Pooch Pampers? Are Dog Diapers For You?

Pet training in general is not for the faint of heart. Persistence and consistency are key, and while almost any dog is trainable, it can be an uphill battle at times. Housetraining your pooch is no different. While it may be tempting to just go invest in some dog diapers, there are downsides to this solution. Arlington Animal Hospital is prepared to fill you in on the details.

Reasons Dog Diapers May Be Needed

Sometimes our canine companions make a mess, but for most dogs these are few and far between. For those that have frequent potty problems, though, dog diapers can be a lifesaver. 

Some reasons why pets may have urinary or fecal accidents can include:

• Incomplete housebreaking
• Urinary incontinence
• Urinary infections
• Urinary tract stones
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Degenerative myelopathy
• Neurological disease
• Advanced arthritis
• Cognitive dysfunction
• Anxiety disorders

Typically, if there is a pet training issue, the potty accidents are persistent. If there is a sudden change in your pet’s urination or defecation habits, please make an appointment so that one of our doctors can get to the bottom of the problem and potentially fix it.  

Dog diapers can also be of aid when a dog is in heat or for males who are persistent in urine marking behaviors. 

Downside of Diapers

While dog diapers can be very helpful in the case of chronic problems that cannot be fixed in other ways, they typically should be a last resort. 

There are a few good reasons for this:

In the case of housetraining failures, dog diapers don’t really solve any issues. In fact, they are really just waving the white flag. Wearing a diaper does nothing to help teach your pet how to hold their bladder or bowels and does not help to develop control.

In other cases, pet owners must be very cognizant of how their pet’s diaper fits and changing it often. Skin irritation and infections are not uncommon secondary to dog diapers, and sometimes secondary urinary tract infections can ensue. 

Dog diapers can also serve a foreign body hazard if your pet happens to ingest them. 

When choosing to utilize dog diapers, you must be educated about the risks and benefits. Potty accidents and other messes frequently contribute to quality of life issues and decrease our enjoyment of our pets. Diapers can certainly help in this regard and can help pet owners manage their pet’s needs.