Incontinent Dogs – Diaper Options
Living with incontinent dogs is NOT easy. I find myself surprised how frustrating, time-consuming, and icky having a totally incontinent dog (for months on end, with no resolution in sight) can be. I wish I could only focus on Lilly’s strength and recovery, but I cannot. Here is a recap of the diaper options we’ve tried, including links to specific products.
Keep in mind that when Lilly is asleep at night or in her crate during the day if / when we are gone, she does NOT wear a diaper. Instead, we use old bath mats and washable pee pads (like what they use in nursing homes) underneath her. Otherwise, we risk her EATING parts of the diapers … which has happened even when we are home.
Washable Dog Diapers for Incontinent Dogs
Many thanks to our friend Hilda for buying Lilly 2 denim, washable dog diapers. The denim ones we used aren’t available anymore, but you can find similar ones.
Pro: These seem to work BEST for us.
Pro: They fit really well, with no leaks for both kinds of accidents.
Con: They are kind of pricey ($22-$35 for 2 pair).
Con: They stretch out and get looser after washing, so it would be nicer if the velcro options were bigger.
Con: The built-in in diaper element would probably be OK for leaky dog, but not for a truly incontinent dog … So, we add 1/2 of a women’s incontinence pad to them.
Disposable Dog Diapers for Incontinent Dogs
If disposable dog diapers make more sense for your dog or your situation, you can find options for both female and male dogs.
Small, Maximum Absorbency Adult Diapers for Women
Pro: They can absorb even the biggest wet accident.
Pro: The waist band works well when cinched with a binder clip.
Con: They are expensive. $14-$20 for 18 of them at the grocery store. $42 for 38 of them at Costco.
Con: The big leg holes often let leaks out, when the dog lies down.
Con: Poop often falls out the leg holes.
Homemade / DIY Dog Diapers Using Boy’s Underwear and Women’s Incontinence Pads
Pro: They fit pretty well when cinched, also with a binder clip.
Pro: Much less expensive than official dog diapers. I spent about $5 on 3 pair of boy’s underwear, and I can get 40 of the store-brand pads at Wal-Mart for about $9.
Bonus Pro: The pads are HUGE, so we cut them in half and get twice the number of accident protection moments out of one package.
Con: They seem to rub Lilly’s bony but a fair bit, and she has developed a little sore / diaper rash.
Con: Putting the underwear on backwards and using the fly hole works OK as a tail hole, but it’s hard to get them on/off and to keep her tail somewhat straight.
This was before we realized we could use 1/2 a pad per diaper wearing.
If you’d rather NOT use human incontinence pads for your dog because let’s face it they are pretty embarrassing to purchase in person, you can buy some specifically made for other washable dog diapers.
