Yep, she deserves a trip to a vet. There are meds that often help with the incontinence and it sounds like she needs pain meds for arthritis.

When a dog eliminates where it shouldn't it could be due to a urinary infection, bladder stones/crystals or other factors.

My dog is on daily pain meds for arthritis and it has made a huge difference in how he feels and moves around.

Agree about the vet visit. Also, our dog is also 15 and is on Arthritis medications. He gets a Cartophen shot weekly and is on a vet prescribed fish med daily. It does make a huge difference. Metacam added to our guy's food was an option but the Cartrophen shots have fewer side effects - although adding it to his food would be a lot easier and he is extremely food motivated. When there is food to be had he appears maybe 10.

Of course you will want to ensure that your pup does have arthritis - no doubt she does at her age. However, you want to rule out calcification of her discs (we have had Dachshunds so I know all about this). Our current dog is not a Dachshund.

Our dog has had a few dentals - shape of face and while his teeth are very strong he is inclined to develop tartar easily - and forget every type of tooth brushing, additive etc. out there - not having any of it. It is important that the vet check your pup's mouth to determine if she has gum disease or tooth decay etc.

Re the incontinence, it happens but so far it has not happened to us, but we do take him out frequently, just in case. However as posted there are meds that the vet can prescribe to help with this and I think (but am not sure) that it is easier for the meds to work on females - but I hope to be wrong. There are doggie diapers and I have seen a lot of them. But the problem with them is that they can cause bladder infections - and of course our dog would consider them food. This was a major problem when he was a pup and we tried pee pads just in case at the beginning.

I understand how hard it is when a pup gets older. I guess when you are at the vet you should ask for an honest opinion - but try the meds and have her teeth checked first. The fact that your pup is still excited to see you surely helps and I would mention this to the vet. The day that our dog is not interested in food will be the day that we have to do something.

Of course our dog is also deaf - hand signals taught as a puppy have really come in handy and he is also hypothyroid - pills for the hypothyroidism too. Then there are the visits to the eye specialist. The vet tech at the eye specialist's office thought that someone had made a mistake re his age (making him considerably older than he is) - because she had cookies in her pocket which made him act much younger. Everyone at our regular vet clinic knows how he responds to food.

You what what’s crazy is when I took her a few months back to get a teeth cleaning they said lets just focus on her legs. They gave me some pain meds that were only for 7 days then some glucose chewy which she loved and now will not touch. Her back legs cave in she is almost like a cripple. I notice one leg shakes. I was thinking it was patella luxation but idk. The doc then said for me to take a urine sample which I couldn’t get. I’m waitibg on another vet to Check my baby out. I just want her back to normal well almost normal

Yes, I think you need another vet. I’m glad you took her. Don’t give up.

Well, I posted a followup and now it's gone.

Anyway, I'm surprised you got pain meds for only 7 days. Could it have been prednisone....which is a steroid?

Like socks said, it's time to see another vet, so I hope you get in soon. There's no need to catch a urine sample since vets can draw one. He should have mentioned that's an option.

Hope you have better luck with the new vet.

I agree with socks and annztoo - time to see another vet - hopefully you will get in quickly.

The vet can catch a urine sample - note that it has to be the first of the day - without your pup drinking up a storm all night. I have had to get a few from our 25 lb. Fluffo and it was not easy. I threatened him with a cysto! Somehow I managed but if he were any shorter it would have been hard - and all of his fur did not help. I caught it in a clean Ziploc container and then immediately transferred it to one of the vet provided urine containers (other non-urine vet containers will leak).

I expect it would be extra hard to get the urine sample on your own with the size of your pup.

Re surgery, it is important to get the morning pee sample just in case there is a problem with kidney values. This was the issue with our dog - all the vets had to do was leave the IV in longer.

I hope that you get to the bottom of the health issues that your sweet pup is going through.