Please help! My elderly dog is having problems...

Worried

My dog is suffering from some sort of severe decline in mental and physical health. I really need advice on this; I'm dirt-poor and cannot afford expensive veterinary care. I'm going to give a complete history of the dog for the sake of thoroughness and in case it would be of any help... Sorry if it's a bit rambly and long.

My family has owned a West Highland White Terrier mixed breed dog for 12 1/2 years. 20 pounds and very strong. We got her from the pound when she was about a year old. She'd been abused and hates most men (her previous owners?). She is very possesive; to the point where she cannot be given toys or bones of her own. She'll stare at them for hours and bite people if they try to take them away. She has bitten us occasionally, but they've been fairly mild bites. She hates going to the vet and becomes EXTREMELY high-strung and afraid in the vet's office. She also has dominance issues. My little sister was almost 8 at the time and the dog has always viewed her as being at the bottom of the pack totem pole. She'll take orders from the rest of us, but only if she thinks we're serious and even then she's sullen about it. It's not a lack of knowing the commands, she can do just about anything if she's given a treat. But she's never been motivated much by praise alone.

Through the years she's been a somewhat bratty, demanding dog. Generally affectionate, but very self-centered. The sort of dog the would save itself before anyone else. She loves attention, massages, and general petting. She loves the people in the immediate family, nobody else. She's very dependant on company and doesn't like being alone much. She used to be generally okay with other people, now she dislikes them. She's a twit; no common sense at all and she never learns from her mistakes, but it's gotten worse these last few years.

She is untrustworthy with other animals, including dogs. When she was young, she'd tolerate puppies and other dogs. In her old age, she'll get along with some and attack others with no provocation. She's gone after sweet puppies all the way up to German Shepherds.

Physically, she's been a very hardy dog up until a few years ago. For the first 9 or 10 years, her worst illness was Kennel Cough. Since then, she's had 2 UTIs, progressive dental decay (she can't be given bones and I can't afford dental work), slight clouding in the eyes, and general deterioration of health.

About a year ago, we found a couple of lumps on her. Fatty and firm, but not painful. They pretty much remained the same and a vet said that older dogs tend to get them. These last six months, though, she's developed more lumps. She doesn't get upset when they're touched, but her body seems saggier and slouchier than it used to. She has a difficult time jumping onto furniture now, whereas she used to be a good jumper. She has accidents on the carpet sometimes... when taken for walks, if she doesn't like a spot, she'll refuse to potty. Her hip bones jut out more and she's lost some of her muscle mass.

Mentally, she's changed a LOT this last year or two. She's foggier in the head, more absent-minded and with less impulse control. She'll stare at walls or at things that only she can see. She takes longer to respond to her name. She'll bark at nothing (she's always been a yapper, but before this she had things she was barking at). She's more irritable, more likely to growl when she's upset. More nervous and clingy. Sometimes she'll have a difficult time recognizing us. She'll be inside the car when we come walking up and she'll bark at us like she doesn't know who we are. After a few seconds, it'll dawn on her that we're family and she'll be affectionate. My best guess has been Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, but I'm not an expert on that. She had these cognitive symptoms even before her physical health got particularly bad.

Five days ago, she bit my older brother on the hand when he tried to get her off the futon. She bit him deeply, worse than she's ever bitten anyone before, and caused an infection in the tendon sheath within a few hours. He's been in the hospital for the last five days and has had minor surgery to fix this. He's going to have some bad scarring. Earlier that day, she bit my older sister hard enough to draw blood. This event has been a terrible strain on the family, particularly my mother. We were angry at the dog, and she was yelled at and shunned for a few hours.

Since my brother entered the hospital, the dog has been getting much worse, very rapidly. In the couple weeks before she bit him, she was having a hard time sleeping at night and would wander from room to room, anxious and restless. Now, she alternates between unresponsive and apathetic, to nervous and clingy and shaking. She'll hide under the bed and move from one spot to another, with her tail tucked between her legs. Yesterday, she tried to jump up onto the futon and slipped backwards (the futon is fairly low to the ground). Today, she's been apathetic, laying around and not really caring if she's petted or not. The most enthusiastic response I've received from her is her laying on her back for a belly rub (even that, though, was very apathetic). She's been a bit grumpy, and I'm hesitant to upset her given the physical damage she's capable of inflicting. She's had some cooked steak and her appetite seems normal. Yesterday, I felt over her body and found at LEAST double the number of lumps she had two weeks ago. Every 8 or 10 inches, I'm finding more of them. One lump she's had for a few months on her belly has gotten bigger. They're all over her body. I don't know what's going on with her.

