To put my dog down or not?

[cassanova]

So after 3 vet visits and countless over the counter treatments in the past 8 months or so, my dogs mange keeps coming back. The poor thing is suffering. Each time the mange reappears it seems to always come back worse and spread much quicker.

We can't keep up with the expense of the vet and their med costs, nor can we keep up with the over the counter products we've been purchasing from a reputable feed store that also has knowledge on mange, and other parasites.

The last time I was at the store, (Sunday) the owner said "maybe you should have her put down?"

I don't exactly relish this idea, but I don't know what else to do. I also already know the SPCA won't take her, so that's not even an option.

[drteeth]

It sucks that you have to make that choice.

[Relic]

How old is she?
I dunno, I hate to see animals suffer.. keeping them alive while they're suffering is kind of selfish in some ways..(though I absolutely do agree that putting an animal down is an exceedingly distressing thing).

I dont know much about mange but if there's hope of a recovery, then I'd keep fighting it to see if I could get a head of it, but if there's little hope and she's suffering and suffering, I'd do what's right for her

[CDweller]

I can't speak as to what you should do in this case- I'm sorry. I'm also extending my heartfelt best wishes for you and your dog in this situation. I just put down my cat three days ago, and I can tell you that it's an emotionally painful thing to go through (I had my beloved Fritz for 18+ years.)

I hope you can find someone to speak with about this situation, and hope that you and your animal buddy find some peace in whatever way it goes.

[jmattbassplaya]

I believe Jive went through something similar a while back. He might be a good person to ask his opinion of on this sort of thing.

Best of luck to you with this.

[UncleFluffy]

It's a heartbreaker to put an animal down. I usually cry (and I'm a big hairy metalhead ) My sympathies.

Other than during mange outbreaks, is she happy and enjoying life?

The mites have to come from somewhere ... where's the re-infection coming from? Are there other dogs with mites around, or the possibility that there's an infestation somewhere in your home? I'm asking because maybe sending her on vacation for a few months with a trusted friend may be a worthwhile experiment.

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by UncleFluffy

It's a heartbreaker to put an animal down. I usually cry (and I'm a big hairy metalhead ) My sympathies.

Other than during mange outbreaks, is she happy and enjoying life?

The mites have to come from somewhere ... where's the re-infection coming from? Are there other dogs with mites around, or the possibility that there's an infestation somewhere in your home? I'm asking because maybe sending her on vacation for a few months with a trusted friend may be a worthwhile experiment.

+1, I have seen a few cases of this clear up fine, there is a re-infection coming from somewhere maybe. Apparently the mites have a very short lifespan away from a host, it's usually spread by direct contact with other dogs. Sorry to hear about that, it's a miserable condition for them, I hope it gets better.

[warwick.hoy]

I owned a cat that had idiopathic cystitis,...same deal,...he was suffering and I couldn't afford the treatments, plus his frequent urination in inappropriate places was destroying our rented apartment. I thought about adopting him out but I would have done so fully disclosing his care requirements.

I exhausted every means at my disposal,...medication,...friggen pheromone aroma therapy and nothing worked. I knew no one would take him because of his condition and I knew that me not making a decision was being selfish, but I didn't wanna put the cat down because it seemed to be the easy way out. In the end it was way harder to have him put to sleep then to keep him around, but putting him to sleep is what I chose to do.

He was only seven and really too young to be put to sleep,...but ultimately it was best for him and best for my family.

[lowendfriend]

Originally Posted by CDweller

I can't speak as to what you should do in this case- I'm sorry. I'm also extending my heartfelt best wishes for you and your dog in this situation. I just put down my cat three days ago, and I can tell you that it's an emotionally painful thing to go through (I had my beloved Fritz for 18+ years.)

I hope you can find someone to speak with about this situation, and hope that you and your animal buddy find some peace in whatever way it goes.

My sympathies....I put my 13 y.o. cat down years ago. I got him as a kitten in college so the connection was very strong. I cried like a baby that day and 30 years later it still brings a tear to my eyes. He had a wonderful life though...RIP Fuzzer....

[Radical Edward]

Does your dog have Sarcoptic or Demodectic mange?
What does the vet advise? What meds is your dog on? How old is she? Does she seem to be in a lot of pain to you, or just in mild pain from time to time? How extensive is the hair loss ( if any) ?

Really, no one but you can make that decision, but without knowing any of the answers to the questions above I couldn't really give any advice other that to maybe get a second opinion from a different vet. Oftentimes when a condition is getting worse or not improving with one vet, another person looking at it can give a different perspective on things and may be able to offer different treatments.

Also, people can also get "mange" from dogs having it, and you should make sure everyone in your household is washing their hands thoroughly after touching your dog.

The "mites" that cause mange can live in bedding and flooring and keep breeding and populating. Revolution and Frontline make sprays that should be sprayed on any and all bedding, carpeting, etc the dog comes in contact with.
Also, if she's an outside dog consider keeping her from tall grass or really sandy areas where they tend to be because of contact with other animals who have it.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.

