I've got a bull terrier / EBT, she's not long turned 10 yrs old and I'm having trouble with the fact she's now starting to show her age. She's been in and out of the vets all this week so far, £600 odd quids so far

She's off her food, not doing her numbers twos properly / at all, stumbling about, etc

From X-rays the vet has ruled out a blockage but did uncover she has very bad arthritis in her spine, bones fusing and extra bone growth in there :( her temperature Monday was well into the 40's, so she stayed overnight at the vets to bring it down, drip and everything. They got her eating tiny amounts and bought her temperature down so allowed her home, she's having to be handfed her food, and even then it's having to be bland chicken and rice (she won't eat the prescription diet the vet gave her)

We still haven't noticed her poOh :(

She's been given antibiotics as well for the infection (from where?!) which is making her feel poorly, she's also on tablets and will be for the rest of her life for the arthritis

Over the past day or so she's also developed a hacking cough like something is caught in her throat (kennel cough?)

I'm starting to think she might be on her last legs now :( her half brother only made 6yrs old before he was stolen away from us, so 10 really is a record

I don't know what more to do and I really can't take my mind off it, I was supposed to be in work last night but couldn't go through worry about her :( she's definitely not 'just a dog' to us

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I know how you feel. Our previous dog (a Heinz 57) lived to 13 years old (just) & she started being violently sick & couldn't keep food or water down. The vet operated to find out what was causing it & unfortunately it was pancreatic cancer. She spent her 13th birthday very poorly, being nursed by one of the veterinary nurses. We all missed her after she was put to sleep & after a week, we got a new puppy (black labrador X border collie) which is nearly 11 years old now. She has a life long allergy to grass, trees, basically all year round hay fever which she has pills for & has her ears washed out fortnightly.

But she is more than a dog to us.

My advice is if the dog is really suffering, put them to sleep.

its an EXTREMELY hard decision to make if your loved pet is suffering.only you can make it m8.

ask your vet for the correct advice,

i had to make it when my gsd collapsed,she was a rescue dog and we reckon she was around 14 when the deed was done.

hardest decision i ever had to make,i cried like a baby a big burly bloke 6'2 and 16 stone blubbing like a big girl.

the infection shes got is probably coming from the lack of NO dumps.her body is becoming infected.

has the vets checked the anal glands?i know years ago when we had a gsd the vet yanked on its tail and the dog crapped everywhere,bit hard to do with a sbt?

good luck bud

Good news! the dog's finally *ahem* 'been', perfect solid as well, first time she's been since last Friday! :d

Still being handfed though, things are starting to look up now *touch wood*

I think you're right about that's where the infection was coming from though,

thanks chaps x

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Good news indeed! Glad she's on the mend & hope she continues to do so.

Oh heck!! I've got my fingers very much crossed that she pulls through OK.

Doggies are family - and it is SO tough when they become ill. I miss my doggies and yep, bawled like a baby at the end.

Keep us posted on how she does.

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That's good news. Keep us posted on the progress. Dogs are family & so they should be. If they are treated properly, they are more loyal than alot of people are. Best of luck.

Fingers crossed for you, we had a dog as recently as a couple of year ago, he was fairly healthy beforehand, but then started to struggle with walking. after many trips to the vets and his health failing (he went off food, drink, everything!) eventually his back legs gave out, and the paralysis moved up his spine and took out his front. It was awful seeing him suffer. One night we just saw the pain in his eyes, and took him to a hospital knowing fine well it would probably be his last trip - it was.

As daft as this sounds, to this day, I still feel that when I was stroking him as he was put to sleep, there was a small smile and glint in his eye, almost as if he was thanking us for helping him finish the trouble he has had.

thats good news,your probably find that now she's had a dump,she will start to perk up.

Update: we've changed her food for a mild dry food (vets kitchen chicken and brown rice) and she's scoffing it down like a good 'un :d

She's altogether a different dog to she was the other day, she's back begging for scraps (which she's not getting as we don't know still what made her ill)

Toiletting she's getting there, as a pp said going seemed to make her feel so much better

She's got the vets again tomorrow to update her medication, it's a long road ahead for that one as she's probably going to be on meds now for the rest of her life.

But she's back being an idiot bulldozer of a dog and that makes me very happy indeed :)

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Living and working with dogs, I know how much they become part of the family unlike cats that just take the p155 out of you.

Dogs can annoy and delight you in equal measure but I certainly couldn't imagine a home without at least one flea factory getting under my feet.

Life is so much richer with dogs about.

Oh god in tears really hope she's ok now & keeps getting better