dog dropping poop randomly

Question
My Question is about my 9 year old border collie cross.  She seems to have lost control of her bowels.  She dropps little poop balls very randomly.  Sometimes when she wags her tail,  or just laying down or walking, poop just falls out of her.  Its not stuck to her fur, just falls out!  She is just as upset about this as I am,  and is very confused and upset when it happens, poor girl.  I am taking her to the vet when I can afford it,  but just wanted to know if this is common in older dogs.
Thank Your

Answer
Hi Lorie,

Anytime a reliably house trained dog starts having accidents, a vet exam should be preformed to rule out a medical cause for the problem.

I'm sure your dog is upset by this as you've said. She knows it's wrong to "go" in the house, and doesn't want to disappoint you. You should not punish your dog in any way for this. It's not something she can control.

There are many possible causes of bowel incontinence. Your vet will need to test for such things as neurological or musculoskeletal problems, disc disease, spinal tumors, other forms of cancer, etc., in order to advise the proper treatment and give a prognosis.

Older dogs, like older people, sometimes have an incontinence problem. For dogs, as for older people, incontinence can be a very manageable condition -- with the proper diagnosis of the cause, the right medication, if indicated.

If bowel incontinence is only occasional, particularly if it's the kind that "slips out" accidentally when your dog is asleep, you may simply need to manage the problem with a layer of newspaper, or house training pads in your dog's sleeping area. This is assuming that your vet has ruled out a condition that requires other treatment.

There are also "doggie diapers" to help incontinent dogs. You can see these products here:

http://www.petdiapers.com/

http://handicappedpets.biz/www/pet-products/keep-pets-dry/13-pet-incontinence/83...

Also, ask your vet about a "low residue" diet, which can  help keep your dog's movements firmer, less smelly and be easier to clean up.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,
Patti