Question by ilf rettub: In desperate need of advice. What would you do? A tough choice.?
The dog that I share custody of with my ex husband has severe allergies. Between special food, meds, and other products used to treat them, the general cost per month is AT LEAST $ 250. This average cost does not include any extra visits to the vet for infections or other complications secondary to the allergies. Nor does it include his annual regular check up, heartguard, or flea and tick prevention. My guess is after all that other stuff is taken into account and averaged out, the monthly cost would be somewhere around $ 350-400 a month to care for the dog.

The dog recently tore his ACL and needs surgery. Luckily the pet safety insurance I had bought for him will cover 80% of the cost. But despite that, this is where things get tough. My ex wants to go through with the surgery. I however feel that given his severe allergies and the fact that he has hip dysplasia with slight arthritis already (he’s only 4), that the best decision would be to put him down. After all, my ex and I are already struggling to keep our heads above water financially just from the allergies alone. But my ex won’t hear of it. He wants to not only go through with the surgery but he said he wants to take the dog permanently since I am completely against the surgery and want no part of it. Now, I know that my ex does not have an extra $ 400 just laying around every month. Heck, he just took a second job to make ends meet and he wasn’t even paying half of the dog’s bills as it were. He says that he will make it work at all costs, working more hours, giving up going out, eating out, cable ect… However I am so hesitant in giving up the dog knowing what it costs and extent of care that needs to be given to him in order to keep the allergies tolerable. He will chew himself bloody and bare, he will get major skin infections, and his hair will fall out if a strict regime isn’t followed. And let’s just say that my ex isn’t exactly the best at following it because it take a lot of time and dedication (baths every 4 to 6 days each lasting approximately 40 mins from start to finish to allow the special shampoo and conditioner to be in contact with his skin for the specified time).

So that’s my dilemma. Ultimately these are my choices:
1) Give the dog to my ex knowing that he is going to put him through the surgery (which I strongly don’t approve of), probably won’t care for his allergies as well as I do, and that my ex can’t exactly afford him at this point either. But I would be able to pay my bills but never see my dog again
2) Continue to share custody, and support the surgery but make my ex pay for whatever part of the surgery that isn’t covered, any follow-up appointments and any care related to the knee surgery, but split the rest of the bills evenly (which wasn’t happening previously), knowing that the dog is a complete money pit and that the bills are only going to continue and get bigger because of the hip dysplasia and arthritis.
3) Give the dog to my ex, but offer to pay maybe his food bill (about $ 125 a month) just so that I have a piece of mind that my ex will have enough money to care for the allergies and other necessary things that come with having a dog and then just not see the dog, or maybe still get to spend a little time with the dog but a lot since I’m not paying all that much to support him?

I just don’t know what to do. It would be great to have my ex husband out of my life forever, but I don’t want my dog to have a poor quality of life either. And since my ex is forcing this surgery do I just say screw him and not worry about my ex struggling to pay for the care of the dog? I know my ex loves this dog like crazy and is very good to him, but I just don’t know if giving him over is the right thing to do knowing what I know about the money factor when it comes to this dog. Not only that, but giving up my dog is obviously going to be really hard! But I so don’t support this surgery knowing what I do about his general health.

What would you do?! Please help me.

Putting the dog down without my ex’s consent is not an option, I could never live with myself.

Best answer:

Answer by kdoulos
Well, my dog has allergies as well, but not to that extent. Benedryl three times a day, Taste of the wild prarie recipe along with raw meats eggs and other tasty things, and brewer’s yest has him at his best again.
Owning a dog isn’t easy, and just like parents who have children with downs, you don’t just give up on them becasue they are a burden. Personally I’d tell your ex that he will be paying for the portion of the surgery, and somehow get it in writing. I wouldn’t give the dog to your ex. I can just see it now, he finds out he’s bitten off more than he can chew so he has the dog put down, and says something allergy related killed it or something equally bad.

