sick dog!!!! HELP!!!!

Question
I have a 6 year old chuahuaua, about a month ago i noticed a rash on his side that was about a half dollar in size it was dark wiht the inner area reddish and swollen.  I cleaned it with peroxide and applied neosporin, it seemed to go away in two days, about two weeks later another appeared but had the appearance of a scrape with a scab on it i treated it the same way and again it seemed to go away.  Now about 4 days ago he had been sneezing and "reverse sneezing" for a day. then he has been acting very very lethargic, loss of appetite, not drinking water, refusing to go outside, refusing to even stand up when i try to force him to stand he just lays right back down. he also has been licking the air around him like he has a sore throat?? now he seems unable to lay his head down he keeps trying to but picks it right back up again.  I took him to a vet today but the doctor didnt give me any answers except the fact that she thinks he has a heart murmur, and told me it would be $400 for blood work, and exrays ( which i do not have). and that was all she said.  she did nothing to address his current problems and now tonight he seems to be getting worse.  What do you suggest i do???  I am desperate as I can NOT afford another vet visit!
thank you for any help you can offer me.  debra mangino

Answer
Hi Debra!

I'm terribly sorry to hear that your dog is ill.

The unfortunate thing is that are times sometimes your pet needs a costly medical procedure. Unexpected medical emergency can present a major financial dilemma for an unprepared pet owner. Here are some things you can try to find the care your dog needs:

Ask the vet if he or she will let you work out a payment plan. Many veterinarians are willing to work out a weekly or monthly payment plan so that you do not have to pay the entire cost of veterinary care up front.

Contact the regional office of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) that covers your state. Their regional office staff is often familiar with organizations and personnel within their territory and may be able to direct you to programs for low-income households in your area.

Contact your local animal shelter or SPCA. Some shelters operate or know of local subsidized veterinary clinics or veterinary assistance programs. You can find the name and number of your local shelter in the Yellow Pages of your phone book under "animal shelter," "animal control," or "humane society," or by calling Information.

If you have a specific breed of dog, contact the National Club for that breed. In some cases, these clubs offer a veterinary financial assistance fund.

Use your credit card. Ask for a higher credit limit or a cash advance.

Do you happen to live near either of these two vet hospitals:

The Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital in Denver CO, has been a pioneer in the effort to make affordable pet health care accessible to low-income citizens. Their web site is: http://www.hmah.org/

The Animal Rescue League Medical Center in Washington DC is modeled after the Harrison clinic, and has offers similar services to low-income residents of the Washington metropolitan area. Their web site is here: http://www.warl.org/about/medicalcenter.php

The two hospitals are the only ones in the country that are exclusively for low-income pet owners.

The League of Arlington VA, makes small no-interest loans to low-income pet owners who need emergency vet care for their pets but cannot afford the costs up-front.

Reverse sneeze may seem alarming, but it is not a harmful condition, and there are no ill effects. The predisposition to this is thought to be hereditary, particularly in smaller breeds because of the decreased diameter of their tracheas. If your dog occasionally has this, do not worry that you need to be there to help each time it happens. A dog is able to come out of an attack of reverse sneezing without help and will not suffer permanent damage.

Your dog might be sneezing (regular sneezing)just because there is a lot of pollen or dust in the air. Unless you see colored discharge coming from his nose there is really no cause for concern.

I can't say what the skin condition is, perhaps it's an allergic reaction associated in some way to the sneezing. Try to keep it clean and dry, so that a bacterial or yeast infection can't take hold.

Not drinking water and acting lethargic is more serious, perhaps it's the heart murmur. You should at the very least call the vet's office and describe the symptoms, to see if they feel an office visit is needed. At that time mention the dog's sore, the inability for the dog to stand and the "air licking".

If the dog is getting worse the doctor will want to know. Perhaps it means something to the doctor that wasn't present when the dog was examined.

I hope this has been helpful and I wish you the best of luck!Please keep me posted and give that Chuahaua millions of kisses for me!Sending wagging tails your way!
Nicole