Adopting a dog with skin problems? What costs should I expect?

Adopting a dog is a big financial responsibility and adopting one with an issue can be even bigger. It depends what medication Sammy is on to determine if the cost of the medication is going to be expensive or not. I would discuss with the person you are considering adopting Sammy from and see if they know what the typical cost of the medications are. Understand that throughout the dog's life you may need to change medications (which may be more expensive), perform routine blood work (once or twice a year) and do more then once or twice yearly examinations. This cost can add up. You can also look into pet insurance, but many companies will not cover pre-existing conditions which this is. It is an amazing thing to take in an animal that has a problem, if financially you are able to take it on. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor girl. I am not sure of her age, but mange is common in younger pets and puppies. This does look potentially like mange with a secondary bacterial infection, but it could just be a primary bacterial infection with no underlying mange as the cause. I would have the skin scraped by your vet to at least come up with a valid diagnosis here. Also since there are 2 different types of mites, its important to get her tested to determine which is likely present or if none are found, her bacterial infection alone should be treated for. I am sorry that your vet bills are getting expensive, but this needs to be seen by your vet first to ensure we are on the right track here with treatment. Here are some resources that may be able to help you with some of your financial limitations. I would start with CareCredit first if you are looking for financing options. Red Rover: https://redrover.org/find-financial-assistance-veterinary-care Best friends: http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets AVMA: https://www.avma.org/public/YourVet/Pages/Financial-assistance-for-veterinary-care-costs.aspx HSUS: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html PAWS: https://www.paws.org/cats-and-dogs/other-services/help-with-veterinary-bills/ Your dogs friend: http://yourdogsfriend.org/we-recommend/need-help-paying-vet-bills/ AFRP: https://www.animalfriendsrescue.org/financialassistance.html Speaking for Spot: http://speakingforspot.com/?p=Financial%20Assistance%20for%20Veterinary%20Care 3 options for financing include www.carecredit.com, www.scratchpay.com and www.vetbilling.com. The first two companies have low interest APR rates (starting at 5%) and allow you to pay for a vet bill over 6-24 months. The last company offer a billing option for veterinary clients through automatic bank account drafting on a predetermined date at the time of service. Care Credit checks your credit but Scratch Pay does not, making it a good choice for owners who may have been declined for Care Credit in the past. I hope that things resolve soon with Shamrock's skin! Best wishes and take care.

Hi there. I'm afraid it really depends a lot on the details of the case, and how severe his symptoms are. Environmental allergies can range from mild seasonal issues that may be easily managed with short courses of antihistamines and/or steroids as needed, to severe problems that may require allergy testing and immunotherapy treatment, daily long-term medication (which can be expensive in a large-breed dog), and/or even referral to a dermatologist to get a handle on. So if this is a concern for you, I would suggest getting some additional information from the shelter on how severe the issue is, what kind of treatment he is currently on to manage it, and how well he has responded. This should give you a better idea of what to expect going forward, if you decide to proceed with the adoption.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! If Saint has a dry goose honk cough it is likely kennel cough since he was just in the shelter. Kennel cough is usually self limiting over 2 weeks. He shouldn't be allowed around other dogs until the cough has resolved as it is very contagious. His skin can be from fleas, a skin infection, poor diet, demodex or ring worm. There is also a gland at the tail base that can get infected. Be sure he is on a good oral flea and tick preventative. Nexgard, Bravecto and Simparica get fleas and ticks, as well as demodec. I would start him on a good commercial balanced dog food, start an Omega 3 fish oil and try a medicated shampoo. if the skin doesn't improve in 2 weeks he should be seen by a Vet. Bathe him 2x's per week and let the lather sit on for 10 mins before rinsing. I attached links below to some products. I wish you and Saint the best! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24785 https://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/omegadog/ https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27307

This may be a skin infection, possibly related to mites. For certain I would recommend to test it and have it checked by your local vet and possibly treat it before adopting her, especially if you have other dogs in the house.

Poor pup! Ringworm or mites are the two most likely suspects. Check to see if they have tested for mites yet. The good news is that both are treatable! I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding the dog. Skin disease is frustrating as many conditions can appear similar. If the dog is very itchy, then I worry about fleas, mites or allergic skin disease causing the issue. If this is not the case, then a hormonal issue such as a thyroid or an adrenal gland disorder can cause the skin to look like your picture. Unfortunately, you will need to see a veterinarian to know for sure. Good luck!