Long shot, but anyone know what's wrong with my dog?
>11
>rescued him about 10 months ago
>he had untreated arthritis, ticks/patchy fur, uncut nails
>Now:
>When lying on the floor, he will suddenly jump up and look back at where he was, like something bit him. I give him flea meds monthly.
>He has recently been chewing on my wall. This wouldn't seem that strange a behavioral thing for a young dog or one that has undergone a life change recently, but he is neither of those. Just wondering if it's related
>He sometimes won't stop panting, no matter how cool i keep my apt or how much water he has available to him
>took him to the emergency room the other day when he was having a panting fit, they did some blood work and said maybe a UTI but nothing concrete.
He's getting along in age, and I'm certainly far from independently wealthy, but it's not like I'm looking for an excuse to put him down. I just want him to be comfortable
>>2165075
I know you posted this on the dogs thread previously, you also mentioned you’ve not got him on anything for his arthritis. Putting the behaviour/strange getting up behaviour to one side- he’s an old boy, you could really do with going to go see a vet about putting him on some pain medication for the arthritis.
You also mentioned cross-thread he was having problems after walks- being stiff/not walking as far/not being able to climb stairs is not a sign of old age- it is a sign of acute pain. He is that uncomfortable that he cannot climb the stairs properly: it’s time to seek some veterinary assistance to make sure he can live his last few years comfortably.
Pain could explain the chewing, it could also explain the floor lying- but it could also be a wide number of other things. I’d strongly suggest booking a vets visit to discuss his arthritis, and bringing it up in discussion then- if it is his anal glands the vet should be able to express them easily for you there, if it’s something else- then he can start some diagnostics so you can figure out what’s wrong with the pupper. If it’s absolutely nothing then you can sigh a breath of relief, and hopefully he’ll be quite a bit happier on some medication for his arthritis.
He looks like a happy chappy, and certainly looks like he’s landed on his feet with you.
>>2165543
How did the appointment go anon?
>>2165705
It's in a little while yet
>>2165705
God fucking damn it.
>arthritis
They just recommended supplements for now. They left pain meds, laser surgery, etc on the table, but we'll see how the support do 1st.
>anal glands
One was empty, one is enlarged. They're taking a sample and are worried it's a tumor. $250 later, there's still no cause in sight for why he's jumping up from rest all the time.
I can't afford much more of this. Damn my piece of shit mother for putting this on me. It's going to feel real shitty if I have to put him down over only a few hundred dollars
>>2165829
It's gonna be okay. Look up Care Credit.
>>2165829
You did the right thing to take him in, and hopefully the lab will come back with an answer for you on the anal gland front. If it's a tumour, it could well be benign in which case the vet might suggest surgical removal.
As the other anon said, look into care credit as a worse case scenario.
>>2165543
I think he is a shepherd mix, maybe some lab in him. When he was young he probably had those eyebrows and dots on his face, but most of his white looks like greying from age. He looks like a really good dog, you're lucky to have found him.
I think it's possible the leaping from rest is from pain, either his arthritis or maybe this possible anal gland tumour. It might just be infected, too, and not a tumour at all, which can be cleared up.
If it does turn out to be cancer hopefully you've caught it early enough that it can be completely removed surgically. If I was treating him I don't know if I'd recommend you pursue chemotherapy because he's an older dog, anal gland tumours can be highly malignant, and there's not guarantee that chemotherapy will be able to get rid of his cancer--but it will sure make him feel sick, and he won't know why. But whatever happens, it looks like he's had a really good 10 months with you. If this is the end of his road, it's a happy end, and you did what you could for him. Thank you for adopting an older dog and making the last part of his life worthwhile.
>>2165867