Please, any comments, suggestions, speculations, or help of any kind would be dearly appreciated. We don't know what to do with her, what medical problems have occurred, or what options or treatments are available. She's roughly 14 years old, and we love her deeply and don't want her to suffer. Please, what do you think, and what would you do?

Thank you.

RonE

I'm afraid yours sounds like an impossible situation. You pretty much ruled out vet care in the first paragraph, yet only a vet can diagnose what's going on with your dog.

I don't mean to be unkind, but does it make more financial sense for family members to be hospitalized and undergo surgery than to take the dog to the vet?

It may be time to think about ending the dog's misery but, again, only a vet can advise you as to whether there is anything you can do short of that.

We are all dog-lovers here and anyone reading your post will likely be sympathetic and frustrated that we are helpless to provide other answers.

Annamarie

if you can't afford veterinary care you should have given the dog away a long time ago to someone who can. you should take your dog to the vet, if they problem is fixable the dog should be given to someone who can afford to take care of it. FYI denying a dog veterinary care is cause for the SPCA to come seize your dog. i'm not trying to be harsh but this is reality.

if the problem is not fixable I think it would be wise for you to have your dog put down. it's obvious the dog is in pain.

Worried

Okay... I think you guys misunderstood my post completely. I'm not denying her medical care; I've had the UTIs and other various things she's had taken care of by the vets. Those haven't been left to run their course. I'm just saying that I cannot afford treatments that would go into the $700 or 800+ range. I cannot afford chemotherapy, but I can scrape together for visits, medication, etc... I'm asking for advice and speculation. The reason she hasn't gone this week is because we've been taking care of my brother. He wasn't even able to come home until today. She's been to the vet for visits, and they've said that the lumps and her cognitive difficulties were normal for a dog her age. Her heart and lungs are good. She's had her shots and other annual things. Today, she's been much more normal. Wagging her tail and eager for a car ride. Still a bit slouchy, though.

Concerning costs... We aren't in as good a financial position as we were a few years ago. These last few years, most of my family has developed severe illnesses, connective tissue disorders, heart problems, or become disabled. I'm in college and still haven't been able to purchase all of my books. Before you jump on the criticism bandwagon... This dog has been loved more than any other dog I've met. Massages, steak, and car rides just for her have been the norm.

And when you find me someone who'll take a dog that bites men, children, puppies, her owners, etc... Let me know.

ACampbell

Worried,
At your dogs age, it's understandable that she's going through those kinds of stages. Only a vet can determine the exact cause and give you an idea of your options, but to me, it sounds like old age caught up with her. I'd take her in to have a general check up, depending on what the vet says, you can work from there. Just keep in mind to do things to keep a good quality of life for your pet, at age 14 things like chemotherapy, IMO, don't make much sense because most of the time they don't live to recover from it...14 isn't a bad age for a dog at all.
Just my two cents, but I'd get a general check up, and decide what to do from there.

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Annamarie

I understand being put in a bad financial position while owning pets. It's not easy. I wasn't trying to be mean but reality is that when I couldn't afford my pets when I was in the same position as you're in now, I found them new homes. One went to a rescue because it was a high maintenance case that would take time to rehome and another had to be put down because it would have been impossible to rehome. It was difficult but better than seeing the animals suffer or go hungry.

I'm not saying you should give your dog away or put it down, I'm saying that the vet needs to look at the dog.

salask

I'm sorry to hear about your doggy. Had you ever considered that your dog might be going blind & Deaf? At 14 that's not unusual and perhaps that is why she's becoming aggresive and bitting. As for the lumps, I'm going through the same situation with my 11 year old female. She has 1 noticible lump and the other 4 are not so visible. They believe they are bening tumors but I am not going through surgery to find out as it will take a huge toll on her. However, I agree with what everyone else is saying, take her in for a wellness check up so that at least you'll know what you're dealing with . I feel your pain, Good Luck!

Lorina

I agree with the others. A checkup and bloodwork panel may set you back around $100-200, but IMO, it'd be worth it to have peace of mind that there isn't anything medical going on. Or if there is anything going on, is it treatable or managable?

Annamarie

to whoever gave me the "rude" on my reputation because I dared to state my opinion, grow up.

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