Having a pet is one of life’s greatest joys, especially when you get to care for them throughout all stages of their life. This creates a bond like no other.
However, during this journey, our pets can develop certain medical issues that can, at times, overwhelm us.
One such issue is bowel incontinence, which occurs when your dog has the inability to control bowel movements.
While this can be frustrating and sometimes feel like a lot to handle, there are some important things to remember:
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Your dog has no control over this
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Your dog is likely just as distressed as you since they feel like they are not following their housetraining
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It is manageable!
We are here to help you understand what is happening and how to handle it.
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What Is Bowel Incontinence?
Fecal incontinence occurs when your dog can’t control their bowel movements. In some instances, your dog is totally unaware that they are dropping small amounts of poop. In other cases, they are aware but have no control.
What Causes Bowel Incontinence?
There are two main categories of bowel incontinence. The first is sphincter incontinence, where there is an abnormality in the anal sphincter that causes leakage. The second is reservoir incontinence which is an inability to hold or store poop in the normal manner.
Sphincter Incontinence
When a dog has sphincter incontinence, the muscles (a.k.a. their anal sphincter) that close the anal opening are unable to remain in the closed position. Poop leaks out in small amounts or dribbles out intermittently since the anal sphincter isn’t closed.
This form of bowel incontinence can be the result of a mass or anal wound that interferes with the anal sphincter and alters how it functions. It can also be the result of damage to the nerves that control the anal sphincter, such as in dogs that suffer from intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).
Reservoir Incontinence
The rectum is the last section of the large intestines where poop is stored. Any disease of the rectum can cause your dog not to be able to store poop in the normal manner.
Some causes of reservoir incontinence include diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, or a number of other diseases that can affect the intestinal tract.
Some potential causes of bowel incontinence include:
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Colitis (inflammation of the large intestines)
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Degenerative myelopathy (disease that affects a dog’s spinal cord)
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Dysautonomia (a non-inflammatory neurodegenerative condition)
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Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI)
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Fibrocartilaginous embolism
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Hernias
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Inflammation of the stomach and small intestines
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Injury
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Perianal fistula
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Perianal surgery (i.e., anal sac removal)
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Spinal trauma
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Tumors in the spinal cord
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Spinal cord infection
The Signs and Symptoms of Bowel Incontinence
The signs noted are, in part, related to whether or not your dog is aware or not of the need to poop.
Some signs you may notice if your dog knows they need to poop but are unable to control it include:
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Abnormally strong and fouls smelling poop
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Blood in the poop
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Excessive grooming of the perianal area
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Straining to defecate
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Small or frequent bowel movements
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Scooting
For dogs that seem unaware they are pooping at random, such is often the case with neurological conditions, you may notice the following signs:
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Abnormal gait, which can include unsteadiness, wobbling, dragging hind paw, or hind limb weakness
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Pain along their back region when touched
Some other signs you may notice include:
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Dribbling urine or leaking poo
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More frequent bathroom trips
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Increased food and water intake
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Appearing painful when urinating or defecating
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Urine or fecal spots around your home
Note: If you notice any of these signs, seek veterinary care promptly.
How Bowel Incontinence Is Diagnosed
The diagnostic process begins with your veterinarian taking a complete medical history about your dog and performing a physical examination. Part of the physical examination will involve a rectal examination, a neurological examination, and an evaluation of the anal sacs.
Based on the information from your pet’s history and the physical examination, your veterinarian will recommend further diagnostic tests to determine the cause of bowel incontinence. Such tests may include:
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Baseline bloodwork, which includes a complete blood count, blood chemistry, and urinalysis
Note: Your veterinarian may request you bring a fresh urine sample in a sterile container, or they may collect a sterile urine sample at the hospital -
Fecal analysis
Note: Bring about two tablespoons of fresh poop to be sure a sample is readily available. -
X-rays
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Ultrasound
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Parvovirus test
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Specialized gastrointestinal lab tests
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MRI or CT scan
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Colonoscopy
- Gastrointestinal tract biopsy
In some cases, despite thorough testing, a cause may not be found. In such a case, the bowel incontinence is managed rather than treated. See the next section for how to manage this condition at home.
Treatment of Bowel Incontinence
The underlying cause will determine what treatment your veterinarian will recommend for your dog. The reason that the underlying cause must be identified and treated is that there is no medication to specifically treat bowel incontinence.
There are some cases where bowel incontinence is curable (i.e., caused by parasites), but others require long-term management (i.e., incontinence due to dementia or other neurological issues).
Treating Reservoir Incontinence
In order to treat reservoir incontinence, the underlying bowel disease needs to be diagnosed and treated. Treatment may involve antibiotics, antifungals, anti-diarrheal medication, anti-inflammatory medication, supplements, dietary changes, and/or possibly more specialized treatments.
Treating Sphincter Incontinence
If a lesion of the anus is the cause of the sphincter incontinence, treatment may require surgery. Depending on the extent and location of the lesion, your regular veterinarian may be able to perform the surgery, or it may require a referral to a board-certified veterinary surgeon.
It can be challenging to treat sphincter incontinence when it is caused by lesions of the nerve. Herniated disks or other neurological issues can sometimes be treated surgically, and resolve the bowel incontinence. In cases where surgery isn’t successful or there is no definitive treatment, then ‘treatment’ shifts to management.
