Question:
We have a dog named Chelsea. She is a 9 year old rotty/pitbul mix. She has always been very energetic and lively.She has grown up with my oldest son and always been great with kids but now she wont have anything to do with them and growls. She has always hed sensitive skin which i used oatmeal shampoo help. But in the past few months she doesn't move that much.She doesn't come to the door when people come over.She only wants outside to do her buisness then she right back in (she dosen't even bother with the squirrels and birds anymore). She just lays around and licks herself. Which is causing bald/scabby patches which are starting to crack and bleed.Her hind legs are bald and her skin is dark.She has sarted scrathing around her eye and im scared she might hit too close to the eyeball and cause eye infections. Her hips look weaker now and she wont jump up or on anything. Her nipples are looking swollen likes shes pregnant but shes defenetly not.She still eats a lot and weighs 85lbs.In the past 6 months she is toatlly different dog, with lots of problems. She shows no sign of pain, but I know her skin is irratating.I don't think i am seeing her as old as she really is. I don't want to keep helping her if this is just the beginning of the end. I really love my dog and dont want her suffer or live this way, she was just to hyper of a dog until 6 months ago. I dont want to remeber her getting old like this. Is it time to have her put down painlessly? And is it true i can hold her till shes gone?

Answer:
Chelsea is I'm sure a sweetie!

Increasing the immune system usually does wonders with improving skin/coat (just like us with our hair)

A great way you can do this is with vitamin supplements
Vitamin E, Fish oil, Shark Cartilidge

Aloe vera gel is cheap you can get it in bottles in the health food store and apply it to the itchy area. it cools the skin and often stops irritations and burning sensations

Many times it becomes habit forming and they just keep scratching. Telling her to stop makes it itch MORE in her mind.

I'd keep her occupied as well, give her a big beef bone to chew on (raw) that will soon occupy her mind and mouth.

Be careful what you use to wash your floors and her bedding.Don't use chemical sprays like febreeze and oust, stay away from harmful chemical agent cleaners . Use vinegar and water or fragrance/chemical free cleaners for your floors from a natural based product company.

I hope this helps. Starting the supplements will show a great improvement, you'll see and if there is trouble with mobility you can add glucosamine to the supplementation it works wonders for that. Many dogs I've seen make a very big turn around after being on it for a couple or three weeks.

Thing is with each of these you have to be giving them daily for them to start and remain effective.

Answer:
Have you had her to a vet to see if there is anything wrong that can be easily fixed? It could just be some type of infection with an easy answer.

The answer to the question is yes. In most cases, depending on where you go, you can hold her while she goes to sleep.

Answer:
Yes,I was going to ask the same,nowhere do you mention a vet,have you taken her to see one???
It is sad if you have her put down because of an allergy,it can usually be cured.
As for holding your pet in her final moment,I did with all my cats,found it important that they would be with someone who loved them.
It is really difficult,but important to me..and it's your choice not the vet.
But if you have not yet been to a vet,please do so,before you make that final choice :(

Answer:
Please don't think about euthing this dog until you've had her checked by the vet!

As stated, the problem might be something easily fixed.

Answer:
this sounds like a few of the symptoms that Sassy had before she passed. She was scratching all the time and she was getting dark spots on her skin as well as losing her pink skin tone. She always walked around like she was depressed and didnt do anything but go outside to potty and then back in to sleep. They ran all kinds of tests on her at the vets and find out one of her problems was canine anemeia. A severe case of it no less to that set on fast. After two blood transfusions and countless medications she passed on her own her little heart gave out on her.

Please take your pet to a vet and have them run blood tests on her. Let us know what happens.

Answer: