed. So, I've been washing her bed, and her a lot. I'm worried about the frequency that I'm washing her too, but I think at this point its better than the alternative of her pee soaked skin and coat.

Vet appointment is today

The visit to the vet didn't really bring out any new diagnosis. Her blood work is normal, and the vet took a look at a new urine sample under the microscope and ZERO white blood cells. Because there weren't any WBC's the vet thought another culture wasn't necessary.

The only other possibility, besides a behavioral reaction to the stress in the home, the vet came up with is a weak sphyncter muscle... I think she used the word weak? This would require some heavy pharmaceuticals, and possibly some other invasive procedures, to treat. As a last resort the vet prescribed some chinese herbs to Gyspy. Kan-Four Marvels 60 (Si Miao-San), D-L Methionine and a soothing aromatherapy type liquid that we add to her water. The intent is to calm our dog, guessing that stress at home is a factor, and to sooth her guts, which maybe you could say isn't her strongest "system". With the additon of the drops in her water she certainly seems more calm, and no accidents for 36 hours... We'll see, finger's crossed!

Anyone heard of these pills?

Edited by matt ream (08/23/2008 04:41 PM)
Edit reason: cleaned it up