how old is too old

Question
my dog is 13half and she is starting to pee herself,while she is sleeping. and pooping sometimes in the house. and has yellow discharge coming from here noseat what point do i say this is the end.dont know what to do? other  medical issue. cats in here eyes and going deaf. the list gets longer

Answer

Hi Karen,

A dog's breed or size must be considered when you're talking age. A 13 year old Chihuahua may not to seem as "old" as German Shepard that's the same age.

Before jumping to the conclusion that you need to put your dog to sleep, you should have her examined by your vet to rule out a medical reason for the problem. It's really common for older female dogs to develop urinary tract infections, and also urinary/bowl incontinence. The treatment might be as simple as giving a pill! Yellow nasal discharge probably means an infection, again, your vet will need to examine your dog. You shouldn't put it off having your dog examined. It can mean a less complicated and less expensive treatment.

Until your dog is checked by a doctor, take her outside more often, and give her absorbant, washable bedding. Puppy house breaking pads might be helpful.

It sounds like your cats also need to be seen by a doctor. Just as children sometimes need to see a doctor, so do the pets we keep. If you are having trouble affording veterinary care, first talk to your regular vet. Ask your veterinarian 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. If that doesn't work, contact your local shelter or Humane Society. Some shelters operate or know of local subsidized veterinary clinics or veterinary assistance programs. You could also check with veterinary schools in your state to see if they offer discount services to the public. You could ask your employer for an advance on your salary. If you happen to belong to a church or synagogue, they might have funds available to help members of their congregation in financial need.

When all else fails, you can apply for a special credit card that can be used for medical bills, including veterinary care. Read about this here:

Care Credit:  http://www.carecredit.com

Citi Healthcard:  http://www.healthcard.citicards.com

The following organizations provide financial assistance to pet owners in need. Please keep in mind that each organization is independent and has their own set of rules and guidelines. Therefore you will have to investigate each one separately to determine if you qualify for assistance:

http://www.thepetfund.com/application/

http://www.angels4animals.org/

http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/

http://www.piggerspals.org/index.html

http://www.vet-i-care.org/

http://shakespeareanimalfund.org/

This charity is just for senior citizens: http://www.help-a-pet.org


Best of luck,

Patti