How to Manage Bowel Incontinence at Home
The process of managing bowel incontinence can be challenging, BUT totally possible. It requires patience, creativity, and, in some cases, the ability to laugh.
Remember to respond to the issue with love and support to help comfort your dog and ease their anxiety, as they have no control over the situation.
Management Often Requires Combining Several Different Solutions
Keep it clean
Keeping your dog’s perianal region clean and dry is of the utmost importance. If the area remains moist, the risk of skin infections increases. Additionally, it can increase the risk of urinary tract infections for female dogs.
You will likely be cleaning your dog’s perianal region multiple times daily. Therefore, it is important to be gentle and use gentle wipes or waterless shampoo to avoid irritating their skin. Using abrasive materials like paper towels or even tissues is not a good idea — appropriate wipes to use are listed below.
If you have a dog with medium to long hair, keep the hair short around the perianal region (groomers call this a 'sanitary,' 'sani,' or ‘potty patch’ trim) and down the back of the hind legs to prevent fecal debris from accumulating in the hair.
If your dog's tail has long hair, you can trim it or wrap it with a tail protector (here's another wrap option) — see the video below for how to wrap a tail to keep it clean. If you wrap it, ensure it isn’t too tight and that your dog doesn’t try to remove and eat the bandage. Change the wrap anytime it becomes wet or soiled.
Wipe options:
Waterless shampoo options:
Another great option for cleaning your dog’s perianal region, as well as anywhere in your home is Tersano's iClean mini. This option, which only uses water, is safe and effective for keeping your dog and your entire home clean. It kills many viruses and bacteria as well. Just spray directly on your dog's butt and let it dry naturally. You can wipe up the excess drips with a soft cloth.
With any of the cleaning options, if you notice any signs of skin irritation or infection, be sure to have your dog evaluated by a veterinarian promptly.
Other Solutions to Try
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Stick to a feeding schedule to help predict when your dog will need to use the bathroom. As a guideline, dogs typically poop 8 to 12 hours after digesting their meal, and some poop about 30 minutes after eating. Figuring out your dog's unique transit time could mean less mess in your home as well as ease your dog’s distress about breaking their housetraining.
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Take your dog on frequent walks daily for several minutes, especially after meals.
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Add waterproof coverings to furniture, your dog’s bed, the crate, and anywhere they hang out and sleep. You can use reusable or disposable. Our team has used this reusable pad (featured below), but there's this pad option, too, that is less expensive.
This Molly Mutt waterproof liner covers the bedding that is contained in a sack. You can make the bedding from used clothing – which comforts dogs because it smells like you! Our team did it for the office dogs and kept pounds of clothing out of landfills.
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Feed a low-fiber diet to decrease the amount of poop produced, or feed a high-fiber diet to keep the poop firm for easy cleanup. Discuss which option is best with your veterinarian.
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Consider confining your dog to an area of your home that is easy to clean but also where your dog can still feel like part of the family.
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Diapers may be helpful in lessening the mess around your home, but they will require more cleaning of your dog. If your dog has medium to long hair, keeping it trimmed helps with cleaning and drying when using a diaper.
There are both washable and disposable diaper options. Note: even though the products say "for female dogs," they're still appropriate for male dogs with fecal incontinence. Usually, for urinary incontinence, male dogs use belly bands instead of diapers.
A few words of caution if you decide to use diapers:
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Be sure to get the correct size diaper for your dog. The wrong size diaper could cause discomfort if it is too tight around the belly or legs as well as cause skin irritation.
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Your dog must be comfortable wearing them, or else it will cause more stress which means more mess. Take the time to train your dog to get used to wearing them.
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Be sure your dog doesn’t remove and eat it! This can cause a potential gastrointestinal obstruction, which could require surgery to remove.
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Dogs can get a ‘diaper rash’ or skin irritation, just like a baby. You should change the diaper every 3 to 4 hours anytime it is soiled with urine or poop. Leaving the diaper on too long can increase the risk of urinary tract infections. Thoroughly clean and dry your dog’s hind end before putting on another diaper.
Training a Dog to Wear Diapers
Training your dog to wear a diaper should be as gentle and positive as possible, aiming to create a neutral association with wearing the diaper. Start by introducing the diaper slowly, allowing your dog to sniff and investigate it. This way, it becomes a familiar object rather than something unexpected. You can give treats and praise as they calmly interact with the diaper. Once your dog seems comfortable, try draping it over their back or around them without fastening it, rewarding them with treats to reinforce calm behavior. This gradual exposure helps them associate the diaper with positive experiences, making it less intimidating.
Sometimes you won't have time to slowly introduce a diaper to your dog, and they'll need to start wearing it right away. If your dog shows signs of stress, such as trying to pull away or showing discomfort, redirect their attention with a favorite toy or an easy training cue to bring focus back to you. Keep the experience fun and light and offer treats whenever they display calm behavior when wearing a diaper.
Practicing short sessions and gradually increasing the time they wear it will build their tolerance without overwhelming them. Be patient and consistent, and remember that every dog progresses at their own pace. By focusing on rewarding calm behavior and creating a positive association, your dog can learn to accept the diaper comfortably.
Here's a video of how to measure and put on a diaper for your dog:
If you have any helpful tips to share for managing bowel incontinence, we would love to hear from you in the comments below.
Life is a journey that sometimes can get messy, but in the end it's worth it. View this part of your journey with your dog as a gift, as hard as it may be some days because you will miss it when the journey ends.
