Caring for a senior dog (dementia, blindness, diapers)
This is something to decide with your vet. At home, keep furniture where it is, lay non-slip mats, block the stairs, use night lights and keep a steady routine.
This needs your vet’s judgement. This page only shares other owners’ experiences and public information. It is not medical advice.
A real example
A 15-year-old dog with dementia barked at the wall in the middle of the night and could no longer go on long walks like before. His vet put him on special food and medication. His owner usually settled him first on a dog bed on the couch, sat with him until he fell asleep, then slept downstairs on a mattress with him, because if the dog woke and found him gone, he started barking again and got scared.
What others said
「This month I took my 14-year-old dog, who has several health problems, for the usual monthly grooming.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026「My 19-year-old dog's back legs are weak and they keep falling, so I removed the sofa steps, and watching them look at the sofa hurts.」
Shared online (reworded) forum, Asia-Pacific, Oct 2026「After my 13-year-old dog went blind and kept bumping into walls, I fixed the furniture in place and laid non-slip and bumper mats.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026「I care for two old dogs: one barks at night and wears diapers, the other sleeps all day, and I keep checking they're breathing.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026「My old dog has weak legs, is blind and incontinent, and I'm often woken at night, not knowing how long this will go on.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026「My 16-year-old dog started peeing all over the house, so they're finally in diapers, and I'm comparing different kinds.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026Show 8 more
「My 19-year-old dog still loves walks but tires easily, so now I take them out in a stroller.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026「My old dog has gone blind, and I worry they'll bump into things, but I've decided to focus on what they can still do.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026「I do the hard work of bathing my old dog and giving medicine, yet they've grown closer to my husband, which hurts a little.」
Shared online (reworded) Asia-Pacific, Oct 2026「Caring for my 18-year-old dog has turned me from someone who stayed up late into an early riser.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026「My old dog has started showing signs of dementia.」
Shared online (reworded) Reddit, English-speaking, Oct 2026「My old dog has become incontinent, and I bought diapers, but they pulled them off.」
Shared online (reworded) English-speaking, Oct 2026「Life with a senior dog: I'm often cleaning poop off the dining room floor.」
Shared online (reworded) English-speaking, Oct 2026「Having an old dog is really hard.」
Shared online (reworded) Latin America, Oct 2026What people do in different places
Sources
Updated 25 Oct 2026. This page updates daily from owners’ posts.