Old staffy health issues

I wrote here a month or so ago about my staffy who just turned 12 and how his back legs went on a walk and he seems a bit incontinent. Well this morning I woke up and it smelled very bad. I opened the door and to my horror there was 8 large puddles of poo all over the hall carpet and the bathroom. The smell was unlike any I had smelt before but the dog was fine though he was laying in it so got covered in it on one side. He went to the garden and was pottering about like usual though stumbling as per usual due to his legs. I have caught him going in after the cat to eat out of the litter tray and I think he has been doing this. He also has a habit of sometimes eating his own poo and he vomits poo everywhere which this is what it seems like he's done today. Other dogs are concerned about keeping their sleeping areas clean he gets poo smears on the wall and skirting board next to his bed and sleeps near the poo if we've been asleep or out when he's done it. i'm at my wit's end with this on top of all his other health issues. I am considering going to have him PTS because the constant cleaning and ruining of carpets. I feel terrible but I don't think he has a great quality of life. Everytime he moves we panic thinking he's about to poo and run to let him outside. I'm about to start studying my level 3 in a few weeks and I'm already so stressed about many other things going on and the house which is rented is slowly being ruined. I don't think I want to wait and see the situation get worse as it's already a nightmare.

What a horrible state for him to get into I think I said before that you will know when it's time & I believe you feel it is now! Is your partner still fighting you on the subject? He must see that he has no quality of life now You must make the right choice for you boy,

I would sadly agree. It can't be nice for the poor boy now. Have you spoken to the vet about his incontinence?

What a difficult situation but I agree with you and with the others.
Even if he is sort of surviving every day, your increased levels of stress will be felt in the household and everyone (human and all other animals) will feel it too.

It’s the hardest decision to make but I get the impression that when you posted, it was also a way of convincing yourself that this is probably the right decision at the right time.

We’re all here for you if we can help in any way at all

I spoke to the vet previously and they said he has a touch of dementia and a degenerative spine disease which could worsen rapidly or drag on for a few more years. They said this would be why he's got less control with his bowels. It's becoming trying keeping up with it and all our family is abroad who we can't see because no dog sitter will take him because of his toilet habits and the dog boarding is so expensive. So we're feeling a little trapped by it all but at the same time we don't want to do it out of convenience but he's not a healthy dog. It just seems weird to take away time that he could have and maybe enjoy in his own strange way but we're definetly not enjoying the cleaning and the smell. My partner has grandparents that are older and I don't like the idea that we are missing out on so much time with them. We booked an end of life consultation a while ago and the day before he developed a new lease of life running around so we couldn't go through with it. We're scared to make the wrong decision for him but his faculties are failing and he's becoming quite anxious.

I think if I were in your position I would have to give him peace. Although he seems happy enough, if he has dementia he may not realise what's happening & that in itself is sad, especially if he's always been a clean dog.

You don't, obviously, want to rush things, but I think a serious talk with your partner may help to plan the way forward.