It’s time to talk about Poop and Pee.

 

Along with a disabled or wheelchair dog, comes potty time. Some dogs walk and poop at the same time, some manage a semi-squat, and some simply fall in their own mess. The use of a dog wheelchair can alleviate some of these challenges, but how do you care for a paralyzed dog with no control of the bladder? Along with neurological deficits, comes a possibility of dribbling, or retention of urine. It is important to get a steady stream of urine, and a full emptying of the bladder. Leaving the bladder with residual urine or leaving it full, can lead to urinary tract infections, or a stretched bladder.

 

If you have a paralyzed dog, or a dog that is having neurological symptoms, and losing control of the bladder, you might need to speak with your vet about expressing your dog’s bladder. Please ask them to show you how to express your dog’s bladder properly. It is often recommended to express your dog three times a day. I also recommend, if your dog is not going potty on his or her own three times a day, that you call your vet, and ask him or her if you need to take this next step. Even if you have already spoken with your vet, had him or her diagnosed, talked about a dog wheelchair, etc… you might not have had this conversation. I recently spoke with a client who had just left the vet’s office, but had not talked about poop and pee. I mean, who doesn’t talk about poop and pee! On a serious note, the woman did not know that her dog was supposed to be peeing three times a day. She didn’t think her dog had peed since the day before. I told her to call her vet right away! This can be fatal to your dog.

 

This is a great blog https://dodgerslist.com/2020/05/05/bladder-bowel-care/ that has movies to watch on expressing the bowel and bladder. It also has a list of positions and places to express your dog’s bladder. One of which is mentioned, using a dog wheelchair. Sometimes the simple act of lifting your dog into his or her wheelchair can empty the bladder. So you might want to do this outside!