Most dog owners don’t need to think of dog diapers often, but there might come a time in your dog’s life when you have no choice but to turn to diapers. This will typically be with un-spayed females who are in heat.
Sadly, dog diapers don’t always come with the best instructions, and don’t make it clear if your dog can wear a diaper all night and sleep in with it on. Here’s what you need to know.
Can a dog wear a diaper overnight? Yes, a dog can wear a diaper overnight for sleep, but only when necessary. Some specific situations make it okay for a dog to sleep with a diaper. But what’s most important is ensuring your pet doesn’t wear the same diaper all night.
As you’ll soon read, if a dog sleeps in a diaper all night, it could lead to various health issues.
Find out more about what can happen when you fail to change your dog’s diaper at night. I’ll also highlight a few essential factors you should consider before letting your pet sleep in one.
The truth about dogs sleeping in diapers overnight
Our canine companions deserve a comfortable life and peace of mind.
We are often willing to go out of our way to ensure they get this comfort and peace of mind, depending on the situation they’re dealing with. Sometimes, getting your dog in heat some diapers may be the one thing you need to do to express how much you care for them.
Dog diapers for sure come in handy when you use them for the right reasons. So, when you let your dog have a diaper on at night, make sure you have a valid reason for doing so.
When I say right reasons, I’m referring to the following circumstances:
1. Your dog is in heat
As you may probably know, female dogs go into heat roughly twice every year. During their heat period, they bleed through their vagina and release lots of bloody discharges.
They’re also prone to potty accidents when on heat since they tend to urinate more. If your female furry friend doesn’t have a diaper on, they will (unintentionally, of course) mess up your home with blood stains or pee puddles.
Usually, a doggo in heat will clean herself by licking the blood and discharge (It’s perfectly okay for them to do this, breathe out).
But that’s not enough to prevent the blood from finding its way on your couch or carpet.
It can be worse at night. Even the cleanest dog alive won’t wake up in the middle of the night to lick her blood away.
Without a diaper, your canine friend’s sleeping spot will be in an awful state. That means their comfort at night is gone, and you’ll have more work cleaning the mess each morning.
2. Your dog is struggling with urinary incontinence
Some dogs have an issue controlling their bladder, so they might leak urine without knowing.
This incontinence mostly happens when a pooch is relaxing or napping, even at night. If there are signs to suggest your dog suffers from this condition, and you take them for further evaluation, your vet is likely to recommend a dog sleeping in diapers at night.
3. Sickness or injury
When your dog is sick or recovering from an injury, they may have difficulty alerting you when they need to relieve themselves at night.
In this case, a diaper can make everything easier as they recuperate.
4. Senior dogs problems
Some dogs can’t control their bladder when they age. Aging may also make them forget their potty training, leading to potty accidents when they sleep.
Wearing a diaper can allow your elderly dog to enjoy their night and not lose sleep simply because they’ve peed on their beddings.
If your furry friend’s situation falls under any of these four unavoidable circumstances, it’s totally acceptable for them to have a quality and well-fitting doggy diaper on at night.
You’ll help them keep their sleeping area clean and sleep comfortably. Plus, the last thing you’d want is your dog having anxious thoughts because their favorite napping spot smells filthy.
What’s wrong, though, is letting your furry friend wear a diaper at night instead of potty training. Or so they can “sleep fashionably”.
You should never neglect potty training with the goal of using doggy diapers at night as a substitute.
And our four-legged companions naturally dislike diapers. So, if you make your dog put on one when they don’t really need to in the first place, you’ll be going against their wish. Think about it.
Why you should change your dog’s diaper at night
Even when your canine friend needs to have a diaper on at night, you must ensure they don’t sleep with the same one all through. You should change them frequently at night — ideally, after at least three to four hours.
If that means setting the alarm at intervals, please do. Your sacrifice will matter a lot to your dog’s comfort and health.
Letting your furry friend sleep with a blood-soiled or wet diaper the whole night will only make them super uncomfortable when sleeping. We also can’t ignore the health risks your dog will be exposed to, including:
Diaper skin rush
When your furry has the same diaper on from the time they get to bed till morning, they’ll get rashes on their genital area, inner hindquarters, or around their lower belly.
Reason being, the blood or urine from their vagina will leak and touch the skin in these areas.
Also, the wet diaper may rub itself repeatedly on your dog’s skin (when tossing because of the discomfort), worsening the rush.
Irritation
Most rashes have an itchy sensation. You can imagine how miserable your dog will be at night. They’ll be up trying to relieve an itch when they should be sound asleep. Poor soul!
Urine scalding
Also known as a urine burn, scalding is a severe and painful form of skin rash. When you don’t change your furry friend’s diaper overnight, and they end up peeing on it a couple of times at night, the urine will get into contact with the skin around the diaper area.
If this happens every other night, your pooch is in big trouble.
Ammonia in urine is the enemy. It’s a ruthless skin irritant that can leave your furry friend with painful burns and lesions.
Bacterial infections
When your canine friend stays with their diaper on at night for too long, their genital area becomes too moist. And that’s the environment that bacteria love — warm and moist. Your dog risks getting horrible bacterial infections like Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).
Something else.
Your dog’s diaper at night should be the correct size. If it’s too tight, blood or urine waste will rub against the skin a bit too much, causing more irritation.
And each time you change your canine friend at night, remember these two things. One, use disposable and unscented wipes to wipe every area covered with the diaper (don’t forget the hindquarters).
And two, have gloves on when changing your doggo, so you don’t catch any diaper waste with bare hands. You can get an infection from that. As always, clean your hands afterwards.
Related questions
Should dogs sleep with diapers on?
No, dogs don’t need to wear diapers when sleeping. They should only do so when in heat or for medical reasons.
How long can you leave a dog diaper on?
Not for too long. It’s best to change the diaper after every 3-4 hours.
Can a dog in heat wear a diaper overnight?
Yes, a dog in heat can sleep with a diaper at night. However, you must change it frequently to avoid urine burns and health issues.
Is putting diapers on dogs cruel?
No, it’s not cruel to put a diaper on a dog if you are doing it for the right reasons. For instance, when they’re having their period or if they have a medical problem.
Conclusion
To conclude, dogs can sleep in diapers overnight when necessary. However, you should always make sure they are changed regularly to avoid discomfort and harm to your dog.
You might also like…
- Can dogs get constipated when in heat?
- Why dog nipples get bigger during heat
- Can dogs get period cramps in heat
Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/dog-chihuahua-animal-pet-puppy-1033159/