Why is my senior dog gnawing her back, has scabs, and legs buckle?

If she is having a rapidly spreading skin condition, Lucy should be seen by a veterinarian to have the skin checked. At the vet, they will be able to do scrapings, cultures, and biopsies. Most importantly, they will be able to prescribe medications to help relieve the pain and itchiness that Lucy is currently experiencing. She also likely will require an e-collar to prevent her in the short-term from itching herself raw. As for what it might be, it sounds like there could be an infection of the skin that started somewhere and is spreading rearward. There are autoimmune conditions and allergies that can affect the skin in the ways that you are describing, but that latter do not typically cause the scaliness you are talking about. Unfortunately, with a 14 year old dog, we also need to consider more serious conditions as well such as certain skin cancers. Your vet should definitely take a look at what is going on you guys can come up with a plan together.

I'm so sorry to hear that Lucy isn't doing well. The appropriate treatment very much depends on why she is scratching and chewing. She could have allergies, an infection, mast cell tumors (which release histamine in to the blood stream), or even be chewing because of the anxiety itself. There are also many different medical treatments for anxiety (including daily and just as needed options) as well as various behavior modification protocols. So it's hard to help without knowing what has been tried so far and what her diagnosis is. If you were starting from scratch, I would recommend a fine needle aspirate (FNA) of both masses to try to get an idea of what type of tumors she has (and determine if surgery is possible to remove them), as well as general bloodwork to make sure her organ are functioning ok and there's no indication of endocrine disease, and skin cytology and skin scrap to look for yeast, bacteria, or parasites. If you're not having luck with your vet after several follow up visits, it's reasonable to seek a second opinion.

At 15 years old she could definitely have a medical issue going on. I suspect she may have some arthritis in her spine and hips/back legs which is why she is seeming sensitive on her back and limping on the hind limbs. I suggest you take her to your vet for an exam and to get some medication to help with the arthritis (if that is what is going on). We cannot diagnose over the internet of course I cannot tell you 100% for sure what is going on without examining her myself. That is why you need your local vet to help you figure out what is going on and how best to treat her. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Those spots on Lucy could be several things including allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having your pup wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It sounds like Lucy is in pain, poor girl! Yelping, lack of appetite, and decreased movement are all signs of pain in dogs. It's very possible she sprained or strained something, like her back or a limb, and this is her way of telling you. I'm glad the Cosequin seemed to help her, but in general, Cosequin is not a pain reliever; it's a joint supplement that provides nutritive support to cartilage, joint capsules, and joint fluid, and it's an excellent product, so I do recommend you keep Lucy on this consistently. However, I think she needs some more aggressive pain management and a check-up with your vet to make sure she hasn't seriously injured herself. Especially if her back is painful, as that can sometimes involve pinched nerves. If she has a history of bladder stones and is having inappropriate urination, that definitely needs to be evaluated as well. When you go in to have her pain assessed, bring a urine sample with you for your vet to check. It may be something as simple as a urinary tract infection or it could be a recurrence of bladder stones, but it's worth getting checked out. Good luck and I hope Lucy feels better soon!

I would have Yankee examined by a vet. This doesn't look like a scab in the pictures. I would be concerned about infection, a bleeding disorder, skin cancer, or autoimmune disease. A vet will do a better examination, and may recommend a biopsy for diagnosis. Home-cooked diets are great for dogs, but they should be balanced by a veterinary nutritionist. They need certain amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, and may need an additional vitamin supplement to make up for any nutritional deficiencies. Your vet can refer you to a nutritionist that can probably do an online or phone consultation.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lucy. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Her signs are likely the result of her advanced age. However, they are pain medications that make her feel better. She likely has some degree of arthritis effecting her mobility. If some pain medication could increase her quality of life, I think that would be wonderful. In the meantime, be sure not to give any over-the-counter pain medication as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!