Bowel habits

Not sure if this should go in 'behaviour' or 'health', so please feel free to move...

I've thought for a little while now that our nearly 13 yr old bitch has been going a little senile. She has frequent access to outside for the toilet, but twice this evening she has poo'd as she's been lying down resting. It is quite normal more recently for her not to get outside in time before she 'lets go'.

Whilst I don't mind at all clearing up after her, is this normal if she is senile, as I suspect?

Might be worth getting her checked by a vet, but we had this with our late Meg, she would ''forget'' where she was although she was alot older than your.

Hi Petra , it may well be that your girl has a degree of CCD
(the doggy equivalent of Alzheimer's in humans) .

If you think this is the case there are medications like Vivitonin which can help her and I would have a chat to your vet about it.
Here is some information on the symptoms..
http://www.hoppity.co.uk/Homes_gardens/canine_cognitive_dysfunction.htm

It could also be physical. Before I did anything else, I would get her to the vet.

Roxy, my now passed Shiba (lost at 13.1/2 years old) had bowel incontinence.

My vet said that her brain wasn't telling her she needed to go any more, so she just poo'd where she lay. Fortunately, it was usually in her bed, so easily sorted.

I got used to her little presents, and it never bothered me - she was (and still is) far too dear to me to fret about it. I'm sure you feel the same way about your oldie...

x0x