BlsdMama Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Our GS is going to be 11 in October. He is extra large and we were told that his life expectancy was 7-10 years. We noticed a growth on his abdomen about 4-5 months ago. It wasn't impacting his life and obviously we aren't operating or doing anything unusual to extend his life. (Beyond that we have our hands full with my medical bills and associated costs.) He was at the vet about a year ago for normal stuff and was fine. However - he did get a wound on his tail about six-ish months ago? Wound wouldn't heal and the hair started to fall off and the vet gave us an oral antibiotic and fungal treatment. It healed but not nicely. Hair never grew back in about a $0.50 piece area. Now, a week and a half ago he got in a fight with something. Cleaned him up, nothing major. But now hair is falling off around his face. I assume fungal again. Looks like it. We decided to go back to feeding him raw. He was on raw most of his life and I am thinking it will help with the fungal. Supplementing Vit. D and fish oil as well. Here's the thing - if we take him to the vet, is the vet is going to say, "He's old. He isn't well. Let's consider..." Plus? Plus our vet retired in December. Which means a new vet. :( :( :( The "new" vet would be the vet he had as a puppy. Because, other than this fungal thing, he isn't in pain. The face itches for sure, he rubs at it. He still runs, plays, wags his tail. He seems to be enjoying his life. Sigh. Thoughts? We've never had to choose to take a dog to the vet and have it put down. I think we're at this point and I am trying to sort through the whole process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 If he isn't in pain and is enjoying life, I wouldn't even consider putting him down. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 I'm a little confused. Are you saying you think the vet will suggest euthanasia? Or that the vet would want you to spend lots of money to extend the life of an elderly pet? IME the latter is more likely than the former. Most vets are hesitant to bring up euthanasia unless the pet's quality of life is almost totally gone. You don't have to do anything a vet suggests. Think of it as a consultation, where you are free to choose all of the services offered or only part of them or none. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 The only time I've ever had a vet initiate discussion of euthanasia was when an elderly golden retriever mix had both lost control of her bowels and lost the use of her hind legs. We had been treating other issues for years at that point, and her hips had been wobbly, but at this point she could no longer stand. For a generally happy, active dog who just had some superficial wounds and a fungal infection I would not expect that discussion, even if the dog is getting old. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 If he's not in pain, still active, etc. I wouldn't consider putting him down. I don't think a vet would suggest that either?? If he or she did, that would be my clue to find another vet. I wonder if perhaps there is a geriatric vet? Not sure if you need a specialist, but my neighbor cares for senior dogs and cats. That's her passion...she adopts them when their owners can't handle all the meds, appointments, etc. The vets she works with are always on board to giving her fur babies the best, longest life possible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Our vets would treat the problems and tell us to enjoy each day together! We've only had a dog since January, but I'm hooked. We adopted a middle-aged dog and adore her. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 33 minutes ago, Selkie said: If he isn't in pain and is enjoying life, I wouldn't even consider putting him down. This. We always have adopted "older" dogs, and have had 4 of them over the years. There has, for each dog, been a point when we could see a real change in them and tell they were in pain. It doesn't sound like your dog is there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 My nephew's dog taeks Benedryl for an itchy skin condition. You might call and see if this is an option to try before your appointment, because it works quite fast and gives a lot of relief. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 1 minute ago, Pink and Green Mom said: This. We always have adopted "older" dogs, and have had 4 of them over the years. There has, for each dog, been a point when we could see a real change in them and tell they were in pain. It doesn't sound like your dog is there. When my current senior cat is gone, I want to adopt senior cats and just give them a good old time while they're alive. My sister thinks it would be sad, but I think I could be really happy to spoil them for a short while and give them a good ending. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 28 minutes ago, katilac said: When my current senior cat is gone, I want to adopt senior cats and just give them a good old time while they're alive. My sister thinks it would be sad, but I think I could be really happy to spoil them for a short while and give them a good ending. We've adopted four dogs over the years that were all around 10 years of age. Two of them were at the Humane Society because their owners died and the other two were just no longer wanted by their owners. It's been a wonderful experience, not sad at all. Each of them lived for another 3-4 years with us before they died. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 When I had a cat who was clearly in need of being put down - elderly, in pain, would have cost hundreds or even thousands to run tests and find the mystery issues and the best possible outcome would have been daily expensive medication. The vet shamed me and walked out of the room when I suggested it was maybe just his time. "I can't help you if you're not going to let me do the tests I need to do," said the vet. Yes, "let" you charge me more than $700 on a dying cat. No thank you. Way to make me feel crappier about the inevitable death of our cat. We had to go to the local shelter where they'll put them down for a very small fee, but not before he spent two more days suffering at home, barely eating or breathing, except when he managed to escape to go and try to die alone in the alleyway and nearly got hit by a car because he wasn't moving very well. Basically, the vet is not going to try and put the dog down. Vets don't do that anymore. You're lucky to find a vet who will talk to you honestly about it and I doubt there are any that encourage it left. If it's really just a fungal thing, the vet will be happy to treat it and will make suggestions about keeping him well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 1 hour ago, Selkie said: If he isn't in pain and is enjoying life, I wouldn't even consider putting him down. This is our guiding principle as well. Just because an animal is old and has a few minor health hiccups, we would not do a thing. We are getting older too. If his continued medical care is a big burden on your family, you may have to reconsider but it sounds more like small issues and you are fine with taking care of those. I'd let him enjoy the life he has with you until it becomes clear he is in pain and miserable. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 8 minutes ago, Farrar said: Basically, the vet is not going to try and put the dog down. Vets don't do that anymore. You're lucky to find a vet who will talk to you honestly about it and I doubt there are any that encourage it left. If it's really just a fungal thing, the vet will be happy to treat it and will make suggestions about keeping him well. Actually, we still have one of those vets. When our big mastiff boy developed some rare form of cancer, we tried some treatments but the vet educated us carefully on all the pros and cons and when the time came we made an appointment for euthanasia. Thankfully, Ted passed away naturally the night before. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 46 minutes ago, Farrar said: When I had a cat who was clearly in need of being put down - elderly, in pain, would have cost hundreds or even thousands to run tests and find the mystery issues and the best possible outcome would have been daily expensive medication. The vet shamed me and walked out of the room when I suggested it was maybe just his time. "I can't help you if you're not going to let me do the tests I need to do," said the vet. Yes, "let" you charge me more than $700 on a dying cat. No thank you. Way to make me feel crappier about the inevitable death of our cat. We had to go to the local shelter where they'll put them down for a very small fee, but not before he spent two more days suffering at home, barely eating or breathing, except when he managed to escape to go and try to die alone in the alleyway and nearly got hit by a car because he wasn't moving very well. Basically, the vet is not going to try and put the dog down. Vets don't do that anymore. You're lucky to find a vet who will talk to you honestly about it and I doubt there are any that encourage it left. If it's really just a fungal thing, the vet will be happy to treat it and will make suggestions about keeping him well. We still have one of those vets. In fact, we were there today discussing when to put down our elderly dog. When our last dog had bone cancer(very painful) , he encouraged us to not let the dog suffer and let her go before it got too bad. The new vet could surprise you. And it may not be fungal, our elderly dog had something similar two years ago and some not pricey allergy meds worked and cleared it up. Perhaps, make an appointment to just see what they say about the possible fungal issue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 OP is in Iowa. When we lived there we noticed vets were of two varieties - pet vets, who encourage you to go to all lengths to prolong a pets life, no matter what sort of pain they are in. And farm vets, who take pets as a courtesy, but don't charge much (most of their business coming from livestock) and discourage allowing anything that could cause the pet pain. It sounds like the OP's vet is probably the farm variety. Partners in the same practice typically have the same philosophy. I've never known a farm vet who encouraged you to put a pet who clearly enjoyed his life down just because he was old and in imperfect health. It sounds to me like OP is having anxiety about when that day does come, but I don't think its now. I'd take the dog in and see. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 2 hours ago, Farrar said: When I had a cat who was clearly in need of being put down - elderly, in pain, would have cost hundreds or even thousands to run tests and find the mystery issues and the best possible outcome would have been daily expensive medication. The vet shamed me and walked out of the room when I suggested it was maybe just his time. "I can't help you if you're not going to let me do the tests I need to do," said the vet. Yes, "let" you charge me more than $700 on a dying cat. No thank you. Way to make me feel crappier about the inevitable death of our cat. We had to go to the local shelter where they'll put them down for a very small fee, but not before he spent two more days suffering at home, barely eating or breathing, except when he managed to escape to go and try to die alone in the alleyway and nearly got hit by a car because he wasn't moving very well. Basically, the vet is not going to try and put the dog down. Vets don't do that anymore. You're lucky to find a vet who will talk to you honestly about it and I doubt there are any that encourage it left. If it's really just a fungal thing, the vet will be happy to treat it and will make suggestions about keeping him well. Okay, see this is my worst case scenario - we get a confirmation that he is indeed dying from cancer AND we're made to feel horrible that we're not going to spend thousands. Alternatively, I'm afraid they are going to insist that if they believe he has cancer that he is suffering and then comes the guilt of not putting him down. He isn't doing even close to as well as he was a year ago, HOWEVER he has a relatively good life, IMO. He does have more accidents than he used to and he can't really lift his leg up much anymore to pee but it isn't like he cries when he lies down or gets up and more often than not he manages a run/jog towards the road for the UPS fella. He still feels he is steadfastly doing his job of saving us from every person intent on coming onto the property and doing us in. :P I am very worried about the "new" vet not just being accepting of the fact that we'd like the fungal stuff taken care of and not just leave well enough alone? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 33 minutes ago, Katy said: OP is in Iowa. When we lived there we noticed vets were of two varieties - pet vets, who encourage you to go to all lengths to prolong a pets life, no matter what sort of pain they are in. And farm vets, who take pets as a courtesy, but don't charge much (most of their business coming from livestock) and discourage allowing anything that could cause the pet pain. It sounds like the OP's vet is probably the farm variety. Partners in the same practice typically have the same philosophy. I've never known a farm vet who encouraged you to put a pet who clearly enjoyed his life down just because he was old and in imperfect health. It sounds to me like OP is having anxiety about when that day does come, but I don't think its now. I'd take the dog in and see. My old vet was absolutely of the farm variety. Yes, Katy, I'd categorize it as anxiety as both - this is coming, we can see it clearly whereas we couldn't a year ago. AND, added to that, the concern that there will be a LOT of pressure about his care. :( The new one? Nope. Pets. Most are only one or the other these days. My previous vet, I suspect, was in his mid eighties. He recommended we not ever see the new vet in town. So we're going to an older gentleman in a neighboring town that Legend saw when he was a pup, just before we moved to OR. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 2 hours ago, Selkie said: We've adopted four dogs over the years that were all around 10 years of age. Two of them were at the Humane Society because their owners died and the other two were just no longer wanted by their owners. It's been a wonderful experience, not sad at all. Each of them lived for another 3-4 years with us before they died. Just as an aside, this varies widely based on genetics and breed. ;) I'd be boggled if this particular dog made it to 12. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 We just had to go through that with my 17 year old cat. She had been slowing down for years, but she was eating and seemed generally content. There were a few issues, but we decided to just wait it out. The end came very quickly. She went from being ok for a very elderly kitty to being not ok in about a week and then when I noticed she wasn’t eating or pooping we took her in. And that only happened over the course of a day or two. I knew that morning that the end had come, she was suffering, so I called the vet and that day we took her in. The procedure was painless and took about 5 seconds, really. It was very quick. It was extremely difficult, but that’s life. We brought her home and gave her a lovely burial in the back yard with hymns and readings and flowers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 You're somewhere near Johnson county, right? If the New Liberty vet clinic isn't too far away you might try there. We haven't taken pets there, but we have friends in the Quad Cities that still do, in the last couple months. I haven't heard about any sudden rate increases or other indications they're not still primarily a farm vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Oh, asking local friends on facebook is another way to find a farm vet. They're still making them, I'm certain, but they tend to practice in small towns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 I’ve had to put down 6 cats. Only once did a vet suggest that as an option. I wished more had. Do you know how fast your mouth can dry out when you’re trying to get out the words on a beloved pet, “I think it’s time to put them down”? I wish the