Why is my senior dog peeing inside, limping, and won't come in?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | American Eskimo Dog | Male | neutered | 11 years old
Hello .. I have a 11 year old American Eskimo and just within the last 4 days he has begun to pee in the house again. Also once we get him outside he will not come back in unless we put him on a leash and make him come inside. He also shows signs of his back left leg hurting but when we check it out, touch it and put pressure on it, he doesn't show any signs of it hurting at all. We are at a loss can you suggest anything?
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on November 6th, 2016
Poor Buccs! It sounds like he has a couple of things going on. Urinating within the house can be a sign of a medical problem, such as bladder stones or a UTI. He is also an older dog, and his back leg could be hurting him due to arthritis, which is common in old dogs. As for not wanting to come back in, he could be suffering some confusion at his age, or there could have been something that frightened him, and he doesn't want to come back in due to that. All of this requires a trip to the vet. The vet can do routine blood tests, a urinalysis, and possibly x-rays to see if he does have a UTI or bladder stones, and can treat accordingly. If he does have arthritis, the vet can prescribe him some pain medication, and I would recommend giving him glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate supplements. They provide the necessary nutrients for cartilage repair and function. Use of them helps relieve some of the symptoms of arthritis. The vet can also discuss strategies to help bring him back inside without a leash. I would take him into a vet today for a visit.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on April 2nd, 2017
I'm sorry to hear that Riley is having this problem! There are a number of reasons that his back legs might not be working - he may have severe arthritis, a neurologic disease like degenerative myelopathy, or a herniated or "slipped" disc in his spine. Some of these problems are treatable, while others unfortunately are not. I would recommend taking him to the vet for an exam right away - he/she can do x-rays or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem. Depending on what is found, they can also talk with you about treatment options or whether putting him to sleep may be the most humane choice.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on August 31st, 2020
Poor RJ! It sounds like he may have a urinary problem of some kind. We can sometimes see symptoms like with with a urinary tract infection, bladder or kidney stones, or something similar. We can also see increased urination with certain systemic illnesses such as diabetes, Cushing's disease, or chronic liver or kidney disease. Since some of these issues can be serious and he sounds quite uncomfortable, I would ideally recommend taking him to an emergency clinic tonight to be seen. If that isn't possible, then I would have him seen by your regular veterinarian first thing tomorrow morning. Your vet can do a urinalysis as well as blood work, x-rays or ultrasound of his bladder, or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what kind of treatment is needed.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on December 30th, 2016
I'm not sure how long this has been occurring, but clearly not urinating for more than 24 hours duration is a pretty serious issue, and warrants follow-up. If he is trying to urinate but nothing is coming out, then I would be concerned that he might have stones or even a tumor that is blocking his urethra and make it difficult or impossible for him to urinate. If he's just plain not going - not squatting or lifting his leg, and doesn't seem interested in peeing, then I'd wonder whether maybe he's going somewhere in the house, and you're not aware of it. Either situation warrants immediate follow-up, especially given his history.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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