my miniature poodle is having troubles with his nose...

Question
my miniature podle is five years old. well normally he is a happy go lucky pup but today he's got a problem. for most of the day he was acting fine, but then was acting funny. upon investigatgion i noticed that one of his nostrils were swollen and he was licking it alot. he seemed as though he was dehydrated so we tried to get some water down. my daughter took a cotton swab and gently cleaned out his nostril. i unfortunately do not have the funds at this time to take him to his vet, is there anything i should be doing for toby until i can get him to the vet or is this something that will be  fine on its own?

Answer

Hi Michelle,

Your dog might have something lodged in his nose, can you see if something is stuck in there?

I can't give you advice on treating your dog, because I don't know what his problem is, and neither do you. Treatment will vary depending on what the problem is, and prescription medication or antibiotics may be needed, something neither you nor I have access to. Giving our pets medical treatment by a doctor when it's needed, is part of our responsibility as pet owners.

If affording the vet visit is a problem, contact your regular vet, and ask of you can pay the bill off over an agreed upon period of time. You can also contact your local animal shelter or Humane Society to see if they know of any reduced cost vet clinics or or veterinary assistance programs in your area. Another option is to contact Care Credit at http://www.carecredit.com , or apply for a Citi Healthcard at http://www.healthcard.citicards.com . You can also ask your employer for a salary advance, or borrow the money from friends or family. Not providing your dog with the care he needs shouldn't be an option.

Best of luck,
Patti