Senior Pug help/advice needed

I have an 11.5 year old pug with progressive intevertebral disc disease. He can walk, he is wobbly but he still has back end movement. He is on year 3 since the initial diagnosis. Within the past 3 mos he has become a bit incontenent. He is happy, otherwise healthy, and in no pain. I would like to get him to wear a diaper/belly band when I am home with him. My problem is, when I put a belly band or diaper on him he won't walk unless he needs to get a drink or their is food involved. I consulted my vet who says he sees this a lot with both belly bands and e-collars. Some dogs just hate them and become paralyzed by them and won't move. He said where a belly band wraps or a diaper fastens is not near the discs he has issues with so it is not an issue with compression of the spine. Because of the incontinence my other pug started using the house as a bathroom. I use a belly band on him when I am home and at night in bed and he does great with it. I am wondering if anyone else has come across this and has any suggestions for me. Thanks in advance.

Baby Girl has back problems also. She had a hunched back when she came to us, but one morning, we woke up and she could not use her back legs at all. We did a round of steroids and some antibiotics (x-rays show some cloudiness in the base of her spine that was in indication of an infection). She got a little better. I consulted with a holistic chiropractic and acupuncture vet. BG goes to therapy about every 6-8 weeks for acupuncture. She vet will do a little bit of chiro, but it is nothing like when I go to the chiro. She has maintained for about a year. She does have some urinary incontinence. She occasionally wears a doggie diaper, but the biggest help has been reusable potty pads. I got them for $1.00 each, but I can't find the website now. She pretty much lays on one all the time, in her doggie bed, on the couch, in our bed. I also scatter then on the floor so that she can walk around. I put her in the grass vs the concrete and have her walk around just as much as she is able to.

Old dogs can learn new tricks and learning to tolerate belly bands is one that should not be too difficult. If you are in the slightest embarrassed on his behalf or feeling pity he will pick up on that so be really, really upbeat and cheerful about putting it on him. After all, him wearing it means he gets to spend more time glued to you which is a great thing.

As a training aid, try something like this for a week: Every single meal and treat he gets, give to him while he is wearing the bellyband.
Step (1) "Oh look, its dinner/breakfast time!"
Step (2) He watches you prepare his food, put bowl on edge of bench
Step (3) "Lucky boy, it's bellyband/diaper time!!!" Places bellyband on him in happy chatty fashion.
Step (4) put down his dish where he will have to walk a couple of yards to reach it.

Leave the bellyband/diaper on for 15 minutes after the first meal, 20 minutes the next meal and so on.

Good luck and let us know how you go.

Leslie, Jana and Angela have given you great advice. As you know I went through this with LouLou in her final years, but we had toileting issues under control somewhat. I think it's a case of perservering with the belly-band, or using the mats like Jana suggested. Good luck, you're doing right by your precious boy.

Thank you all for your replies. I am happy to report, that I put the belly band around him at dinner tonight and it is still on and he is walking around.

I wish I could find one of a stretchy material though that would expand and contract when he sits. Has anyone seen one out of stretchy material before???

othepug wrote:Thank you all for your replies. I am happy to report, that I put the belly band around him at dinner tonight and it is still on and he is walking around.

I wish I could find one of a stretchy material though that would expand and contract when he sits. Has anyone seen one out of stretchy material before???

You can use an ace bandage. I have before.

papaspugs wrote: I got them for $1.00 each, but I can't find the website now. She pretty much lays on one all the time, in her doggie bed, on the couch, in our bed. I also scatter then on the floor so that she can walk around. I put her in the grass vs the concrete and have her walk around just as much as she is able to.

I'm pretty sure these are the $1.00 reuseable potty pads that Jana is talking about. http://www.odcmerchandise.com/ There was a thread about this a while back. No useful advice to share. Good luck!

smoochieface wrote:

papaspugs wrote: I got them for $1.00 each, but I can't find the website now. She pretty much lays on one all the time, in her doggie bed, on the couch, in our bed. I also scatter then on the floor so that she can walk around. I put her in the grass vs the concrete and have her walk around just as much as she is able to.

I'm pretty sure these are the $1.00 reuseable potty pads that Jana is talking about. http://www.odcmerchandise.com/ There was a thread about this a while back. No useful advice to share. Good luck!

Thanks for finding the link!

Saira wrote:

othepug wrote:Thank you all for your replies. I am happy to report, that I put the belly band around him at dinner tonight and it is still on and he is walking around.

I wish I could find one of a stretchy material though that would expand and contract when he sits. Has anyone seen one out of stretchy material before???

You can use an ace bandage. I have before.

GREAT IDEA!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!

othepug wrote:

Saira wrote:

othepug wrote:Thank you all for your replies. I am happy to report, that I put the belly band around him at dinner tonight and it is still on and he is walking around.

I wish I could find one of a stretchy material though that would expand and contract when he sits. Has anyone seen one out of stretchy material before???

You can use an ace bandage. I have before.

GREAT IDEA!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!

You are welcome! You'd be amazed at what I've used as belly bands when I'm desperate, lol. Also, DeeAnn (I don't know if you remember her from PV) makes some really great belly bands, they are the best I've found, wide and seem comfortable for the pug.

You are welcome! You'd be amazed at what I've used as belly bands when I'm desperate, lol. Also, DeeAnn (I don't know if you remember her from PV) makes some really great belly bands, they are the best I've found, wide and seem comfortable for the pug.[/quote]

I got a wide one online from some rescue site and the wide he won't tolerate at all. He seems to be doing ok with the one I have on him now, however I am always adjusting it. I only have it on when I am home so I can check it. I don't want him sitting in a wet incontinence pad. I am going to get an ace bandage this weekend and try that!

Probably not the best in hot weather but okay in an air-conditioned house. I make my own belly bands out of fleece and find that the fleece will stretch a lot as the pugs sit or lays.