Hi Sara,

Thanks for your question.

There are many different conditions that can cause the problems that you describe and I’m afraid it’s just impossible to give a specific diagnosis or recommendation based on the information given and without a proper examination.

I understand that you can’t afford veterinary care but if it is at all possible you should definitely have your dog checked out by your vet. It might be that a diagnosis can be made by examination alone or that even if a diagnosis can’t be made, then a home management or treatment plan can be advised. Even if you’re not able to do any additional testing, that examination is so valuable and so is the discussion face-to-face with your vet. They’ll be able to assess your dog’s quality of life and what’s best for them especially for an older dog that’s struggling. It’s important to really closely consider their quality of life and think about what’s best for them.

I hope this gives you some insight.

Dr. Alex Avery