Please pray for my DOG

[Scrappy_Tink]

I've read numerous threads and commented on some on this particular part of the Disboards...and please I don't want anyone to be offended or think me frivolous because of my worries and concerns about my dog, I'm just not sure where else to post this.

I know so many of you have children and spouses, or yourselves are facing horrible gut-wrenching difficulties each day, and what I'm going to write is going to seem so trivial that I wouldn't blame anyone one for flaming me, but I'm at such a delimina about my pet.

I have a beautiful yellow lab, Max, who I refer to as my "furry" son. He has been with me through my ups and downs for the last 10 years, and has always given me his paw when I've felt blue, or let me cry on his big floppy ears. His "favorite" is his big stuffed duck, that he just "happens" to want to play and squeek every time me and DH decide to sit and watch a movie. He's ridiculously funny and loveable.

He's recently has come up with this condition, where he constantly drools. There is always a line of slobber going from his face to the floor...and heaven forbid if he shakes his head, it flys EVERYWHERE. I wipe slobber off our walls, TV. Our furniture has trails of what looks like snail slime on it. He's ruining our furniture and I can't even escape the house to go to work in the mornings without having slime somewhere on my clothings.

I took him to the vet, who cannot find a thing wrong with him...she just said it's probably just because he's getting old. I just don't see how this can be normal in any way.

I'm to the point now where I'm considering putting him down, which fills me with such anxiety. I wouldn't do this with a PERSON if they "inconvenienced" me with their illness. He's so loving and there are no other problems. I just can't take the constant wiping down walls, wiping clothes before work, and trying to clean the furniture. I've gotten to where I resent everytime he shakes his head because it'll hit me in the face, or there's another big blob on the wall.

I know many of you that I'm sure have MANY more difficult messes to clean up after loved ones, and do it every day and cope and love. i feel dumb even writing this.

Yes, I do know the difference between people and dogs, I think part of what I feel so guilty about is...what if it was my child/parent/spouse, that was "inconveniencing" me by this mess? Am I such a shallow person that I'd let their messes make me want to "get rid of them" too?

Can anyone help me put this into perspective? BTW, there is NO way Max could become an "outside" dog...even if it meant prolonging his life. It would truely hurt him so bad if he couldn't be around "his" people all the time

could someone please help me come to terms with what I can do about him?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I just erased my whole post and am starting from scratch again.

I was going to say that some dogs drool and slobber naturally and that I'd confine the dog to a relatively small area like a bathroom or kitchen for now (as opposed to having the run of the house) and that I'd see a veterinary ENT to explore medical solutions to decrease secretions and possibly even surgical options to remove salivary glands before I considered euthanization.

Then I started searching around for some meds I knew decreased secretions and I began to come across some articles that made me rethink it.

I now feel pretty sure that something is going on with the dog in terms of either an illness or something like a pathology to the mouth and throat area, etc.

Here's an example of what I mean:
http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/pregastric/salivary.html

Diseases of the salivary glands and ducts are not uncommon in animals and man, and excessive salivation is a symptom of almost any lesion in the oral cavity. The dripping of saliva seen in rabid animals is not actually a result of excessive salivation, but due to pharyngeal paralysis, which prevents saliva from being swallowed.

This may explain not only the exessive drooling but also the shaking of his head if something is bothering him.

You NEED to get another opinion. Do you have a veterinary college with medical center near where you live?

Hang in there. This isn't the dog's fault and I think he's got something going on. You need to get busy to get him the right help. I do think there's help available but you may need to work hard to find it. Good luck.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

There aren't too many veterinary ENTs around, but Colorado State Univ veterinary school and hospital has surgeons who do head and neck surgery and would be equally qualified to evaluate your dog. They also offer oncology and other medical care services if those are needed. You can self refer.

http://csuvth.colostate.edu/small_animal/soft_tissue_surgery/

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Thank you both for your replies...I KNOW it's not "normal", and it was rather insulting to me when the vet said nothing was wrong. He's been in my life for 10 years and has never done this before, don't tell me it's normal. I know some dog breeds do this habitually, and I personally wouldn't own one that was known for constant drooling. I will have to check out the CO State Universary vet school, I didn't know that was around here! Thank you! Also, thanks for the advise too to keep him confined to a smaller area. Unfortunately, that's not an option, he'd literally tear through drywall if I tried something like that while we aren't home....he gets horrible separation anxiety as it is. When we first got him (he was a stray in our neighborhood), we tried crating him, and it upset him so much that he tried to chew his way out and tore his mouth up.

I know compared to other's illness' and problems this seems so minor, but he IS a part of our family and it tears me up that I don't know what's going on. The odd thing is, he doesn't seem sick in any other way...he plays, eats, and potties the same as he always has.

 

[mommasita]

I would get another opinion. I know our pets are our family, and this is something I had to do years ago with my dog. It actually saved his life. I can't remember now what he had, but my regular vet had told me he had a live ending disease. We went to another vet, and it was treatable, it took a while, but he was fine for a few years.

