Okay, in a panic here - Page 1

Let me start by saying I'll have him at the Vet first thing in the morning, but I'm in a panic and I just need to talk about it.  Drake is 6 years old and has never had a health problem.  This winter, his nose got extremely dry and the skin was getting thick.  I've been treating it with Bag Balm and it's helped.  A couple of days ago, when I took him for his run in the County Park, he wouldn't bring his ball back.  He kept sniffing around instead, so I assumed there had been an animal around or a bitch in heat and he was distracted.  We didn't play long because he kept leaving his ball, which he never does.  This morning, when I let him out before going to work, he was kind of coughing and I noted that I best keep an eye on him.  When I was getting ready for work, he was laying at the top of the stairs, which he also never does, didn't think much about it.  Well, tonight when I got home, he has white discharge around his right nostril  He's eating, eliminating and seems normal otherwise. But I know discharge from the nose isn't good.

I have a puppy in the house, with limited exposure to Drake.  Nothing else has changed.

My boy is my heart, he's helped me through the toughest time in my entire life...

I'm sorry, I meant to post this on the other side, not thinking straight.

I am sorry for your worry.  I would be worried too. Could it be heart disease related?  Glad you have a vet appointment. 

Infection or cancer are the likely culprits.  The discharge is white and cloudy, not runny.  Infection?  Cancer?  I don't know, but I'm hoping it's an infection that can be treated.
Thanks bee.

It'll keep till morning.
Don't worry about what you don't know.

 

Hmmm...sounds kind of fungal maybe? 

Try to get some sleep and let us know what the vet says. 

Cancer usually produces blood. One of my Husky xs years ago had a lump between his eyes that grew at an alarming rate. Exrays showed cancer in the sinuses. He didn't seem in any discomfort for several weeks, eating, happy; then blood flowing from his nose, and he would stand with his head pressed against whatever object (wall, tree, fence). I knew it was time to free him of the pain.
I had a smooth fox terrier that started sneezing repeatedly one day, some blood blowing out with the sneezes. Took him to the vet...he had a grass stem, blade, and seed head in his nose that when my vet pulled it out, was the length of his head. Must have coughed it up into nose while grazing on some fresh green grass.

what should the vet be doing guys?  x ray?  culture the fluid?  what else can they do?   hoping for the best for you GSD travels.... 

Darcy

Allergies this time of year comes to mind .. 6 year old with dry nose and thick skin could be thyroid .. As dogs and humans age our immune system changes and we start being allergic to things we never noticed before.

Check his body temp, please.  There have already been cases of canine influenza reported this spring, and the present strain that's been going around in the past few years is not something to play with.  Typically, the symptoms of canine influenza are those seen with kennel cough: lethargy, coughing, fever, upper respiratory congestion.  IF his temp is normal, I'd be comfortable waiting until morning; if it's elevated, however, I would be calling the emergency vet.
 

I just got off the phone with the Emergency Vet where I took Link, with his fatal condition.  They said it's nothing that can't be taken care of at my Vet in the morning.  They must be busy tonight, they usually won't give you answers on the phone.  Why should they, when the office visit is $150 before diagnostics and meds?   It made me calm down a bit anyway, I'll post an update tomorrow after our visit.  Thanks for listening, I needed an outlet.