Diapers are an indispensable product that is mainly used by babies and old people. However, did you know that pets, especially dogs might be in need of a diaper at some period of their lives as well? Yup, that’s right. And, no matter how strange this may sound, your dog as well might need to wear diapers at some period of its life.
What Are Dog Diapers?
Dog diapers or also known as dog sanitary pants are specially designed for dogs. They look a lot like any regular diaper only with holes for their tail. Additionally, these diapers are also available as disposable diapers and as reusable diapers made of cloth. The latter is better for the environment but they are also pricier, which makes disposable diapers the most common choice. They are also easier to use since you won’t have to clean, wash and deal with dog urine and poo.
Reasons to Use Diapers for Dogs
Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence or also known as the loss of bladder control is a medical condition caused by urinary tract infection, bladder problems, diabetes or a weakened sphincter muscle. Wearing comfy dog sanitary pants will reduce the chances of accidents which is the one and only goal for their use. Additionally, just like human diapers, these also leave the dog dry to the touch, so your furry friend will stay relatively clean. But aside from stocking on diapers for dogs, the second thing you should do is take your dog to the veterinarian for finding the cause of the problem. If it’s a physical problem, surgery and medications can certainly help, however, if it’s not, your dog might wear diapers on a daily basis.
Incontinence in Old Age
Unfortunately, many old dogs during their final years can start to become incontinent. In some dogs, this problem could be occasional and could happen once or twice a week, but in some, this could happen on a daily basis and it can become a real nightmare. So in order to spare yourself the trouble of cleaning dog wee from everywhere, it would be a lot easier if you change dog’s diapers.
Injury
For those times when your dog has had any kind of injury that has resulted in having injured legs, you should certainly put a diaper on it since your dog won’t be able to stand on its legs. Even if it’s for a day or so, still you should spare yourself the trouble of having to deal with wee, especially at night.
Female Dogs in Heat
For those of you who have a female dog that’s not desexed (castrated), things could get a bit messy in times of heat. During that time, blood leaking is quite common, so instead of dealing with blood stains everywhere that are pretty hard to wash, you should start using disposable diapers for this purpose.
Tips for Choosing the Right Diapers for Dog
When in the search for the right diapers for dogs, first you should take into account their size and weight. Just like human diapers, dog diapers also range in size, so in order to choose the right one you should measure your dog's waist and based on this, you can make the right choice. Additionally, you should take into account the diapers’ absorbency levels, and depending on your dog’s problem you can make the right choice. However, if you want to stay sure that your dog won’t make a mess even if a diaper is on, you should choose a high-absorbency diaper.
Tips for Using Dog Diapers
Getting the most out of your dog's diapers is possible only if you follow some basic rules. Just like babies, dogs don’t want to sit in a full and wet diaper even for a second, so it would be better if you change their diaper regularly. Aside from not being comfortable, your dog may develop diaper rash which would be just another problem you should deal with.
Since you should give your dog a bath that often, you should use baby wipes to clean your dog when you change the diaper. By doing that, your dog won’t stink and you’ll be able to play with it and walk it as usual.
In case your dog has a docked tail you can use tape and close the tail hole in the diaper before putting it on. This will prevent any future leakages which is great. And lastly, when changing your dog’s diapers always wear gloves. This is paramount in order to prevent touching urine and feces which unfortunately can lead to infection. Just like diapers, you should use disposable gloves and take them off upside down in order to prevent contamination. Ideally, you should shop for dog diapers from a store that specialises in dog products and gear, so you can be sure that the chosen products are safe to use.
