Can Fiber Help a Senior Lab With Bowel Accidents From Nerve Damage?
by Claire
Since his workup confirmed nerve damage, the goal is managing the accidents rather than curing them. There's no medicine that specifically treats this kind of bowel incontinence, but diet and routine can make a real difference.
Advice on fiber is mixed, because it works in two ways. A highly digestible, low-fiber diet produces less stool, which can mean fewer and smaller accidents. If his stools become soft or harder to control, adding fiber can firm them up and make them easier to clean up. We couldn't find studies testing fiber in dogs with nerve-related bowel incontinence, so make one change at a time with your vet's input and give each change time to show an effect.
Timing helps too. Take him out right after meals and before bed, when he's most likely to go. Put washable pads where he rests, keep his back end clean and dry, and avoid diapers where you can, as they can cause skin and urinary infections. Watch for urine leaking or signs of a bladder infection, which can come with the same nerve damage.
See incontinence in older dogs.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
