The one on the bottom is a three year-old female and the one on top is a two-year-old female.

They are inseparable, play together, eat together, walk together, and now I realize that they even sleep in the same bed all the time even when they’re just resting.

Is this OK? Do they need their own space? Should I encourage them to sleep in separate beds? Also, should I walk them separately sometimes?

I love my dog, truly. She's such a sweetheart. But the truth is I didn't ever want a dog. I'm really a cat person. Not because I don't adore dogs, I do! So much! But because I don't feel like the needs of a dog align with my needs from a pet. I have a lot of anxiety and depression and I struggle with panic disorder. I don't want an animal dependent on me for walks and all the stimulation a dog requires.

My mom is a recovering alcoholic and currently, we are living together to save money. My mom is the most dog person you could ever meet. She lost her dogs some years back and it devastated her. She would wake up dreaming of them almost every single night. It broke my heart to see her mourn them so viscerally. So she told me, "I just need a dog to love and take care of and it would mean so much for me." And I knew it was true. That's just how she is, she adores them. So she adopted a dog while I was living with her and unfortunately ... This dog attached itself to ME. This dog adores me. Waits for me to come home from work. Snuggles with me like I'm her angel. Didn't attach to my mom at all. I tried to push her towards my mom but she just wasn't having it. Even when she tries to take her outside, she refuses if I don't come with. She loves me to death. And in turn I ended up loving this dog. But I didn't ask for this.

She's unspayed and I've been trying to find resources for a cheaper spay but we're really poor and every place quotes like $600 which we just can't pull off right now. Every time I try to save for it something comes up that puts it off. Because she's unspayed she tears up all my blankets, constantly paces, and loses her mind if she sees another dog at the park. She's so sweet and I don't want to abandon her but again, this wasn't a responsibility I signed up for. I know myself and I wouldn't have intentionally put a dog in the position of depending on me because I know I'm not currently equipped for that. I do my best taking her to the park on my days off and doing what I can for her but I'm emptying my limited amount of energy right now to be there for her and I know I need to give more energy to myself right now.

My mom got her off of Facebook from someone giving her away for free after they allegedly took her from someone who was leaving her tied out all day and kicking her. I have no clue about the validity of any of that but I do know that she seems skittish around certain men and it seems like she probably has trauma. I don't want to give her up without knowing that she'll end up somewhere loving and calm. There's a no kill shelter in my town but I don't want her to be stuck there for ages. She's very clingy and just needs a lot of attention so the idea of her sitting in that shelter for ages breaks my heart. What is the best way for me to find a good home for her? I adore this dog and I'm scared to just give her up without knowing where she'll end up.

EDIT: Thank you to everyone helping me find options that aren't giving her up. I'm going to do my best for her to keep her with me with the resources y'all have provided. I just want this sweet girl to be happy and you all are right, she does give me something that I think will help me through my own stuff too so I don't want to abandon her if I don't have to. She might be here for me just as much as I try to be there for her.

He's been limping, staggering, reluctantly to move, lost a lot of wait in 4 days, lost of appetite, constant yellow/white eye and nose discharge.

9-year-old dog diagnosed with a grade 3 sarcoma after her 3rd abdominal surgery. Looking for experiences with treatment and outcomes.

Raven: almost 9, spayed female Lab/shepherd mix, ~ 70 lbs

History

June 2025: A 13 cm mass on her spleen plus enlarged lymph nodes. She had a splenectomy, and pathology came back benign (a hematoma).

April 2026: An 8 cm mass grew where her spleen used to be. The first pathology read suggested lymphoma, but further testing (immunohistochemistry and PCR) ruled that out. The final diagnosis was a benign, reactive lymph node. She also has a ~3 cm right adrenal mass we're monitoring, which has stayed fairly stable.

October 2026: Ultrasound showed two new masses in the same area. Both were removed on Oct 12. A suspected liver mass seen on ultrasound wasn't found during surgery. Chest X-rays before surgery were clear.
Biopsy results (reviewed by 3 board-certified pathologists)
Larger mass: high-grade (grade 3) sarcoma, likely a splenic stromal sarcoma. They believe it grew from leftover spleen tissue (ectopic spleen) left behind after the splenectomy.
Mitotic count over 20: a measure of how fast the cells are dividing, which makes it fast-growing.
Smaller mass: benign nodular hyperplasia, also in leftover spleen tissue.
Margins were clean on both: the masses were fully removed.
Plan: Her surgeon and his oncology colleague are both recommend chemo. We have an oncology consult coming up.

