How can I help a dog I can't? :(

[recessionisnotfun]

I need some suggestions please. A dear friend of mine called me today. He just turned 65 and is on pension. He has 0 money, he has to go to the foodbank to survive. He is too body messed to do even any small jobs. He can barely move his hands. He has no family and only a couple of friends. He is a sweet man and has always treated me like gold. Heres the sad part..
He's got a dog, it's his only companion. She is older, 13 years. It's a bichon cross with something.
He called tonight in tears broke my heart. he said her lil bum hole doesn't look right. She had a small piece of feces stuck in her fur again. She was just given a shave 2 weeks ago, so not much hair. He looked at her bottom closely and dabbed it with toilet paper. He said there was a bit of blood coming out. He said her bum hasn't looked normal for a couple of weeks now, he said it looks bigger, and kinda looks like a outy belly button on a human. She is still eating drinking etc and acting normal, but her bum just doesn't look right. He is so upset, that's his own companion in life. She needs to go see the vet, but he has nothing, no money.
Normally I would just go pick up the dog no questions asked, but we just can't do it now. Any ideas what he can do? The vet won't take payments.
Any ideas what we can do (hubby and I) to try to help him? This is killing me, so I can't imagine how this is for him. Please, if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks

[nadiabreckon]

Sometimes the local SPCA will assist with helping those who can't afford vet costs... A friend had a cat who needed help, and her family was low-income and the SPCA took her cat in and brought him to the vet to make him better... HOWEVER (and you may not like this part), they may wish to either adopt him to a family who can afford vet costs, or have the pooch euthanized if nothing can be done seeing as the dog is a senior... I know it's a tough decision, our old dog was almost 13yrs old and had arthritis and was going blind. We took her to the vet and they told us how much medicatio for her arthritis would cost, and we had to make the hard decision to put her to sleep... It was the hardest decision I have ever had to make in my life, but I knew her quality of life just wasn't there anymore, and the medicine would not have made her get any younger, just prolong her illness for my sake, not hers...

I hope you are able to help your friend out, pets are a very important part of people's lives, and sometimes are viewed as their kids, as my pets are!

[recessionisnotfun]

Thank you nadia. That would kill him to have her put to sleep over money. I was thinking maybe it is just her anal glands.? I have a bichon shi tzu and she used to have a lot of problems with her bum, she had to have surgery when she was around 2 years old. I'm not sure what his dog is mixed with, looks a lot like mine. I don't know if it's the bichon or the shizu breed that gives anal gland problems, or both breeds.
I just wish we could help him at least to get her bum checked, then he knows. She is her normal self (for a older dog) gets hyper whenever we come over, licks, jumps etc, so I am assuming it can't be anything major....I hope. I just feel for the poor man. She is his world. He babies her. I've been up all night thinking, maybe I will call the spca here. I feel for you having to put your dog down Mine will be 15 years old in a few days. She's still fiesty lol, losing her hearing and vision I have noticed the last few month, but otherwise still a badass trouble maker lol.

[croman7]

This makes me really sad! I am not able to offer any advice or money, although i'd love to...but i really want to hear how this story goes! I currently have a cocker-pug with a skin rash, and I've been trying every home remedy under the sun because i just can't afford to go to a vet. i know it's not life threatening, but i'm terrified if something were to happen to my babies while i'm still in this financial situation... It makes me sick to think about it. Hopefully somewhere will be able to help him out for free or cheap becasue of his financial situation.
Actually, i did have a minor idea... Maybe you could call a local radio station and see if they're offering any "wishes" type things (i know hot 103 in winnipeg used to have a "wish list" where you nominate someone and they grant their wish...it's not running right now though...)
What city is your friend in? I have some extra dog food that i would be willing to share to help cut costs in other ways, if he's near me. I'm in Winnipeg. PM me if there's anything I can do to help!!

[Andit]

It could be anal glands - did the groomer say anything when the dog was last in? They see lots of dogs & would better know if something looks off.

A friend of mine has a dog with what might be a tumor in his anal glands (he's a 75+ lbs lab/shepherd mix). Started as a small lump, now it's an open sore. Her vet wanted to do surgery (at a cost of $3000) with no guarantee he'd get better. I suggested she wash the spot with saline solution (fancy term for salt water) every time they came in from a walk until she got a second opinion. My vet told her that they could operate, but that if the tumor is cancerous, the cancer would spread faster. He suggested the same thing I did - saline solution & keep an eye on the dog.

