problem with my dog

Post by **Sam** » Wed May 10, 2006 9:14 am

She is 12, a poodle, and has been urinating more frequently, now in the house. She goes more often, sometimes 10 minutes after going outside. Also takes longer. Her groin area, for lack of a better way to say it, is discolored, like the tear ducts under her eyes. Is this blood? Bladder infection?

Wait it out, take it to the vet?

Sam

AACJ · Post by **AACJ** » Wed May 10, 2006 9:19 am

I'd take it to the vet...if it has an ifection, the doc might be able to fix it before it gets either too expensive, or puts you in a position you really don't want to be in, or both.

We just went thru that in November and lost our Terrier of 13 years.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Wed May 10, 2006 9:31 am

Sam,

I would definitely take her to the vet. It may just be something that can be cured with some pills. Maybe a uriniary inection. The last thing you want is to wait and for her to get really sick. Really sick for dogs equals $$$$. 12 years for a poddle is mid life. I know they live for a loooong time. It's better to find out now that later.

J

Post by **ichabod** » Wed May 10, 2006 9:55 am

A guy I worked with had a similar experience (not sure about discoloration) with a purebred dog the name of which escapes me. A little one, Bichon Frisee, or something.
Anyway, she was oging more often because she had stones in her bladder. He showed me the stones after the surgery and I think the poor little thing must have been in great pain. She made a great recovery, and is now on anti-calcification medicine I think.
So I'll go along with the vet thing. Veterinarian, though, not veteran.

Shave Monkey · Post by **Shave Monkey** » Wed May 10, 2006 10:31 am

I am no expert, but I certainly agree with the others that you should take her to the vet and I would DO IT TODAY. First, if your dog is feeling any pain you want that to stop immediately. Sometimes animals mask their pain/illness as a survival thing. After all, in the wild a sick animal will be targeted by predators as easy, vulnerable prey. Second, if you wait and it does get worse, it surely will cost more dough. That sucks for you and for your dog. Third, urination in the house is no fun for anyone so the sooner that stops the better. In any event, I hope your doggy feels better soon.

Cliff · Post by **Cliff** » Wed May 10, 2006 10:36 am

Good info all; Vet Sam.

Cliff

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Wed May 10, 2006 10:41 am

This is not something to wait out. Especially in an older dog - things like this can weaken them considerably if allowed to go on too long.

McNutt · Post by **McNutt** » Wed May 10, 2006 11:41 am

I treat my dog's conditions like I would treat mine. If my groin turned purple and caused me to pee all day I'd head to the doctor, so the same goes for my dog.

Post by **Sam** » Wed May 10, 2006 12:37 pm

My daughter took her and told my wife the results, who then emailed me. Doc says it is either her bladder or her kidney, and surgery will be a minimum of $1000. Also, she has small tumors growing on her back and other parts, that sometimes crack open and bleed. They can be removed for additional monies, but are non life threatening, sort of like psoriasis. My wife says given her age, 12 years, that she is about 75 and wants to put her to sleep. She wants to get another dog. I do not see where this is a "put-her-to-sleep" situation, as we would not do that for a human, but she is getting to the point where her age is advancing.

Sam

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Wed May 10, 2006 12:41 pm

My parents spent more than that on treatment for one of their dogs. Poor girl had thrombocytopenia and needed a blood transfusion. She lived two more years after that -- happily and in no pain. Unfortunately, her kidneys began to give out toward the end, so we did the right thing for the dog and spared her any further trauma.

Post by **Sam** » Wed May 10, 2006 12:43 pm

Now my wife emails me and says that "the vet said it could be cancer once he opens her up, but that is what he thought by feeling on her and stuff". I am going to wait until I talk to the daughter since she is the one that was actually at the vets. I am inclined to spend the money since other than the blood on her body, and the excessive urination, she seems fine.

Sam

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Wed May 10, 2006 12:46 pm

Sam wrote:I do not see where this is a "put-her-to-sleep" situation, as we would not do that for a human, but she is getting to the point where her age is advancing.

