keeping doggie diapers on

[Mr & Mrs Kirkley]

Has anyone else had issues with their GSD's taking doggie diapers off or for owners of multiple dogs, other dogs taking the diaper off the GSD wearing it? How did you make sure the diaper stayed on?

[KatsMuse]

I've never used doggie diapers...are you using them for a heat cycle or incontinence?
IMO, I would think the other dog would probably take them off, if not the dog wearing it.
IDK.

Kat

[Theo241]

So far the only thing that has worked for me is constant supervision. Luckily my female doesn't mind wearing her diaper, but the others will try to take it off. I have gotten after my male for trying to take it off, and that seemed to have help a bit. When shes in heat, she doesn't leave my site, so it's fairly easy for me to monitor everyone.

[Mr & Mrs Kirkley]

WARNING: For those with a weak stomach, this post contains gross details.

I'm using them for her heat cycle. Both of my male dogs are neutered. After reading there's a 15% chance of incontinence after spaying, we decided to deal with heat twice a year instead of taking the chance of a leaky bladder every day. We got a different diaper that fits better from our local pet store, but now she's pushing it aside and ripping the bloody pad apart. Also, when she lays on her side the blood leaks out. This whole thing is turning out to be a lot more complicated than we thought it would be. Xena is now spending most of her time in the backyard with one of us or inside in her crate. There has to be something that works. HELP!! lol

[msvette2u]

There's a lot bigger chance of her getting a pyo (infection of the uterus) than getting incontinent. Also bigger chance of mammary tumors (cancer).
Combined with the issues you're having now with the bleeding, if I were you I'd opt for a spay

[Theo241]

How often are you changing the pads? I would change them after every pee break if she's bleeding really heavy. As for going after the pads, all I can recommend is give her praise when she's not going after them, and change them often enough that she won't want to. If you need to crate her, take the diaper off and give her a chance to clean herself, that's what I do and it seems to keep my girl happy. I agree with msvette2u, the risk of getting incontinent is way lower than the risk of pyo, and pyo is almost always deadly.

[Mr & Mrs Kirkley]

Another reason we decided not to spay...daily incontinence and carpet don't mix. If she becomes incontinent, trying to keep a diaper on her all the time would be much worse than a couple of weeks twice a year. Do they make plastic pants for dogs similar to those used on babies over cloth diapers? I can keep her away from my other dogs when in the house, but I need to keep her from being able to remove the diaper or chew up the pad.

[Mr & Mrs Kirkley]

Isn't pyo an infection dogs get from mating? Can I avoid this by either getting my neutered males tested to make sure they don't have it or keeping them from mating?

[Theo241]

I haven't seen plastic pants made for dogs, so I'm not sure on that one. If you could find a cloth diaper cover big enough for her and cut a tail hole in it, that might work.

Pyo is an infection they can get in the uterus when bacteria get's in there during/after a heat. It gets trapped when the cervix closes, so the uterus swells up with pus, and is very deadly, with little to no signs of infection until its too late. I would go and Google it to get familiar with it. It can and usually happens by itself, with no mating.

[Mr & Mrs Kirkley]

Originally Posted by Theo241

How often are you changing the pads? I would change them after every pee break if she's bleeding really heavy.

I've been changing them every time. She rips them apart, then licks herself. Poor thing I know she's just trying to clean herself. What we really need to do is get rid of our carpet and have laminate or vinyl flooring installed. Hopefully we will have a big enough tax refund next year to do it. Then we can get one of those robot vacuums and watch the dogs follow it around and bark at it.