I arrived in Florida this morning and I'm here with my mom and Toto. His dark spots are especially bad on his chest and lower torso. He squirms like hell if you try and look at it. He walks funny when it really itches. The right hind leg will shake and he kind of stumbles to the side every now and then.
My mom says it's "much better than it was before" but I'm not seeing anything positive here. He is currently resting on a pillowcase on the floor between a chair and a wall, his face pointing toward the corner of the room. He was walking around in circles earlier and would come back to the couch on his rounds and drag his body along the side for relief from the itching.
The vet had my mom buy a special shampoo to bathe him every couple of days but she hasn't done it in a week. There are issues here not dog related that need addressing but the situation with our boy needs to be handled first and foremost. We have a vet appointment for 3:15 today. I'm exhausted but I'm going. I just want the doc to tell me what we can expect if this drags on much longer. I know his spots and sores are just going to get worse. My mom said he's broken the skin before by scratching and I am worried he may do that again and it will become infected.
I tried to take a video of his spots and bumps. He won't really expose himself to me enough to get a clear image but I did the best I could.
0428.MOV - YouTube
I mentioned to my mom that I wanted my sister and her fiance to come down and see him tomorrow to see what they think. She asked what I meant and when I suggested that we may need to put an end to this before it gets worse she acted like I was crazy. She says she knows he dying but she doesn't believe he's in pain. I really don't know if he is but I do know that he didn't even come out to greet me when I got here and that's is something that has never happened.
He's still my dog but he's not the same dog. I'm afraid that I'll question my choice forever if he's "let go" with assistance. I'm seriously concerned that my mother will not hop on board with me. I doubt the vet is going to say one way or another what the right/humane thing to do is. I don't want my mom to resent for making a decision like this without her. I want her consent if it winds up being the right thing but I don't know what the odds are of that happening.
There is a lot to deal with here at the house. I appreciate any support you are willing to provide. Ann, if you're reading this, I very much respect your opinion and if you have any time at all and want to weigh in I would be truly grateful.
Love to your Yorkies,
Sam