This started last fall & the dog is still his usual bouncy self, although he does have to wear pants when she takes him to family for visits (his tail wags so quickly that the sore bleeds). She knows eventually she'll have to make a hard decision, but so far so good.

[Jody22002]

Sounds more like she is constipated and has a little something stuck.

Call the Humane Society or anything around you like that and explain the story. Around here, if you can't manage financially, they will help out by paying the vet costs.

[Mrsb07]

There are many videos online showing how to express the anal glands. It's not hard to do, just kinda gross. If the glands are fine, maybe try something for constipation. If it's not either of those, he'll probably need to find some way to get vet help. I know there are some charities that help with vet bills, you'll have to do some searching to see whats available locally.

[snuffaluffagus]

Do not try to manually express the anal glands on this dog! It sounds like she has rectal prolapse and needs to see a vet asap. Have you called your local SPCA to see if they can help? Would you mind telling me what area you are in? (you can pm me if you wish) and I'll see if I know anyone/an organization that can help.

Thank you for wanting to help her and her human .


ETA: If you are in Ontario, you can try the Farley Foundation http://www.farleyfoundation.org/about_farley/index.html

[avoncallingu]

Sometimes vets also have people who donate to help animals and their owners pay for vet care - it wouldn't hurt to call the local vets and explain on behalf of your friend.

[secheltsaver]

A rectal prolapse is when the inside sticks outside,and the tissue is quite different from a normal "bum hole".It'd be bright red.He didn't mention that,thankfully.It sounds like the dog is probably constipated,and has some bleeding and swelling from trying to pass the hardened stool.A backlog of unpassed stool can press against the external spincter and cause bulging from pressure.Has the dog been straining when having a bm,and is it pooping as much as it normally does or are the stools small and dry?
Winter often means less exercise,and a desire to go inside asap,increasing the chance of constipation.When my gf inherited an eldery lhasapoo she had a similar problem,and the vet told her to add olive oil and pumpkin puree to the diet and get the dog outside more often.It worked.Since the vet isn't an immediate option,and the dog isn't in any distress I'd try this first to see if it helps.

[MrsSunshine]

our old poodle used to rub her bum along the carpet before she needed her glands 'emptied' sounds like this dog needs it too. plus a little cleanup. im so sorry your friend is having a rough time. if I or anyone can help with his situation let us know. pet food coupons, donations, def. contact your local SPCA even here they help out those on low incomes. no questions asked. really hope everything works out. let us know. i know exactly what a PP said. putting them down is the hardest thing to do. did it myself 20+ years ago. held her paw til the end. then bawled like a baby. she was my everything!!!

[recessionisnotfun]

Thank you everyone for your replies and pm's You all are so wonderful!! I will pass on the info to him. Thank you as well for all the dog food coupon offers I know he has dog food as he buys huge banks in bulk. But Thank you to those who offered. I REALLY appreciate it, and I know this senior will as well when I tell him the pm's I received xoxox

[recessionisnotfun]

My son has 120.00 saved, and he has offered to give the money to him for the vet sniff lol, but we told him we will wait and see what we do

[MortgageQueen]

I'll donate $10 bucks. (To add to your sons- recessionisnotfun)It makes me sick when there are such loving wonderful owners and something like this happens. One cheap and no side affect therapy, is to dab a little caster oil on the area. It draws toxins out. . . but try not to let Fido lick it as it can have a laxitive affect too if taken internally.
I agree about the pumpkin puree and also, if any one has a good quality Probiotic. . .just a few capsules. . .that could be a tremendous help too. Check the bottle. The "best" say that the 5 million or so bacteria should be "alive" at due date. The crappy ones say the bacteria is "alive" at "packaging date"
Definitely try the local SPCA and animal aid and Rescue Breed clubs.
I would give more help but I just spent $500 of my mortgage money on my kitty. .

[recessionisnotfun]

Ohhhhh Queen. I don't even know what to say to you. You totally took me off guard. I REALLLLLY appreciate your generous offer, however I will have to decline. I cannot accept money. I was just hoping for answers and suggestions as to what it might be. When I posted this thread, my brain was racked out of ideas as to what it may be, and I know there is a lot of major animal lovers on here, so thought someone might know.
Thank you Queen for your beautiful thought and gesture, I will never forget it!!!

Sorry to hear about your cat, may I ask what was wrong with her? Is she ok now??
If worse comes to worse, we will skip our morgage or bill payment if she gets worse. I will see how she does