Diabetic dog?

[Marzeater]

How do I know if my dog is diabetic? Would she have similar symptoms to mine?
She is an over weight 8 years old boxer. The weight is mainly due to kindly neighbours feeding her through the fence.
An 'ulcer' has developed on a back leg which just doesn't heal. It does not cause any trouble to her and has not affected her walks.
The vet has quoted nearly £400 to cut the 'ulcer' off and perfom a biopsy. The £400 does not cover any more surgery that might be necessary or antibiotics if needed or any other medication.

I'm in the bad books at home for saying it would be cheaper to have her put down and buy a new dog.

 

[catherinecherub]

Try this site,

http://www.diabetesindogs.net/

 

[MaryChristine]

Another possibility - Mast cell tumour is a type of skin cancer that may resemble an ulcer and is particularly prevalent in boxer dogs. Diagnosis would be by examination of a biopsy.

 

[Spiral]

I'm in the bad books at home for saying it would be cheaper to have her put down and buy a new dog.

Hardly surprising, is it. However, lets just hope that you don't really mean it, after all your dog is a member of your family.

If your dog has a medical problem you are obliged to get it treated. Has the vet actually seen the ulcer or made this diagnosis over the phone? I think that is your key. Not only are we not doctors, we are not vets either. Bottom line is that your dog has a potentially very serious health problem and you need to get it treated rather than speculate about what the problem is.

You also need to have words with your neighbours. They are not kindly if they are feeding your dog, they are causing her to have health problems. It also undermines all the training you do with her and runs the risk of her developing serious health problems if you don't know what they are feeding her.

 

[Marzeater]

If your dog has a medical problem you are obliged to get it treated. Has the vet actually seen the ulcer or made this diagnosis over the phone? I think that is your key.

The Vet has seen her that's where the estimate of near £400 come from.
I've booked her in for further examination and the £400 might be the tip of the iceberg.
No insurance

The neighbours have been spoken to several times and I've cut down on what I feed her.

 

[hanadr]

If you really cannot afford treatment for your dog, contact the RSPCA or The PDSA and ask for help for her. Once she's well, get insurance
I personally would shift heaven and earth for a pet.
Hana

 

[hanadr]

Ps
some veterinary clinics run a payment by installments plan.
Hana
[sister of a vet, who has to cope with a proportion of bad debts]

 

[MaryChristine]

[quote
I'm in the bad books at home for saying it would be cheaper to have her put down and buy a new dog.[/quote]

I asssumed this comment was facetious.

However you might like to consider the "start-up costs" of a new dog and find that the vet's estimate is not such a bad deal after all:

Euthanasia of present dog
Cost of the new dog (or generous donation to dog rescue organisation)
Vaccinations
Worming
Neutering
Training class
Replacement of ruined carpets
Replacement of chewed up shoes etc etc
Veterinary fees for removing bits of chewed up shoes etc etc from dog's intestines
Insurance or a large sum of money put in a savings account labelled Veterinary Fees to avoid this dilemma in future

Of course you might end up paying £400+ for treatment which proves unsuccessful AND the new dog's costs but hey! life's a gamble and there are no guarantees. :wink:

Best wishes
MaryChristine

 

[Spiral]

The neighbours have been spoken to several times and I've cut down on what I feed her.

Oh dear. I think you may need to invest in a higher fence and some rapidly growing plants.

I'd suggest that throwing waste food in to your garden was antisocial behaviour and an issue for the waste management and environmental health people.

 

[jopar]

As with humans, an increased thrist and urinating can be a sign of diabetes, but a vet will be able to test for diabetes at consultation... (it was thought that my old spaniel might have this, alongside his infection, vet did the test proved negative)

I would suggest with your neighbours it obvious that your dog and your neighbour enjoy there little interaction (I know I had a neighbour who would share a cream cake with our dog on a saturday morning over the fence enjoyed by both) what I would do is buy some acceptable treats take them around, explain now the dog is an old you need to consider her weight and diet... But you be more than happy if they change to giving her/him the supplied treats setting the ration per day/treat, never know your luck the next lot of treats they might buy themselves

Flippent comments at times of stress....

Mind you it's not all about money, but by having the treatment carried out what are you going to put the dog through and what is the quaility of life is going to be for the dog durning and after the treatment?

I have in the past paid a lot to have my pet treated at the vets, but based on that the treatment required, once sorted the animal then could continual a pain free happy life, I have also refused treatment due to our cocker spaniel age 16 and felt that it was unfair to put an animal through an operation followed by chemo (if he survived the op in the first place)...