[cassanova]

Originally Posted by Radical Edward

Does your dog have Sarcoptic or Demodectic mange?
What does the vet advise? What meds is your dog on? How old is she? Does she seem to be in a lot of pain to you, or just in mild pain from time to time? How extensive is the hair loss ( if any) ?

Really, no one but you can make that decision, but without knowing any of the answers to the questions above I couldn't really give any advice other that to maybe get a second opinion from a different vet. Oftentimes when a condition is getting worse or not improving with one vet, another person looking at it can give a different perspective on things and may be able to offer different treatments.

Also, people can also get "mange" from dogs having it, and you should make sure everyone in your household is washing their hands thoroughly after touching your dog.

The "mites" that cause mange can live in bedding and flooring and keep breeding and populating. Revolution and Frontline make sprays that should be sprayed on any and all bedding, carpeting, etc the dog comes in contact with.
Also, if she's an outside dog consider keeping her from tall grass or really sandy areas where they tend to be because of contact with other animals who have it.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.

She's about a year old. Don't know the names of the meds she was put on because I've thrown out the bottles after her dosage was completed. What I do remember about them is they were all a liquid and she needed 50cc from a syringe. The over the counter stuff is called Country Vet Sulfa Med and some lotion called Nu Stock. I was also bathing her in a tea tree oil shampoo. Only reason I remember that is because of the frequency I have to buy it all. The Nu Stock stuff claims to kill all mites on contact.

She only appears to be in pain when symptoms are present. When the symptoms aren't present she's quite lively and seems very content. Can't afford to do a second opinion from another vet due to financial reasons or I would.

As for the bedding being cleaned. She doesn't have any official type bedding. She's only allowed in one bedroom. Other than that, she gets full range of the house. The carpets have all been steam cleaned. So, I'd think that would take care of any mites left in it. Though, I could be very wrong about that.

We're also going to be setting off a bunch of bug bombs in the house on Wednesday in hopes that it will kill the mites (and some spiders) in the house.

[farbeyondwillie]

You could try solarcane. I have a jack Russell that is an outside only dog. Last summer her skin around her feet got inflamed and swollen. I tried a couple of different things but solarcane worked the best. I also had another dog that lost all the hair around it's ears because of mange but that cleared up after a few weeks (like my vet said). I don't know much but if it is to painful for the dog and the issue doesn't go away I'd really consider having it put down. But if you can get the mange to go away I wouldn't put it to sleep. I just wouldn't want any of my animals to be in pain when they don't have to be. Trust me though it sucks having to put your buddy down.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Take out a loan and see another vet. She is only a year old. Try everything you can.

My .02

[ryco]

If she were mine I'd exhaust every possibility. Have you investigated any natural treatments for itchy skin?

Sometimes it can be food allergies. It's a little expensive, but your vet can gave her allergy panels, it may be she's allergic to her food.

[Selta]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

Take out a loan and see another vet. She is only a year old. Try everything you can.

My .02

Originally Posted by ryco

If she were mine I'd exhaust every possibility. Have you investigated any natural treatments for itchy skin?

Sometimes it can be food allergies. It's a little expensive, but your vet can gave her allergy panels, it may be she's allergic to her food.

Both of these, for sure.

[TheSuzie]

I know nothing about mange but I'm thinking good thoughts for both of you.

[totallyfrozen]

Originally Posted by cassanova

So after 3 vet visits and countless over the counter treatments in the past 8 months or so, my dogs mange keeps coming back. The poor thing is suffering. Each time the mange reappears it seems to always come back worse and spread much quicker.

We can't keep up with the expense of the vet and their med costs, nor can we keep up with the over the counter products we've been purchasing from a reputable feed store that also has knowledge on mange, and other parasites.

The last time I was at the store, (Sunday) the owner said "maybe you should have her put down?"

I don't exactly relish this idea, but I don't know what else to do. I also already know the SPCA won't take her, so that's not even an option.

IF you have the money, my opinions are:
1) Take the dog to another vet to get a 2nd opinion (just like you would go to another pediatrician for your child).
2) You might need prescription medications at this point since the OTC meds aren't getting the job done.

Personally, I wouldn't rush to put her down until I've gotten a 2nd opinion from a veteranarian--not a feed store owner--and tried some other, stronger medications.

Not to mention, am I misunderstanding this? Are you making life & death decisions for your puppy based on the opinion of a feed store owner? Would you take medical advice for your child from the clerk at the grocery store?
You see how careless and ill-advised that sounds?

She's only about ONE year old! She still a puppy! I would be VERY hesitant to put my PUPPY down (unless she had rabies). Don't give up her yet.

My vote: do NOT put her down yet.