This is a decision that only you and your family can make. If you can swing the cost and know that the procedures will enable to dog to function normally and continue living a pleasant life, then by all means consider the surgery. If the symptoms are indicative of a problem that will not go away but will only be briefly calmed by the procedures, then that's a whole other consideration. We all define that limit for ourselves. However, in my opinion, forcing an animal to live for us isn't the right thing to do. Prolonging a situation in which the animal's quality of life is greatly reduced isn't fair.

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Wed May 10, 2006 12:56 pm

This is a hard situation. You need to have a long talk with your daughter, your wife, and the vet. These are the people who can see the dog and know what her life is like. There are many considerations to balance. I think we on the shaving board have already given most of the help that can be given long-distance.

Here's a web site I've recently looked at that has more info on the subject of euthanasia decisions for pets. Has a couple of useful links as well.

http://www.specialneedspets.org/euthanasia.htm

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Wed May 10, 2006 1:33 pm

Sam,

I would try and get a second opinion. Not that he is wrong but you may get a different opinion or even a better price. At this point, it wouldnt hurt. I have taken my dog to two different vets. One was very expensive and always cost money. The new vet is very honest and very reasonable in regards to price.

Just yesterday my wife took our dog to the vet for major itching. It turns out our has an ear infection in both ears and possibly allergies. The entire bill cost us $90. Not bad for the visit and all the medications we had to buy. Our other vet would have cost us major bucks.

j

Cliff · Post by **Cliff** » Wed May 10, 2006 1:42 pm

Sam, good luck with your dog and your decision. It's never easy to go through this with a loved one...any loved one. And we do love our pets so.

Cliff

Post by **Sam** » Wed May 10, 2006 1:59 pm

The life expectancy on toy poodles is 15 years. They start to show medical problems for the most part in year 12 and thereafter, this a general rule. Some Bladder stones are the result of infections, and not all stones show up on xrays. Some exploratory surgery is necessary. She is not in pain that I can tell, it just started with her area on the belly in front of her pee-hole (sorry) stained. Then in the last couple of weeks, excessive urination. The Vet just felt her belly and wanted to give a pee test to test the urine and it was raining and no one asked me for my cash stash, so they released her and told my daughter that lab tests would be $200 and then, if surgery, $800 minimum more. I live in the burbs, so someone newer is not going to be cheaper given the rent out where i live.

I did read up on a googled website that some cancers can start out this way. My wife and daughter tend to want to put her to sleep, but if she is not in pain that i can see, id at least put up with the soiling of the carpets as long as she was not hurting. I dont want to end her live prematurely. I guess I can not pull the plug, but my wife easily could be the one to drop her off at the vet, give them $50 and say thank you and leave. I dont want to put it off on her, but Id be an emotional wreck. Imagine that for the courtroom ballbuster

Sam

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Wed May 10, 2006 2:07 pm

You know your dog. Many dogs do not tell when they are in pain. Talk to everybody. If you decide, and your wife decides, and your daughter decides too, that's three decisions that won't match. Get together and talk. You don't have to get a decision done in the first conversation either.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Wed May 10, 2006 2:13 pm

The only way I can put my dog to sleep would be if she was in extreme pain. I understand the money issue but if shes not in pain then let her live.

Give her some Robitussin, that cures everything.

j

Shave Monkey · Post by **Shave Monkey** » Wed May 10, 2006 2:42 pm

At risk of talking too much about an issue that is indeed very personal, I will say that perhaps you might benefit from a little more information from your vet before you take any irreversible action. Perhaps having some urine/blood work done might shed some light on her condition before you make any major decisions. It might reveal that she has developed diabetes (which is manageable in some cases) or it might be something worse. It just seems to me that you have not been afforded as much information as you deserve to make this decision. Again, I hope it all works out.

Post by **Sam** » Wed May 10, 2006 2:46 pm

Well, I am inclined to at least run the blood, urine and xray work to see. SO it is $250, I dont care. But my Wife is adamament that the dog is getting old and her family is the type that might be inclined to take a dog to the woods, shoot it and be done. My father spent $8000 on their poodle a few years back, over a space of 2 years. Ill get to talk at dinner with my daughter a bit more and will at least call the vet tomorrow.

Sam