German Shepherd dog

My dog is about 11 years old I took her from exfriends a year ago that kept her tied up in the middle of their yard with no shade and no food most the time and no they knew I took her they watched me in shock and I dared them to call the police.

This poor dog was squimish you could not approach her without her cowarding away but that changed after she moved in with us after a week now she approaches everyone happy as can be and she is a inside dog now too a big dog mix of a german shepard and not sure what else she has red in her hair but she looks more shepard.

To my point 2 times I have witnessed her walking them losing her balance with her front legs going under her and one time she wet herself doing this. Now I know she is kinda old and all she has been to the vet but they see nothing. Tonight she had another type collapse and this time she had foam just for the time she was staring straight with a scared look I got down beside her  and rubbed her face telling her its gonna be ok a second later she got up like nothing had happened.

I feed her Pedigree for adult dogs dry food only

and Pedigree dog bones just 2 a day

my poodle eat the same and does not have these problems.

Forgot to mention she sometimes comes in looking at me with her jaw in a wierd position so  I let her out and then she throws up.

Can anyone tell me what it could be?

I would never feed my dog kibbles its high in salt heard bad things about that and a vet told me if I could not afford the more expensive brand, pedagree is the one to go with hmmmm guess I will have to do more research thanks for the tip.

They checked her for seizures and came up with nothing been to 2 vets because I wanted a second opinion now I am broke since I am out on sick leave after having a hysterectomy on the 28th last month so all my funds are for food and bills just enough to tide me over. I love her so much she is such a good dog I just want her to be okay.

Thanks beth she is such a good dog and I would hate to lose her she has had the blood test done they even checked her kidneys did a ultra sound even looked at her everywhere trust me thats why I am really broke now and then she went and did it again and this time really went down in a wierd position scared the pejeebs out of me.

I will change her food tommorrow for sure even if I have to starve a few days to do it thx.

I am just really worried about her alot there has to be a reason she is doing this could it be her age she does have arthritis I give her one asprin a day for by doctors orders.

mmorin,

You sound like you love the dog,  is she suffering?   

You know she has had a rough life, this problem isn't because you don't buy the most expensive dogfood you can find.  

I know you would hate to lose her but sooner or later you will.   I'm only trying to be honest with you, changing dogfood is not going to make it all better.   I can not bear to see an animal suffer, so love her now with all your heart.

You saved her once and she's had a good life with you from what I read, thats a lot to her.  I'm glad you did what you did.

I hope you understand my post.

Brent.

Thank you Brent yeah she is old and had been through alot before we got her away from those people I have not seen since the day I drove up and loaded her in my car. I just can't understand people that forget they have a responsibility when they own a dog or any animal at that.

I am so glad you didn't say seizure since I have been telling people she has been to the vet twice at different vets each time because I wanted a second opinion because I believed it was a seizure myself but then again I used to own a toy lab that had seizures and these are different because she just gets a distant look on her face and she does not spasm just falls.

Your probally right its probally her age I still may just buy a small bag of the good stuff and see if she will eat it since I don't want her to starve to death. And your right I love her so much it breaks my heart the thought of her passing away just hope it does not happen when I am home alone I would have a break down same goes for my poodle I am very attached to them and they get so jealous over me its pretty funny seeing my small poodle give dolly a growl and she just pushes him to the side so he will leap over her onto my lap and nudge her away so can you imagine what it would do to me to lose them :(

I just hope Dolly is gonna be fine.

Brent do you think it could be her arthritis causing this just catching her off guard and she is shocked by it and its why she gets that distant looks?

also when she was foaming forgot to mention she was eating a treat bone at the time too.

I can't believe you drove up to someone's home and took a dog. What badge do you have allowing you to do that ? This story sounds fishy to me and the dog is NOT yours. This is no "rescue" it's a stolen dog.

My GSD I put to sleep was 16 years old. He could barely keep himself up to walk (fronts and backs). It would take him 2 hours to cross single corn field, couldn't walk stairs, could barely see or hear, always slept by the creek and I had to keep him away from all horses and cattle for his own saftey. He ate raw made soup and he had to eat it very slowly so he didn't choke. His mouth was crooked due to lose of teeth, his toung couldn't stay in his mouth and his fur was all white-grey and limited to patches. The last time we took him camping (the year I put him to sleep) everyone there looked at me and my son saying awwww and the dog is neglected and how terrible we are. Ya ok. The dog is old, cripple and anything else anyone wanted to call him. 

Some friend you are. I'd puke looking at you too. JMO.

Babyeagle4u,

I've had several old dogs over the years and some of them looked pretty bad, but they still had a quality and that spark of life that keeps us all going.    They all had to go when their time came.   It sounds like you were very good to your 16 year old dog regardless of what strangers thought.    I had a female who lost all control in her back legs at age 12 and we carried her for a year taking her to all her favorite place's.   But one day she had such a tired sad look in her eye I could not let her go on no matter how much I wanted her to stay.   Its never easy for someone who really love's you to say good bye.

I'm out of words.............   Everyone make the best of this life, it doesnt last long.

Me.

.. well I guess everyone's spark of life views are different. Who is anyone to sake that from another ?  Words are bad enough ... the theft is not moral. But that's just me. This dog should have stayed and died with his family. Or the family having the final thought. That was stolen from them. I need to hear from the real owners, give them this link please, when I hear from them what I hear on this thread ... I'll think twice, but I doubt it, this dog will die stressed. That's the sad part.

BabyEagle4U, My mother  has also "stolen" a dog. Great Dane, not being fed by the family and Husband is out of town not paying attention. She took the dog and to the vet we went, received a report from the vet. So when the father got home and came over yelling at her, gave him the Vets report, he signed the dog over to her. If anyone thinks that picture of a gsd that was swaped out is in horrible condition, Should have seen the shape this poor thing was in. He was hand fed for 6 months and when healthy was placed into a loving home. I for one am glad My Mom has the courage to do what is right and worry about the BS later.

From what you describe, her losing her balance, vomiting, etc.  Could also be vestibular--inner ear cause.  Difficult to diagnose and sometimes vet miss it as a possibility.  Therre are treatments.  I would also avoid ANY wheat gluten.  Good luck to you.