Questions
Has anyone dealt with splenic stromal sarcoma, or a sarcoma growing from leftover spleen tissue? How did your dog do?
For a high-grade sarcoma that was fully removed with no visible spread, did you do chemo (IV doxorubicin or low-dose oral)? How did your dog tolerate it, and did it seem to help?
Did your vet recommend a CT scan for staging beyond chest X-rays?
Has anyone used turkey tail or other supplements alongside chemo?

picture of raven for flare

I rescued a dog from a shelter and she has been so obsessed with me. Anytime im home she's always getting in my face and forcefully licks me and I cant seem to get her to stop. I understand she loves me as I love her too but this is getting a bit out of hand.

These are my two dogs, larger one is female and she’s 4. Smaller fella is 6. These two Co exist very well apart from they don’t play. They’ve two very different play styles, but will have a good chase when out in an open field together.

This scenario will happen occasionally where they’ll jump about, the small one is a vocal and growly player but I don’t know if these are happy playful growls. The big gal will also come up and lift her leg for him to sniff??

Would love some expert eyes on this! Should I discourage this behaviour? Leave them be? Thank you!

Spunky is 14 and over the summer it has really progressed. The vet gave us gabapentin to give him twice a day to manage the pain but I need to do more for him. He still eagerly wakes up in the morning for his walks and the only change is he moves slower. The biggest issue seems to be when he’s standing still, particularly when he’s eating. His legs bow out whether we put the bowl on his little table or on the floor until they collapse and he lays down while he eats. I’m definitely worried it’ll be difficult for him to stand while he goes to the bathroom and he’ll feel defeated.

Has anyone been in this situation? Are there any good results with “manual therapy”?

This is my first dog. I met him when he was 2, played with him every week, and he became mine when he was about 6 when his previous owner passed away. I guess I never really entertained the idea that he would grow older and I just want to do anything I can to make him as comfortable as possible.

We switched his food about 8 months ago, recently he just started to push away the kibbles. I ve been trying different bowl setups, mixing some ground beef or similar stuff etc.

We were at the vet 2-3 months ago and they said teeth look good. He also had a blood work done and kidneys looked good too.

He’ll eat hard dental chews, not sure if its oral pain.

Do I change his food again?

Edit: Thank you all for the great tips! I am trying to reply everyone - but worse case I will read them all.

Noticed my dog is closing one of her eyes a lot. Opened it and saw this. Any idea? Going to vet but curious.

She’s 14

Lab border collie.

I'm not sure whether I should let them do this. It's so hard to separate them because my cat is super food motivated and this happens every time I feed her (which is more frequently than I feed the cats). My other cat stays away from the dog entirely. The cats have plenty of escape routes and dog free zones in the house.

My dog started doing this at night for the last few days. If I have him get on the couch, he stops. He’s done it standing up too. It’s always a few hours after eating dinner and after he’s been laying down for awhile. But he doesn’t do it after his morning meal. Any thoughts? I searched the group and found it could be nausea or acid reflux. I’m wondering if it’s a potential apoquil side effect since he’s been taking that but I’m going to look for alternatives.

My girl is a 12 yr old American Staffy. She tends to whine at night for a bit and sometimes also pants. She is starting to have joint issues and arthritis. We just had a vet visit and awaiting blood test results. Any advice on what I can do to help her be more comfortable? We do give her joint supplements twice a day. I don’t want her suffering.

We're seeing the vet soon anyway, and I'll bring it up, but I've been assuming this to be a cutaneous horns and was curious what you all think. It is definitely quite solid, does not feel fleshy at all. Doesn't bother him in the slightest. It's not that ruddy irl, that's caused by the camera flash.

Hey everyone!

I’m posting on behalf of a friend whose puppy, Kobe, has recently been diagnosed with megaesophagus following X-rays, and we’re hoping to get some advice from people who have been through something similar with their own dogs.

Kobe is just over 5months old and the Vet says that it is extremely rare for it to happen with a puppy. It’s understandably a worrying situation, and we’re trying to learn as much as we can about this condition and how best to manage it so Kobe can have the happiest and healthiest life possible. ❤️

We’ve been reading about different ways to manage the condition, such as feeding dogs upright using a Bailey chair, keeping them upright after meals, adjusting food consistency, and offering smaller, more frequent meals. However, we’d really appreciate hearing from people who have firsthand experience with this.

A few questions for those who have cared for a dog with megaesophagus:
🐾 What feeding routine or food consistency has worked best for your dog?
🐾 Has using a Bailey chair made a significant difference?
🐾 What are the biggest challenges when caring for a puppy with this condition?
🐾 Are there any warning signs we should be especially mindful of?
🐾 What advice would you give someone whose puppy has just been diagnosed?
🐾 Have your dogs been able to live happy, comfortable lives with proper management?

We understand that every dog is different and that Kobe’s vet will guide his treatment. We’re simply hoping to learn from other owners’ experiences, practical tips, and anything that might make this journey a little easier for Kobe and his family.

