We have 2 old poodles who are healthy but are losing their housebreaking. They are now confined to the back porch & fenced yard. We hang a red heat light for them, but I worry that it's not enough. I'm looking at those heavy duty plastic kennel heating pads, and I wonder if anyone here has used them before, and what you thought of them. Also, a good source for them?

-- Shannon at Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary (gratacres@aol.com), December 26, 2001

Answers

My sister used a heating pad for animals for 10 years for her cat that never came inside. They lived in NJ. They got it for the winter months especially when the cat got old. She was 21 when they had to put her to sleep. They put the pad in her "bed" in the garage that they never closed. Worked wonderful. I do not know where they got it but think I have seen it in Foster and Smith's catalogue - they prob. have an internet site. I think the concept is excellent and we probably will do it for our cat. Annette

-- Annette Eadie (a.eadie@mailexcite.com), December 26, 2001.

Saw heatng pads at Petsmart a few weeks ago. They had elements that you could put nto beds you already had and 'beds' wth heatng elements. Beds were washable wth heatng elements removeable. They looked very good because they were made so that they would not overheat, whch s a problem wth heatng pads. (sorry, my keyboard has a key that does not work rght now-dd you notce yet?). That s a concern of mne because have an older dog that has sezures and s gettng a lttle stff. She sleeps ndoors now but my house s not so warm at nght. Petsmart s on lne, you mght check t our f there s not one near you. betty

-- betty modin (betty_m9@yahoo.com), December 27, 2001.

We recently bought one for our dog. He sleeps in a hall that has a bit of heat, but not enough IMHO. We found one at Fleet Farm at about $50.00. Fleet Farm is also Fleet and Farm in some states. The one at Petsmart was almost $30.00 more. Goldie loves his bed! He rarely moves in the night!

-- Ardie /WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), December 27, 2001.

Shannon, we have used the black hard plastic encased one from KV Vet Supply for over five years now, we have it inside our pit bulls dog house under her blankets, the chew proof cord run out a small hole in the side of her dog box. Heats very well, almost too warm at times, they sell a rheostate with them separately to regulate the heat, might suggest you get one additional if you purchase that one.

It was around 55 dollars from K V Vet Supply five years ago, last I looked, they hadn't went up any yet. No shipping charges, or tax, on things from K V Vet Supply either, non FOB items anyway!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), December 27, 2001.

Shannon, I've been using heating pads for 5 yrs now. My previuos pooch had arthritis and it helped her. Now I use one for the pound pup I have that stays outside while I'm at work. Both the previous pad and this one are just heating pads from Walgreen's. About $13. I also had one in a dog bed I got from Foster's and Smith, but it like these better. I got the kind that have 3 settings and a washable cover. Good luck in your search! Hope to poochies stay warm!

-- Michelle in NM (naychurs_way@hotmail.com), December 27, 2001.

Shannon, my concern would be why those two old poodles are "losing their housebreaking". You say they are healthy but - has your vet checked them for bladder stones?

Poodles are "infamous" for their development, I can tell you that from experience. We thought we'd have to put our first poodle, Babette (14) down, that she had just reached that stage.

Turns out she had bladder stones, the rough pebbly kind, and as soon as they were removed she went right back to her Frenchy toilette as pretty as you please.

Had 8 poodles since, 5 have suffered. Vet will provide proper food to help prevent or slow development.

Please don't give up on them and consign them to "peasant hovel" after they've been in the palace, just cause of a possible health problem.

Good Luck, let us know how it turns out.

-- HarleyinFL (cruisindog@juno.com), December 27, 2001.

Shannon, Harley's answer got me thinking, are the two older dogs spayed females? In older spayed female dogs ( and cats too) the dropping hormone levels trigger bladder leakage and control problems, which is easily and cheaply fixed with DES pills giving on a twice weekly basis. Ask you vet what he thinks about this, we have had to give the DES pills to both our older female house cat and a geriatric Shepard in the past, with immediate and successful results in both cases.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), December 27, 2001.

Shannon, Last year when we were planning to go away, the problem of what to do with my 16 year old Bichon came up. My friend said she didn't mind cleaning up after her but she was really getting messy there. What I did (thanks to suggestions)was put her in the barn with wood shavings and one of those hunter's pillows that they sit on for heat and a sweater at night. It worked so well, better then expected as a matter of fact since she was able to stand in the barn where she just slid around in her own mess on the kitchen floor. And the shavings absorbed the mess so well that my friend thought she wasn't pooping. The pillow is now in the cat's house and I find that he has been happily using it.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), December 27, 2001.

Shannon - I agree with the others, if you haven't already, please get them checked by the vet. At age 12, our golden retriever/Irish setter/? mix started losing bladder control esp at night. The vet determined that she had lost 75% of her kidney function. She takes PPL (the decongestant that was taken off the market a couple years ago, it helps to tighten their bladders) and is on a low protein diet. The kidneys & liver have to work harder to digest protein. She turned 14 in Nov and we haven't had any problems with "accidents" since we put her on medication and changed her diet. Good luck with your babies!

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), December 30, 2001.