I don't think this sounds trivial. We are all dealing with things, some harder than others, but they are all hard for the one going through it.

I am hoping and thinking of you and your furbaby.

 

[minkydog]

I had a Saint Bernard when i was young. OMG, the slobber! I don't know how my parents stood it. But they did, we all did.What a mess. No need to apologize. We understand. I had to put down my Minkydog last week after a brief but acute illness, so I really feel your distress. I would get a second opinion first, before I'd consider putting your dog down. Excessive drooling is a mess, but it's probably not life-threatening. However, you do need to find out the cause. There has to be some medication or other intervention that would help this. Heck, my 16yo son has excessive drooling--we have him on an antidepressant specifically because it dries up his mouth. I'm sure there must be something similar for dogs.

 

[DisneyFairytale]

The posters have already posted this advice, but I would get another opinion at another vet. I refuse to think that he went from being normal, to drooling like this. Something HAS changed even if its benign. I would definitely go get another opinion.

 

[quasar4legs]

I'm with the others that a second opinion is worthwhile so that you can be sure what you are facing.

Our dogs are a big part of our lives and I hope something can be done for your furbaby.

Quasar

 

[cathypa]

Same here get a second opinion.Our vet was giving up on our dog but I wasn't ready. I then took him to a animal hospital & they ran tests & he lived another couple of years. They found the trouble put him on meds & he was good. He passed at age 17. We were very lucky to get another opinion.Good luck he is worth it.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Thank you everyone for your compassion and replies!! I'm setting up an appointment for a 2nd opinion tomorrow. The 1st vet said there was some type of medication they give animals before surgery to dry out their mouth, but that wouldn't be a good choice, I think it'd just make him excessively thirsty and dehydrate him! It's really hard, living in a new area, finding a good vet. One of my co-workers suggested his vet, so I'm going to give him a try....the Vet Universary sounded like a good idea, but I looked it up, and it's in Ft. Collins, which is hours away. We'll see what the 2nd vet says first.

Looking for "Squirrel Squirrel" with Dad

No Dogs on the Bed!!! (Don't ask, Don't tell)

Thank you again everyone....Max, the world's biggest "Lap dog" thanks you too.

 

[quasar4legs]

Oh, max is one gorgeous furbaby.

Good luck tomorrow, hope the new vet can help.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

He's so cute! Hope the doctor visit went well!

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Thank you guys....we are getting our second opinion at 3:00 this afternoon. I think he has gotten worse. Maybe not drool-wise, but he's not his usual happy self. He's a "smiling" lab, and he hasn't smiled in ages, and just doesn't seem happy.

He's not "normally" allowed on the bed (he's a real HOG!!), but I let him up on it last night, I just sensed he needed it (or maybe that was just me?) My husband woke up, like "What's the deal?" (not that he really cares, this is the man that gets up early on Saturday mornings to bake Max his "cookies" for the week)

Please pray for us this afternoon...I'll let you'all know what happens.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Here's a picture of Max with one of his goofy grins on his face. This pic was taken Christmas before last. And, yeah, he IS sitting in my son's lap!!

 

[DisneyFairytale]

Keep us posted of what they say.

 

[quasar4legs]

Good luck at the vet

Quasar

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Well, still nothing definitive....tho I liked this Vet MUCH better. She's starting by treating him, like he has gastric reflux ( tho not a diagnosis yet) a bland diet,pepcid, and an antibiotic for some gingivitis. she says sometimes they will drool like that if they are nauseaous. If that dosnt work, then she will have to do move evasive testing, which she was honest about could get quite expensive (like X-rays, putting a tube down his throat to see if there are tumors, etc). Right now we will have to play it out for a week and see how he does. Thank you all for your concern and support!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hang in there. He is beautful, but I must say...

That is one HUGE head!!

 

[quasar4legs]

Well, still nothing definitive....tho I liked this Vet MUCH better. She's starting by treating him, like he has gastric reflux ( tho not a diagnosis yet) a bland diet,pepcid, and an antibiotic for some gingivitis. she says sometimes they will drool like that if they are nauseaous. If that dosnt work, then she will have to do move evasive testing, which she was honest about could get quite expensive (like X-rays, putting a tube down his throat to see if there are tumors, etc). Right now we will have to play it out for a week and see how he does. Thank you all for your concern and support!

I am glad you liked the vet and I do hope it turns out to be an easy to treat problem, he is a beautiful dog
I shall keep my fingers crossed for you all.

Quasar

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Hang in there. He is beautful, but I must say...

That is one HUGE head!!

If I only had a nickle from everyone that has made a comment about his big head, I'd be rich!! He was a "stray", so we don't know his true parentage, so no telling where he got that big head from....he also looks like he needs a major facelift! More to love though...and unfortunately more to drool.....everytime he shakes his head we are all like this