Thoughts please.

My pitbull is 14 years old, he has developed two sores on his legs,he has begun to turn vicious towards other dogs,which he was never like,he is not eating properly for me the last couple of days.

I am worried,my vet has not advised me but talked to me about maybe its time to send the poor fella to the stairway above,as being 14 is a long time for this type of breed of dog, i love this guy so much, so has anyone out there ever had to go through this experience,and would i be best to do what the vet thinks might be right for him.

yeaa mate german shepard i had her hips went she was 11 never easy to doo but u think of the dog if it sufferin like mine was then i did it for her

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I got the same problem mate, my black lab she is like 10 - 11 now. Past week she has hardly eaten at all, our vet wont even give us an appointment until next week! I don't know what is wrong with her but she also been vicious towards dogs and people (she has never been like that) I used to be able to put the kid on the floor to play and the dog would walk over and play with her and on the odd occasion they would fall asleep together but now she wont even go near the kid or anyone in the house.

Sorry to hear mate i really am,i just hope your dogs time has not comr,mine was great with my kids too,but now i cant let him near them,he was also great with my other dogs(dogs i know one is he son 6 year old and other a labby cross) but hes turned on them,and every dog he see's wen i walk him,plus the not eating part,and getting sick, my fellas time has come i hope ur vet looks at your pet and hopefully he will be ok,but u mite have to deal with wat i am right now.

Both cases look like they are on unfortunately at time's end but it could also be the current swift change of weather that has caused this.(If both in the UK).. Dog's like people don't like change..We can grumble and moan to others they do it in their own way.

Regarding the sores is he/she nibbling at them all the time ? If so it could be a simple mite infestation but to the dog would feel like a invasion and then it has focus solely on that so any outside intervention is frowned at...therfore behaviour changes. Also has the puppy had all its injections ? When was the puppy introduced ? a 14 year old dog will not want young around it..it is set in it's ways and is a OAP just like our own grans & grandads can only put up with so much.

Edited at 06:57 Fri 30/03/12 (BST)

sarny_lad i run a staffie rescue and had bull breeds for 20 years m8.

And what u descibing is very sad to say abit of dementia, the leg sores or paws is a dogs way way of expressing there discomfort or upset, the not eating is like us when we not well no appitite, the aggrsion is from the dementia confussion my girl did same at 13 she then developed heart faliure which hurts.

What u do it can be treated but u would never be able to trust him again,

so u need to decide which way u want to remember him for his nice loving nature, or the grumpy old man as thats what it is.

either way stunning lad and my heart goes out to you.

i have been there its hard, hardest thing i did.

my parents have a 16 year old husky was the nice dog u can have but now a grumpy soo an soo now hates people and dogs but strangly the only livin thing that he likes spending time with is my dad and no one else!

your dog is a handsome chap and its such a shame but ive come to learn from working with them they get to a serten age and they just seem to want to be alone all the time

thinkin of you at this hard time

The way I see it mate is if it is a anger to your family, kids or any other person, maybe it is best he isn't with you any more and you remember him for the lovely dog you know. EVEN if it is treatable, there is nothing to say his moods will stop and that would mean he is dangerous.

If that is possible and it is treatable, think about putting him in your local dog kennels be it PDSA or the NCDL (or dogs trust or whatever it is called now) that way you can go see him whenever you want and you will have no guilt about him harming anyone.

The decision at the end of the day pal is all down to you, and I know it is a hard one but you must put your kids welfare first and accept the dog may go for them at one time.

Sorry to hear pal, and thoughts with you!

Them pics are 2 years old now, so the pup has grown up and he has become great friends with duke.The sores is a great explanation of mites which il look into,but his appetite and general anger towards other dogs has made me think twice about things,in all honesty i understand it will kill me if he bit one of my kids or family friends etc,and i couldn't have him doing that.

Putting him into dogs trust,sounds like a good idea until his days are numbered but safety comes first and its the nice duke i want to remember not him turning on me or anyone.

Cheers for all the comments.

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This is a mad story,my misses felt saddened over htis page and possibly losing our pitbull,she got up today and went straight on the internet to buy a dog for comfort,200 euros its cost me 7 week old yorkshire terrier, hope she's happy.

this is jade sarny_lad

and the yorkie cute

shes nice mate seems very placid

she was

Going to see if i can get a pic of my black lab on here

This was about a year and a half ago now.

Not the same dog she is now

That lab is like twin to my mothers one mate,very nice,as is my mothers :)

I actually think all labs look the same to be honest

It's like my dads seven rottweillers look like eachother when they all together haha

The cat having a nap on the other Chocolate Lab Taken about 20 minutes ago! Thought it may cheer you up

This is my Cocker Spaniel and my niece.