What to do if my old dog has a growth, breathing issues, no vet money?

Hi Leanne. Unfortunately in a dog Baxter's age, there is always a chance any growth could be malignant, so this does have to be checked out by a vet. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ Check out these resources to see if one can help you. Best of luck.

Poor Chestet! This foul smell could be caused by a yeast skin infection, and in a senior dog, there is always the possibility that a bump is malignant. The bump could also be a cyst, an abscess, or a benign tumor. He really does have to see a vet for these issues, and I can give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area ,or you can use a credit card to pay for a vet visit. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html?credit=web http://canada.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/pet-financing-options-1264/ http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ I hope one of these helps you afford a vet!

Poor Summer! It's very concerning that this large lump has gotten significantly bigger suddenly, as well as it's being hot. Shaking is a sign of pain. I'm not sure when she was spayed, but if she was spayed after her second heat, she could have a mammary tumor. It could also be an infection in the area. This is something that has to be seen by a vet now. I would see if you can borrow money from family and friends to afford a vet, and I can give you some resources that may help. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ I hope one of these resources helps you, please take her into a vet now.

How does a vet have no equipment to examine the dog? If that vet did not know what is going after looking at the dog I'm not sure how much I can tell you over the internet without looking at the dog. The most I can tell you is that at 14 years old this is likely cancer and you are not going to be able to fix it. I suggest you take him to another vet that does have equipment so you can try to get a diagnosis. A biopsy of the tumors are needed. If it is cancer it may have spread to his lungs and that is why is not able to breathe well. If you cannot afford to do all the testing to figure out what is happening then you may need to make the decision to euthanize him as it sounds like he is suffering and in pain. Please take him to another vet to get this sorted out.

Poor Daisy! It is difficult to determine without examining her if this large lump is due to an abscess of her anal gland or a mass. If an infection is present, antibiotics will be needed and these can be quite painful. I do recommend taking her to the vet urgently before this lesion could rupture. Until you can take her to the vet, be sure to keep an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent Daisy from licking at her hind end, as this could make matters worse. I understand your financial concerns, but fortunately there are some resources available to help. Care Credit (carecredit.com) can provide financing options. There are also many non-profit organizations that provide financial assistance for veterinary care (redrover.org, humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962, bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets, lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/, https://getyourpet.com). I hope that all goes well for Daisy!

This may be an abscess, a cyst or a tumor. You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a cyst can be evacuated. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the bump with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether the mass is concerning. Here is information about financial aid: There are quite a few ways to get financial help with vet bills: https://www.avma.org/public/YourVet/Pages/Financial-assistance-for-veterinary-care-costs.aspx https://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets https://www.paws.org/cats-and-dogs/other-services/help-with-veterinary-bills/ http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html?credit=web_id98635957 American Animal Hospital Association http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/ "Through the AAHA Helping Pets Fund, veterinary care is possible for sick or injured pets even if they have been abandoned or if their owner is experiencing financial hardship." Angels 4 Animals http://www.angels4animals.org/ "Our services range from financial aid to complete treatment to those pets and pet owners in need." Care Credit https://www.carecredit.com/vetmed A credit card company for health care, including veterinary care. "With a comprehensive range of plan options, for treatment or procedure fees from $1 to over $25,000, we offer a plan and a low monthly payment to fit comfortably into almost every budget." Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP) http://www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/door/ "Seniors, People with disabilities, People who have lost their job, Good Samaritans who rescue a cat or kitten - any of these folks may need financial assistance to save a beloved companion." The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes. God's Creatures Ministry http://www.all-creatures.org/gcm/help-cf.html "This fund helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help." Help-A-Pet http://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html "Our efforts focus on serving the elderly, the disabled, and the working poor." IMOM http://www.imom.org/ "We are dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged." The Pet Fund http://thepetfund.com/ "The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit association that provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need non-basic, non-urgent care (cancer treatment, heart disease, etc.) ONLY. United Animal Nations http://www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html "The mission of LifeLine is to help homeless or recently rescued animals suffering from life-threatening conditions that require specific and immediate emergency veterinary care. We strive to serve Good Samaritans and rescue groups who take in sick or injured animals. In certain cases, LifeLine can also assist senior citizens and low-income families pay for immediate emergency veterinary care."

While most mammary rumors are benign adenomas some can be more malignant carcinomas. Even the benign tumors should be removed since they tend to grow over time and can cause inflammation of the mammary gland. If your vet feels Shadow is not a good candidate for anesthesia you could always ask about referral to a speciality hospital that may be better equipped for higher risk pets. If surgery is completely out of the question and you’re interested in comfort care you and your vet could simply monitor Shadow for signs of pain or inflammation. Mammary carcinomas tend to spread to the lungs so you should also watch to see if her cough worsens or if she is having trouble breathing.