vets would have said the words for me and I could have just said, “Yes.” In my experience, the vets will only offer more and more medical treatments. But those treatments get out of control. We had a cat with diabetes and it was treatable with insulin, but I found out that it wasn’t just a single injection every morning like they’d said. It was an injection, but then waiting a couple of weeks tests to see if the injection was working, and them upping the dose, and then more tests a few weeks later, and visits overnight to the vet for something or other, and on and on and on. We went round and round with visits to the vets and overnight stays. In the end, the kitty went into diabetic shock and died anyway after a few months. And he was soooo unhappy having to stay at the vet. He didn’t understand why we were leaving him there and would cling to us when we’d pick him up, because he probably kept thinking we were abandoning him. He spent a number of his last days stuck in a cage at the vet. After that, I made the decision that if an animal would need ongoing medical care for an ongoing condition, that I wasn’t going to have the animal go through it. When the next kitty got kidney failure, the vet started talking about dialysis. Um...no. I’m not putting an animal through dialysis. And if there was a one-time problem that cost more than $X (I pick an amount ahead of time, so the decision is already made before a problem ever arises), I wasn’t going to pay it. One kitty had something that would have cost about $3-5000 (or was it 8?). No, I just don’t have that kind of money, no matter how much I wish I did. I just don’t. It will affect my kids’ college education and my retirement to treat one time things at $5000 a pop. But along with my decision not to treat long term issues and have the kitty put down, I have made a concious decision to treat my pets gently and with love and kindness and patience, so that at the end of their lives, I can say that they had the Best Lives Ever. They were loved and cared for and never knew fear or pain. The kids have been strictly trained from day one to treat the cats like they’re little porcelain dolls. We speak gently to them and don’t chase them around scaring them. When it’s time for them to go, it hurts really bad for a few weeks, but after that mourning, I can look back and think of how much love and happiness they experienced every day of their lives, however long those lives were. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 1 hour ago, BlsdMama said: Just as an aside, this varies widely based on genetics and breed. ;) I'd be boggled if this particular dog made it to 12. Oh, I totally agree! I wasn't talking about your dog at all. We had a German Shepherd that we inherited when dh's mom died, and he didn't even make to ten. He had a hereditary disease and had to be put to sleep much too young. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Adding: I never had a vet shame me about putting down an animal. They would offer their procedures, and I would decline. I think one time they did ask if we were sure, because they *could* do X, but I said that I didn’t want to do that and then they immediately backed off. The other times, they never even paused as soon as I said the words. They immediately switched tracks to prepare for letting the animal go. They were kind and compassionate about it. The last time was really rough (young kitty that we just couldn’t afford to treat) and the little vet tech cried with us. But not in a way that was shaming. She just knew that it was hard and felt bad that we felt so bad at having to say goodbye. Another time we got a sympathy card in the mail afterwards from the vet saying that sometimes the most merciful and kind thing to do is to let the animal go. I hate it that some people have been shamed about such a hard decision because they don’t have the money to throw at a problem that won’t get better in the long run. :( 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 We're in the rural midwest and the vets here are either large animal or small animal, not both. Some practices have both types of vet on staff, but some are small animal practices only. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebbyribs Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 We went through something similar with our cat last year. She was 15 and had never been in great health, but then she got a cold and had green snot and wasn't really eating, so we took her in. The vet said that her liver was enlarged and took a quick look with the ultrasound in case it might be a cyst or something easily treatable, but that wasn't the case. She said that the liver thing was probably cancer and that she didn't recommend trying to treat it in a cat that age, but that it might be worth treating the cold to see if she perked up and had a last few good weeks or months in her. Unfortunately, she went downhill fast the next day, and we ended up bringing her back in for euthanasia. Anyhow, my experience was that the vet was happy to try to help us keep the cat comfortable for a while longer and didn't recommend pursuing surgery or cancer treatment for an animal near the end of her expected lifespan. At the same time, she didn't want to jump straight to euthanasia when it wasn't clear at first whether the liver cancer or the cold was the immediate cause of the cat's discomfort. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoutingmom Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 13 hours ago, Farrar said: When I had a cat who was clearly in need of being put down - elderly, in pain, would have cost hundreds or even thousands to run tests and find the mystery issues and the best possible outcome would have been daily expensive medication. The vet shamed me and walked out of the room when I suggested it was maybe just his time. "I can't help you if you're not going to let me do the tests I need to do," said the vet. Yes, "let" you charge me more than $700 on a dying cat. No thank you. Way to make me feel crappier about the inevitable death of our cat. We had to go to the local shelter where they'll put them down for a very small fee, but not before he spent two more days suffering at home, barely eating or breathing, except when he managed to escape to go and try to die alone in the alleyway and nearly got hit by a car because he wasn't moving very well. Basically, the vet is not going to try and put the dog down. Vets don't do that anymore. You're lucky to find a vet who will talk to you honestly about it and I doubt there are any that encourage it left. If it's really just a fungal thing, the vet will be happy to treat it and will make suggestions about keeping him well. Just a couple of weeks ago I contacted a vet because our 19-20 year old cat was sick and dying. I let them know that this was what we felt was needed. This vet had a few touching things.... They have a candle, with a sign (nice looking), basically indicating that when the candle was lit that a family was saying a finale goodbye to their pet. They sent a nice sympathy card. A couple of years ago we had to say goodbye to another cat... about age 16. A different vet. This did involve some tests and treatment... tests showed cancer. The decision wasn't as clear, but the vet did agree that his chances of survival were pretty slim, and when the decision was made by me they supported the decision. They made a plaster cast of his footprint. For the OP, I doubt they would suggest it for a pet that is happy and not in pain or unlikely to survive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 Our experience has been that you just know when you know. You spend some time wondering if the time has come, but as long as you're still wondering then it probably isn't time. When our 16-year-old beloved Beagle/Chesapeake mix fell down the stairs one night as he was attempting to make it to his bed in our bedroom, and he no longer wagged his tail at the sight of us anymore, we knew his life was no longer enjoyable for him at all. Our vet (in a small rural town) is both a large (farm) animal and small animal vet. She has a very good, balanced, and sensible way of handling this most difficult decision. We've appreciated that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 I definitely think you should take him to the vet, because it seems to me the things you describe may be easily treatable or require no treatment. The growth on his belly could very well be a lipoma, a harmless fatty tumor. They're extremely common in middle aged and older dogs and don't need treatment unless they become really big or are in an area of friction. Even if it's not a lipoma, there's nothing wrong with saying you don't want to investigate that. Whatever's going on with his face--could be fungal, could be allergy related. Could be related to the ruckus he was in last week. I would guess the latter. I sure could be wrong, but it seems much more logical to me that the hair loss is related to something that happened in that altercation than to a fungal issue from six months ago that just happened to coincidentally reappear at the same time, or that an elderly dog has suddenly developed allergies. Yes, dogs can develop allergies at any time, and it's certainly that time of the year for inhalant allergies. But I tend to hold to the advice of "think horses instead of zebras when you hear hoof beats," and it seems most likely to me that hair loss that occurred soon after an altercation is more likely to be related to that altercation than to be a re-occurrence of a fungal issue from months ago. I've known many cats with facial abscesses to start losing hair before other symptoms show up. Tail injuries can be very difficult to get to heal even on a young, healthy dog so the slowness of that and the way it healed wouldn't overly concern me or necessarily make me think something else was going on other than old age. All that to say -- What you describe is to me normal dog stuff, most of which requires routine vet care. And that's what I'd do--take him to the vet to see what needs to be done, and especially to make sure he isn't brewing an abscess on his nose. Before the appointment I'd practice a simple statement like: I want to maintain his quality of life as long as it's reasonable; I'm not interested in going to extraordinary steps for quantity." Practice your statement until you've got it down pat and can say it firmly and calmly. Be prepared to repeat it if necessary. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 15 hours ago, BlsdMama said: Okay, see this is my worst case scenario - we get a confirmation that he is indeed dying from cancer AND we're made to feel horrible that we're not going to spend thousands. Alternatively, I'm afraid they are going to insist that if they believe he has cancer that he is suffering and then comes the guilt of not putting him down. He isn't doing even close to as well as he was a year ago, HOWEVER he has a relatively good life, IMO. He does have more accidents than he used to and he can't really lift his leg up much anymore to pee but it isn't like he cries when he lies down or gets up and more often than not he manages a run/jog towards the road for the UPS fella. He still feels he is steadfastly doing his job of saving us from every person intent on coming onto the property and doing us in. :P I am very worried about the "new" vet not just being accepting of the fact that we'd like the fungal stuff taken care of and not just leave well enough alone? I understand this 100%. I think it is very unlikely they will shame you into euthanasia, but highly likely that they will shame you into cancer treatment. (Try to.) In some ways, I feel like we were “lucky” with our GSDs form of cancer because the vet agreed that surgery would not be a desirable solution, because the tumor was in his bowel and removal would cause lost bowel control. So we treated him with stool softeners for a year until it was apparent he was in pain and we could see for ourselves he needed to be euthanized. I’m sorry. Having euthanized my dog and my cat one year apart, I find it hard to even pluck up the nerve to get another animal friend. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 I've worked in several vet clinics for over 20 years. None of them would have pressured you to treat for cancer (probably isn't cancer anyway, probably a lipoma) or put him down if he isn't painful. (eating actually has little to do with it..many healthy dogs have a temporary poor appetite for non serious reasons and many miserable, dying animals will continue eating.) At most we would have offered to do a fine needle aspirate to see what the lump is, but would respect you declining. Sounds like maybe some antibiotics or antifungal is needed for the face, that's all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted April 26, 2018 Author Share Posted April 26, 2018 16 hours ago, Katy said: Oh, asking local friends on facebook is another way to find a farm vet. They're still making them, I'm certain, but they tend to practice in small towns. Katy, My dad is a farmer - he has hogs. He co-ops with other farmers in the area so that they mass produce a large number. So, one farm has the sows and delivers babies. Babies are weaned early and shipped to the other farms for growing out. They are VERY particular about their vets. These animals that are now confinement raised are more susceptible to disease and the amount that disease costs them each year is staggering. His vet is hog only and, to my understanding, is hired by the co-op and works only for the co-op in the hope of minimizing disease spread from other farms. Veterinary medicine is really changing. When I was a girl we had a vet who did large animal and his partner did small animal but they were very versatile at their practice. I did a couple ride alongs thanks to my grandpa and it was just the way small town midwest vets operated. Things are really changing. For example, I have a few goats. Angel got pneumonia a few weeks ago and we had to find a vet. Do you know how hard that was? Not even kidding! I finally took her to one 45 minutes away AND I literally took her IN to see her. She made an exception for me because Angel was so small and because I pretty much said the goat won't last the weekend if you can't see her. (Obviously I am more "pet" goats than farm goats, lol, but it is the luxury of having just four.) I'd take Legend to her but I hear she is rabid about dog care and won't put any down. BUT it's hard to get a straight opinion because so many farmers don't do any vet care for their dogs so it's hard to tell - is this vet really over the top in extensive care or is she just reasonable and some farmers aren't realistic about what good vet care entails? Used to be, in the day, that Fido got his rabies and that was that and that was good animal care as long as he had (outdoor) shelter in the winter and food on a regular basis. That's not the standard anymore. I'm surrounded by farmers and vets, but the days of the James Herriott vets are over I think. They are a rare breed. The one I had in town here I really liked. He was darn near as old as my grandpa and he had as much empathy as he had common sense. Sigh. I wish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted April 26, 2018 Author Share Posted April 26, 2018 1 hour ago, Quill said: I’m sorry. Having euthanized my dog and my cat one year apart, I find it hard to even pluck up the nerve to get another animal friend. Never again. I don't see us ever, ever, ever getting another dog. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted April 26, 2018 Author Share Posted April 26, 2018 16 hours ago, Katy said: You're somewhere near Johnson county, right? If the New Liberty vet clinic isn't too far away you might try there. We haven't taken pets there, but we have friends in the Quad Cities that still do, in the last couple months. I haven't heard about any sudden rate increases or other indications they're not still primarily a farm vet. Close enough to drive! ;) If you don't mind PMing me, I'll take that info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 1 hour ago, BlsdMama said: Close enough to drive! ;) If you don't mind PMing me, I'll take that info. Done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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