At the end of my rope with my Yorkie. I need help and advice.
 

First of all, I absolutely love my dog, but I'm at the end of my rope. He is a 3 year old Yorkie that is very lovable but has ended up having some very problematic health issues which makes loving him much harder. When he was one he started having severe environmental allergies and started picking at his skin. He would get recurring infections. It wasn't too bad at first, but then he became completely miserable. We got him on oral steroids (temeril-p) which worked for awhile. Then he lost half of his hair and the drugs stopped working and he was just as miserable as he was at the start. We then got him a prescription for a new drug Apoquel, which is an immunomodulator. Again, it seemed like a perfect drug, but again its started to stop working. He picks at his skin getting recurring skin infections needing antibiotic treatment. I thought there might be a behavioral component so we we got him on a low dose of prozac. I'm not sure it does anything. He also takes daily benadryl. Elimination diets have also failed.

Now hes just completely miserable. He spends half of his time hiding under beds. He wears a shirt all the time just so he doesn't tear at his skin. He can't go on walks anymore because the sun hurts his skin and it becomes inflamed. He smells terrible from all of his skin issues and the smell permeates the house. His recurring skin infections and KIDNEY infections cost me sometimes hundreds of dollars a month. My last treatment option is allergy shots. From personal experience they haven't worked for any human I've known (and lots of people I know have tried them). If I go down this route its hundreds more dollars to start up, then paying for the shots. His costs are as much as a lot of people pay in rent.

To complicate the matter we just had our first child. I don't know if hes acting out but he has started to pee in various places in our house. He has to wear a doggy diaper a lot of the time. My wife wants to get rid of him. I love him but honestly his quality of life is pretty bad and hes so young. I would rehome him, but who would want to take on a dog with health problems like this? I would feel terrible euthanizing him, but again his quality of life is awful. He is more of a burden than anything now. And looking at him that way makes me feel awful because he loves us so much and I love him.

I have no idea what to do I need some outside perspective. Are there people out there that would take in a dog like this? What should I do?

Hi and welcome to YT. I'm sorry it's under these circumstances as I can tell you're very sad about this poor little guy...he sounds miserable.

Yes, there may be a chance of rehoming him, despite his issues. A rescue is probably your best bet.

I do want to mention though - you MUST get this little guy tested for Cushings and for hypothyroid bc of these recurrent skin issues. Does he have *any* other seemingly unrelated random symptoms, at all? Like excess drinking/peeing, excessive hunger, a pot belly, weaker back legs than before, "old looking" eyes, lethargy, panting, heat intolerance....just anything?

I will say if this were me, I would not be rehoming him as I don't believe in rehoming animals as they're my family members, for life. But it doesn't work this way for everyone. I do wish you the very best in trying to figure this out.

If you should decide to surrender your pup to a rescue, please send an email to yorkiehavenrescue06@yahoo.com and someone will contact you. Include all of the information above and a picture. The person who responds to these requests also works with people to help them keep their pup if that is what they want. Perhaps she could give you some suggestions about allergies as she is fairly knowledgeable about them.

Welcome to YT! :) You will get lots of great feedback here.

It sounds like his quality of life is bad and I do think it would be best to rehome him to a rescue so they would have the funds to do further testing to see what is wrong with him and how best to treat it. Please dont euthanize he cant help it he has these problems

Please follow this advice. Yorkie Haven will help in whatever way you feel that is best for your little guy. :thumbup:

I am aware of two cases of dogs being allergic environmentally. One was euthanized, he couldn't eat anything and was dying, and the vets had no more options... the other was shipped to an entirely different part of the country and did well... his condition cleared up after a few weeks in the new environment.

I have a very highly allergic dog. It's miserable but not impossible. Our dog eats Purina HA, takes a therapeutic dose of a fish oil capsule daily, has weekly baths with Maleseb shampoo and takes Atopica liquid every other day. While many like apoquel, my dog has been very stable for many years now on Atopica. I think steroids can complicate atopy so for us this is the best plan.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
Please, if you do decide to rehome this pup, and it sounds like this would be a positive option for both you and the pup, contact the above site. You will have people helping find the very best place for your pup.....you will be able to go forward guilt free about your decision to rehome. That is important, as we feel like we are abandoning our pups, rather than seeking out the best solution for the pup and what is best for the pup. These people will alleviate that concern for you and do what is necessary to help the pup as well as guidance for you in any decision challenges you may have....

Have anybody with these problems have tried aloe? My dear keeshond Taz, (rip), once had a very bad dermatitis case. She was treated and the vet told me she would never grow hair again on the very bad spots. While in treatment I started treating her with natural fresh aloe I prepped at home. She stopped itching, refreshed her inmediately and hair grew fully eventually! I always have aloe handy for all skin issues at home! I would give it a try...

This situation is very familiar--did you recently post this under a different name? It sounds to me like you need to surrender the little guy to a rescue and let him get the treatment and care that he needs.

I'm very sorry for all that has happened. I'm going to be blunt with you, please, please don't think I'm judging.


I think that at this point, based on all of the above you have all but made up your mind of getting rid of this pup; however, your a very kind person and you know your pup and in your mind you don't think there is anyone who would/could take care of your pup like you do....You listed all of the reasons above why you no longer can/want to handle this pup, you've reached out here......your at the end of your rope but at the other end is your pup...Please don't euthanize your pup, please do what is best for your pup and your family.


Contact the email address Ladyjane sent you, they are a skilled, top of the line rescue and your pup will get all the help it needs, your pup deserves this, please let the pros handle this.


I wish you much luck and hope you do the right thing.

Aloe does wonders,..it even works on my human baby

Since no one else has mentioned this issue, by any chance has he been to Vet Dermatologist and been tested for Sebaceous Adenitis??? Has a skin biopsy been done on him???

When I worked as a Vet Tech we had a clinet whose dog was Dx'd with Sebaceous Adenitis, they did everything possible for their dog for over two years in the end he was so miserable, they let him go rather him suffer any longer with the issue, which has no cure.


Here is some info on it.


Inflammatory Skin Disease in Dogs | petMD

Obviously you have tried very hard to help this poor little guy. Has he ever been referred to a specialist? Do you have a veterinarian college in your state that you could get him to? A local vet is very much like a general practitioner. They are good for run of the mill care but when something as serious as what your dog has comes up it is time to get to a specialist.

Did he ever have any testing to find out just what he is allergic to? Did they tell you how they came up with a diagnosis of environmental allergy?

I feel terrible for you and your little dog. You both must be miserable. I hope somehow you can get him the advanced care that he needs or perhaps you can find someone who can get him the care he needs. No one should have to live in such a condition.

Poor little guy. Imagine us as humans going through something like this.
The difference is we are able to take ourselves to see someone to help us.
Our furbabies are totally dependant on us to do that. You sound like a loving yorkie parent. Please follow the advice of the very caring people here. My heart just breaks for your little guy and you.I'll keep him and you in my prayers.
Please keep us posted.