If you’ve been through this with your own pup, we’d be incredibly grateful if you could share your experience. Even a small piece of advice could make a real difference. ❤️

Thank you so much for reading, and lots of love to all your furry companions!

Noticed he wouldn’t stop licking this area and it was red and blotchy, he has the one scratch at the top that looks gunky, where he can scratch himself with his back paw (he’s a flexible little guy). We’ve put a cone on him to see if it improves but wondering if it looks like a rash or just him irritating his skin by licking. No spots or anything on his tummy where he can’t lick.
Vet? Wait a bit (a week?) and if no improvement then vet?

My dog who just turned 1 had this bump recently show up on his nose. Wondering if anyone has any thoughts?

I am planning on taking him to the vet regardless, but hoping for some reassurance/advice in the meantime.

I just noticed that my 7yr old golden retriever have a bump on her mouth should I be concerned and take her to the vet? Or is it something that can be left alone and heal? Thanks.

Hi! My dog got her spay sutures removed yesterday after the full 2 week recovery. Looked fine yesterday, however today they are insanely inflamed. Vet or no?

My husband and I have an 11 year old mini doxie. We also have two kids, 5 and 1 1/2, and I’m 20 weeks pregnant.
Since we moved into our new house 6 months ago (basically our dream home, 600k and on half acre after living with my dad, apartments, townhomes) I’ve been keeping way closer tabs on our dog in the house especially since she’s older. I’m a SAHM, so when I go upstairs with the kids ( all carpet) I put her in the kennel, then she’s out again when I head down to the main level which is all hardwood. In the past year, she’s peed in my sons room, on my husbands and i’s bed, my daughters bed, and our brand new couch. She goes outside, does her business and then somehow without any predictable timing involved, she’ll find some way to have an accident in the house.
My husband works a ton, and he’s been complaining to me a lot about how he feels like the dog is always in her kennel and we don’t take care of her. I’ve tried explaining she’s not, but explained when she is and why. He’s basically told me he doesn’t care and she deserves to be out more.
Two days ago I ended up having emergency surgery on my kidneys. My mother in law came over and watched everybody for a bit. When I was discharged and came home I noticed a pee accident that was “cleaned” upstairs and then just now I realized the dog had peed on the ARM of our loveseat couch. She’s also very lackluster about watching the dog.
I just feel like I’m made to seem like this evil person, but I don’t want our home smelling like pee??? There’s only so much you can do for a urine smell. And I want my kids in a clean environment. I work really hard to clean every single day.

Am i missing something????

So my 9 year old malamute/ husky mix all of a sudden has to urgently use the bathroom multiple times at night for the past 5 days.

She’s on thyroid medication, is eating and drinking like normal, and usually is very demure and can hold her potty through the night. But now, started at around 12am and every 2 hours after that until about 8 am she will wake me up whimpering, tapping her feet, poking me with her nose and scratching at the door. This is unlike her and I followed her out to see what she was actually doing and it’s mucus-y poop and very small quantities of pee every single time. I think I can see her straining to pee as well.

We went to the vet yesterday and her pee came back clean of crystals and bacteria, a probiotic was given for her yuck butt, and they threw around the word “dementia” a few times since the night time exclusivity of it seems behavioral. She’s very lucid though and I can’t find anything online that matches what she’s going through.

I know she’s uncomfortable and the every 2 hour wake ups are killing me, I’m looking for any advise as to how to help her, tests to ask for from her vet, ANYTHING!

Thanks! :)

Just started shaking today alittle bit while awake and alot while sleeping

Hey everyone, for context, I have autism & ocd and I am constantly worried that something bad will happen to my soul dog. I got him when he was 5 and he’s 8 now. His teeth were in pretty bad shape when we got him and they’re getting worse even though I brush them every single day. I keep seeing stories about dogs’ dental health shortening their lifespans, but I also keep seeing stories about dogs passing away under anesthesia during dental extractions. I am spiraling and conflicted on what to do. I just keep thinking that I know he will definitely live if he doesn’t get his teeth cleaned, but I also want him to live as long as possible. I cry every time I think about it and I just need some reassurance I guess. I would be going through Banfield Pet Hospital too if that information is important.
I have an extremely anxious attachment to my dog. He’s my entire world, my emotional support, I can’t sleep without holding him, I even spiral in my head when I have to go to work and not be with him. Can anyone please advise or offer any reassurance about getting his teeth cleaned? Or the intense fear I have of losing him?

3yo dachshund, very healthy. We thought she was licking the ground for a weirdly long time, then we realized she was licking her chest. It doesn't seem to be hurting her too much, she's playing and cuddling just fine. It's just so swollen (and of course she's licking it, which we're stopping her from doing. My partner is working on cleaning it and putting a bandage on).

It's about the diameter of a dime. She doesn't get injuries like this often if at all. Anyone recognize what type of thing this is?