The yipping started at about 5.55 this morning. At first I thought Oscar wanted to be let out of his exclusive pad behind the bifold doors of the new sitting room. It was dark and I hate getting up in the morning so I left it. When I went downstairs half an hour later, MsDD was there with a mop, clearing up an “accident.” Whereupon she burst into tears and voiced exactly what I had been thinking since the last time this happened, three weeks ago. “I can’t bear the thought of my doggy getting old.”
Oscar is, as you know, our first dog and completely and utterly beloved. He is always there to dance with us or jump up for a hug, to kiss away our tears. And this is the first intimation that he might not always be there. And it’s almost unbearable.
Flatcoated retrievers, having been reconstituted from the brink of extinction, often have immunity problems and a higher than average susceptibility to cancer. This utterly delightful breed is not long-lived and I had been warned that they year from 7 to 8 years old can be a tricky time. Oscar is probably a bit young yet for age-related incontinence so I’m wondering if the problem is something else, something I don’t want to know about.
I don’t fear my own death, you see. For me you’re born, you live as good a life as you can and then you die. That’s it. And if you’re lucky the people you knew will smile whenever the thought of you occasionally crosses their mind. But the death of a beloved, faithful companion is something to dread. We can’t explain to them what’s happening. We can’t replace the way they’re always pleased to see us. Perhaps, though, this is one of the most important aspects of having a pet: that they will eventually pass over that Rainbow Bridge and we shall remember them joyfully. They teach us that life is short and it is to be lived to the full.
What shall I do about Oscar? I need some advice from people who have experience of this sort of situation. My initial thought was that we should take him out earlier and let him out to the toilet as soon as he starts yipping. (I am so glad that, maybe in anticipation of this, I replaced my cream carpet with easily mappable slate and a George vacuum cleaner.) Perhaps I should make an appointment with the vet. Apparently, diminishing bladder control can be treated with drugs. Or it might be something more sinister. I need to find out for sure.
Definitely I would say attend to the yipping as soon as you hear it – must be distressing for him not to be able to get out when he knows he needs too. But also be brave and take him to the vet – it may be something that is easily treatable. Poor Oscar – hope it is nothing sinister.
I have come to the decision that when my current cat skips over yonder rainbow, I will be pet less. It’s a strange but wondrous thing, one’s relationship with a pet. But one much closer than that had with many human relatives which some find hard to understand. I just couldn’t bear the thought of anymore upset, despite the enormous joy they bring. I agree that zipping down the stairs once the yapping starts is the best first attention. If he can warn you, it is a lesser inconvenience. I am sure he feels terrible about resorting to incontinence 😢 A trip to the vet is inevitable if it is happening more frequently and so better to be expedient and know you are helping him deal with things as best you can. Hope he is ok and bravo on the slate. And George.
Thank you. And Happy Birthday! Xxx
Vet for certain. Could be a bladder infection, could be his prostate playing him up (he is an entire male after all), worst case scenario could be his kidneys but at 7 I don’t think it is just old age and to be accepted. I think it is something fixable.
Let me know. Xxx
Ok. I shall. It’s so intermittent at the moment that I wonder whether it’s a chronic thing rather than an infection.
I would also say attend to the yipping as soon as you hear it and see how that goes. If Oscar is otherwise well I don’t think you need to go to the vet just yet. Could just be a symptom of old age. After all, I’m also more likely these days to get up in the night for a wee than I used to be!