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Question by T_RawRr: My dog has fleas and i need alternative treatments?
my dog has fleas and to got a spot on thing for him because the vet recommended it for him many years ago.(Advantage by bayer)

im sure ive put it on him right because its worked every other time

i only treat him when he actually gets fleas because its expensive (and my mum refuses to pay that much)

its been around 2 weeks since i put it on and it hasnt had much effect unlike the other times. i dont want to give him a flea bath because he usually bites his skin to its broken when its itchy (from allergies and stuff) so i dont want to put any cleaning stuff on broken skin

+ he is already wearing a tick collar for paralysis ticks and not fleas (other collars dont usually protect him from those type ticks or only last for 2 weeks) so id rather not use anymore pesticide treatment (ticks are common in my area and id rather not pay another $ 1300 vet bill if he gets tick poisoning)

any suggestions?
the spot on is meant to kill fleas around him as well

he has only been infesting 3-4 times in his 8 year life

Best answer:

Answer by Why So Serious?
vinegar. no lie

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Question by ? Amulet: Dog scratching, need help?
I left my dog home alone for an hour and when I came home I found that she had scratched herself so hard that her skin is now like a watermelon read color in 3 different places. I know she has allergies and she is taking medication for it.

Does anyone know of anything that I can do to help her skin heal and to keep her from scratching seeing as how 2 medications (atopica and prednisolone) have not worked for her?

Thank you for your help!

Best answer:

Answer by Krista
theres a dog shampoo that you can find at walmart.
its got oatmeal in it.
it calms and soothes their skin.
my dog had the same problem.
it helps.

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Question by twilightinsanity: my dog has a problem, need suggestions?
I will describe the symptoms, and the treatments so far…

Basically her symptoms consist of a super itchy stripe of skin that goes from her shoulder blades to her tail.
Also she burps a lot and throws up once or twice a week for no apparent reason, often in the morning when she first gets up.

I have tried at least 5 different kinds of allergy food, to no avail – actually, she puked more often while eating some of the brands of food (ie Wolf King)

Vetrinarians (she has seen 4 so far) all want to start a prednisone routine (a shot and then a couple months of pills) I wont allow this since she has very bad withdrawls from steroids. (she has three legs – her mother sat on her – and has been given way too many antibiotics and steroids in her life due to the surgeries to remove one leg and operate on another twice)
I am treating her with KetoChlor (clorohexidine and ketoconazole) shampoo incase of possible candidia overgrowth, after 4 baths in 5 days she is not changed
She’s a Lab/Collie mix BTW…

Vets usualy just try to sell me prednisone, or cortizone, or they try to sell me whatever type of food they advocate.
Food dosent seem to help, and the steroids are not healthy, and are a temporary solution.

When I bathe her she is not itchy untill she gets mostly dry again, then she’s itchy again.

I dunno what to do about this, and frankly neither do the podunk vets I have taken her to.

I feed her yougurt (2 tbsp day)

She has NO fleas.

ANY advice is appreciated.

Best answer:

Answer by spike
sounds like it has a mange or something . But with the pukeing your dog hasnt rolled in something and tried cleaning it off itself because it could be chemicals causeing it. tea tree shampoo is good for itchy coats i use it on our dogs they suffer with dry skin.

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Question by Debra M: Need Veterinary Assistance…?
Ever since we took care of our friends’ dog two months ago, our OWN dog has had fleas. Lately, it’s got really bad to the point where she’s scratching consistently for minutes on end if we don’t stop her, and her skin is starting to scab and is starting to fall out around the rump area, most specifically at the end of her back, right where her tail meets the rest of her spine.

I’m convinced that perhaps this is an allergy to the flea saliva. I want to know if flea allergies are fatal or can make the dog extremely sick? Also, what actually WORKS to get RID of fleas? I’ve tried the most expensive things within my budget (I cannot afford a vet right now, unfortunately). Salt seems to heal her scabs and abrasions, but it doesn’t stay on long enough to kill the fleas. It falls right off. Also, I’ve tried bathing her several times in a row and that doesn’t help.

Can anyone suggest cheap, but excellently effective ways to get rid of fleas so my dog doesn’t have to suffer anymore?

Thank you kindly.

Also, are there any non-profit/volunteer veterinarians in the Raleigh/Wake Forest vicinity? If so, I’d LOVE their contact information.
And to those lovely people who like to be negative; please read properly. I said I can’t afford a vet right NOW, as in, only lately I haven’t been able to care for her properly, as in, I WAS able to care for her when I got her. I absolutely agree that if you can’t afford to take care of an animal, don’t get one. So please, lay off the colorful language.

Best answer:

Answer by Baby on Board
I am sooooo sick of reading these questions where people say they cant afford a vet so what can they do. How about dont get a f-ing pet if you cant care for it!

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