Shandar,
My dog was spayed at 10 months after her first heat. I also heard it was better to let her to through at least one.I did not know about the cod liver oil. I definately will try to find the pads you memtioned if they come big enough. I even tried a big sheet of plastic on my bed for a long time. She was doing so much better after taking the Proin that i ceased to use the plactic but now if I forget one pill a day we have an accident. I think it gets worse as she gets older or she gets immune to the pills.
How does the accupuncture work? Thanks so much for your reply.
Karen

Milt,
I'm sorry I got your reply mixed up with Shandar's about giving the hormone replacement pill, Please excuse me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Well, I am not quite sure how the accupuncture works, except to stimulate the areas(muscles to work). My vet worked on my dogs 'fluids' and that is what helped. She also always had a really dry nose. To the point, it was often cracked, yet, she would have 'junk' coming out of it. Within 2 treatments of the accupuncture her nose was normal.

I bought the pads at a medical store. They come in a variety of sizes. I am able to get them cheaper as a freind works in a field that can order them cheaper. I also use the smaller ones in crates when I ship puppies rather than newspaper.

.Shandar is very intelligent and well read. He also speaks from experience. Hard to dispute what he says even though for every study he can offer on spaying there will be 100 arguing his study. This is after the fact. You have to face the problem at hand. Here is a web site that you might find useful
http://www.peteducation.com/search
Type in Incontinence . I hope it helps

Milt

To Milt and Shandar
Thank you very much for your replys. I will get the pads and am going to try the web cite you mentioned.
Karen

Milt and Shandar,
I went to the web cite and found out what Shandar had already said. I will talk to my vet and see if they know of anyone who can do the acupuncture in this area, it is worth a try. Thanks again for your help it is much appreciated. I will let you know if they can help me.
Karen <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Here's a web site on acupuncture and where to find a vet that does it. Good Luck. http://www.ivas.org/main.cfm

I only allow one of my dogs in the bedroom by invitation ONLY!!! I found older dogs are more prone to incontinence, much like older humans. I guess it had to do with the kidneys wearing out???

Kelly,

It isn't the kidney's that cause the leakage. There is a muscle that controls the flow of urine from the bladder to the urethra. With age it will weaken. In addition there are some conditions that can cause increased contractions with the bladder and cause urgency for the dogs.

My 10 yr old dog has been a leaker the entire time I have owned her. She just recently went from being a leaker to being a soaker. We will try a new course of medication, Stibestrol, which is an estrogen cocktail of sorts and I am hoping it works.
Chelsea, there are a few different medications that will help and the one that they just put her on will eventually get back to one pill a week. You may want to talk to your vet about the forgetting pills issue.
Richard is right that there are other conditions that can be masked by the incontinence such as diabeties, cushings syndrome, etc. I know first hand that this can be very frustrating as I have gone to crawl in bed only to find that I have to remove all the bedding if I want to sleep. At 11:30pm when you are beat that is the last thing you want to have to do.
I guess all I can tell you is TALK to your vet, the dog certainly can't, and if we don't offer all the symptoms we cant expect them to get it right the first time.
As for Sacha, I hope this works, otherwise the bridge may come sooner than I had thought. I really don't want that, but even she gets embarrased when it happens and has withdrawn from life on me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />