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Your dog may have arthritis joint pain, a natural part of the aging process. There are medications which your dog can take which will help her a lot. Many vets believe in the glucosamine products, and there are pain and inflammation relievers which can ease her discomfort. She should probably get some light exercise as well.

The vets said there is nothing wrong with her? She's old with the usual aches and pains. I'd find a vet willing to medicate her so she's more comfortable. She is being left in for an awfully long time. Make sure she doesn't have a urinary infection. See if you can find someone to let her out an additional time. Does she make it through the night?

We take her out for a half hour walk every day, after 30 mins she begins to limp. So we try not to push it to much. She does make it through the night. She's never had an issue while we are at home it's just when she's alone.

She's a senior dog and has done well to reach 13 years. Here's a site that lists all the things that could possible be bothering her: Care of Senior Goldens.

The following forum may also be helpful since they discuss current treatments of senior dogs: Golden Forum

When was the last time she saw a vet? If it was recently and they didn't address her aches and pains then I'd seek out another vet. She could have any number of things wrong with her, such as an intestinal problem, diabetes, dementia, blindness and hearing loss, so it's important to rule out any health problems.

She's old..........that's why she can't climb stairs and her joints hurt......but that doesn't mean she's suffering and need to be euthanized. The potty accidents could just be dementia/confusion but it could easily be that she just needs to go out more often during the day. My middle aged dog has to go every 3-4 hours so expecting a 13 yr old golden to go 7 hrs without relief is asking too much. Also, light exercise is ok, but a 30 min walk is apparently too much for her since she starts limping. Just remember, you're dealing with the equivalent of a 96 yr old person. :)

Do you have any rooms with tile or linoleum? If you can't get anyone to give her potty breaks more often I would suggest you limit her to one room while you're gone and place several pee pads on the floor and try to train her to use them. Start by placing some of her urine or a little poop on the pads. Keep her bedding and food on the opposite side of the room away from the potty area. Also, make sure the pads aren't slippery on the bottom since her balance isn't very good. Other option: place a couple of washable, rubber backed rugs on the floor instead of the pee pads.

It sounds like this dog needs a new home, you may love your dog but is this fair? She has lost two pack members, you are not there, she maybe getting out a couple of minutes to hours each days, it isn't enough for a pack animal... Her leg issue needs to be checked out by a vet, she could have spinal stenosis, arthritis or another issue, which is why she isn't climbing the stairs. I think your dog is suffering from depression and it is making her physical symptoms worse

Amen to all the above. 13 is very old and stairs are risky. How about doggie daycare for the days you are gone along time? She could at least be around people and hear other dogs which could improve her mood. I think the centers are aware of their elderly patients limitations and try to accommodate. Depression does make pain feel more intense and chronic pain can cause depression. There are some supplements that help with pain and stiffness.

You really need to schedule a senior wellness visit ASAP.

Suggestions if you confine her to 1 room while you are gone - I did this for my 22 yr old kitty her last year. Ths should not be interpreted as punishment by either you or your sweet doggie. Create a nice space for her to sleep, there are heated beds or pads that help their arthritis . These aren't heating pads per se that are unsafe to leave on for any length of time - you can hardly feel the heat when its on - butare designed to leave on 24/7. My old girl loved hers and like a granny in a rocking chair spent most of her time there even when I was home and she was free to move around. Neighbor could still come in to let her out, give attention.

Re "when its time," it helps if and when you can get an actual diagnosis of something, and a vet who is willing to tell you based on that diagnosis what exactly your pet is experiencing, what pain levels, what to expect as she deteriorates and what signposts to look for to tell you that you might want to think about euthanasia, or is this a condition such that you might expect a peaceful passing (some are, some aren't). This may or may not be your regular vet - not uncommon for people to find another vet for chronic or end of life issues. You'lll want a vet that understands that he/she is caring for YOU the human as well as the animal patient!

Wonderful, helpful comments and suggestions. I just wanted to add that the rubber backed rugs would be a much better solution on a tile floor. My old Labs have a terrible time if they are on slick tile or hardwood and I agree she might feel like it is a punushment to be confined when this hasn't been her normal routine. Please ask whoever is letting her out to make sure she actually does potty when she goes out. Give a tiny piece of treat when she "goes." And I argee a vet visit is in order and the links to the Golden sites should be very helpful.

If she wants to go up those stairs and she doesn't, there is definitely something wrong with her. I think the vet needs to x-ray to check for severe arthritis.

Messing in the house could be because she is alone so much and she's acting out, but I don't think so. Most dogs live for attention and she is not getting enough.

My old girl was a big dog who lived to be 14, and she had accidents later in life. She was always pretty lousy about asking to go out, but when she got older and didn't have much energy, she stopped doing "the potty dance" and we'd sometimes not realize that she needed to go out.

We got to a point where we'd put newspapers on the floor near the back door and she'd use those (this was before the pads were readily available- probably would have gone with those if they were an option). She had been paper trained as a pup, and never forgot that, so I do think in her case it was more about just not having the energy to show her needs anymore.

it sounds like your dog is suffering from Spinal Stenosis, she can not feel when it is time to go, you might want to invest in some doggy diapers, as far as changing a dogs diet, I don't suggest it, leave the food down, ultimately she will get hungry enough and eat it. So many changes in a dogs diet can result in having an upset stomach