[Radical Edward]

Originally Posted by cassanova

She's about a year old. Don't know the names of the meds she was put on because I've thrown out the bottles after her dosage was completed. What I do remember about them is they were all a liquid and she needed 50cc from a syringe. The over the counter stuff is called Country Vet Sulfa Med and some lotion called Nu Stock. I was also bathing her in a tea tree oil shampoo. Only reason I remember that is because of the frequency I have to buy it all. The Nu Stock stuff claims to kill all mites on contact.

She only appears to be in pain when symptoms are present. When the symptoms aren't present she's quite lively and seems very content. Can't afford to do a second opinion from another vet due to financial reasons or I would.

As for the bedding being cleaned. She doesn't have any official type bedding. She's only allowed in one bedroom. Other than that, she gets full range of the house. The carpets have all been steam cleaned. So, I'd think that would take care of any mites left in it. Though, I could be very wrong about that.

We're also going to be setting off a bunch of bug bombs in the house on Wednesday in hopes that it will kill the mites (and some spiders) in the house.

There are medicated baths that your vet should be applying themselves. In severe cases a lye-based bath is sometimes necessary. Some can be sold over the counter as "Lym-bath" or similar names. If your dog is a herding dog, she may have an allergy to this and the injections from you vet which I suspect are "Ivermectin" shots. Also, depending on her breed Revolution can work wonders and would vary by weight from $6.00 - $24.00. Either way, cheaper than putting her down.
Another different option might be to try an "Amitraz" dip, which should be applied by your vet, though I think some states sell it over the counter.
Follow through with the vet, to the best of your ability but if your dog is a mixed breed, or you suspect she might have any herding breed present in her that could be the reason the Ivermectin isn't working. It can actually cause allergic reactions in those breeds. Make sure any time she has an outbreak that you record when it started, her exact symptoms, and any changes you've noticed in her throughout treatment, to assure that your vet is up to date with everything going on with her.
I suspect that she has Demodecic mange, as it's more common in younger dogs and harder to treat, but it IS treatable. I suggest trying the Revolution and asking your vet about some of the products I've named here. If you have any other questions you feel I could help with, please feel free to message me here and I'll help out where I can.
-Best of luck.

** EDIT** Make sure that if you "bug bomb" the house, that your do not allow her into the home until at least 48 hours after bombing. If there seems to be residue on anything she would come into contact with, throw it out instad and give anything you can a good cleaning. The poison in those bombs can end up doing more damage than good, especially if her immune system is weakened by the mange. Take any toys, treats, food, leashes, bowls, etc and zip them up in baggies and, as an extra precaution I would even take them outside just to be sure, if you can. Let me know how things go.**

[yellofury]

always listen to a good vet NEVER some guy at a feed store
theres a reason why vets earn a veterinary medicine DOCTORATE degree

1 year old is way too young to put a dog down for something that can be remedied
if enough actions are taken by you and the vet
get a second opinion

My dog had some crazy allergies around the 1 year mark
and yes I spend a crapload of money
I was poor and in college but the dog (like a child) was my responsibility
he was mine and under my care so I sucked it up and got him all kinds of treatment

My dog Jaco (yes I named him Jaco) is still kicking it today at 13 years old
at an age where most beagles are long gone
for some reason every time we take him to the vet they tell us hes doing awesome
he has issues like thyroid and diabetes but he is still going strong

I am so glad I took all the options when he was little
and now he has lived long enough to be around to witness the birth of our first baby girl

Please get a second opinion and try all the options available first
Jaco approves this message

[cassanova]

Right now, I'm with the camp of not putting her down just yet. I'm especially, not going to put her down based [b]solely[b] on someone at a feed store bringing it up. Others here at the house, and some close friends whose opinions I trust, have also suggested putting her down if it recurs again, prior to me going to the feed store. So, it's not like the store owner put out an idea that wasn't discussed yet.

With as bad as her mange is, a tube of that Nu Stock stuff lasts about 2 weeks. It has always shown improvement in her condition to the point where you'd never know she had mange. I suspect this time will be no different. I'm hoping that I/we can scrape up enough money to be able to afford another vet visit once the tube runs dry. If I can't, then I don't know what I'll do as of yet.

As for taking out a loan to be able to get the money to obtain a vet. Sorry, but that's just not going to happen. I know it might sound like a dick move to some, but I'm/we're already in debt and trying to stay current on bills, while catching up on past due ones. I cannot afford to risk defaulting on a loan just to try and heal my dog. Nobody hear at the house can. My friends do not have the kind of money that a vet would require either. Already asked most of them, and it's been a no go.

So this all puts me and my family back to square one again when that tube runs out and the mange resurfaces in force again. It's a crappy situation that I just don't think will have a good ending for the dog. The only other option I can think of is trying to find her a good home with a family that can afford to take her to a vet whenever needed. I'd feel a bit crappy about doing that to them though without disclosing she has repeat bouts with Demodectic Mange.

Also found out late last night from the person that gave me the dog, that every other owner she knows with from a pup from that litter is also experiencing recurrent mange problems.