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Hi,

I have just found something that looks badly infected on my dog's neck- she is a Golden Retriever and has long fur so I have only just noticed it as it cannot be seen until you lift the fur. I am panicking because whatever it is is definitely severely infected. I am most concerned that it's a tumour, Alabama Rot or some sort of Flesh eating infection. We've made a Vet appointment for 6.30 as I don't have access to transport so I need my Mum to drive my dog to the Vets as soon as she gets home.

I have several themes to my OCD and one is a fear of harm coming to, and feelings of responsibility for, my little dog. The consequences of this have been that I have been avoiding walking her in normal places because she might eat mushrooms or be attacked by other dogs or might drown in the river; I have been completing a sink cleaning ritual before I can fill her water bowl AND every day I panic about things that she has eaten or done, which might harm her. This obsession probably occupies at least 25+% of my thinking all the time. 

Now she clearly has something very wrong- there's a very large black bit on her neck, surrounded by some inflamed, infected skin. I am so worried. She is only 3.5 years old so a young dog but has had lots of serious conditions in that time (real, confirmed by a Vet, not just of my own perception). I think the loss of my previous two dogs and two cats within the space of three/four years triggered this obsession for me and I'm scared that this is something serious. 

I was just wondering if anyone else could help me to be sensible here? 

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Hi,

I think it's normal to be worried in this situation but luckily you've the Vet appointment already tonight so that your dog gets a diagnose and treatment. Until then I would try to refrain from trying to figure out what it might be. This is just speculation and as always with OCD suspecting the worst. I can totally relate, I also have OCD around my cats pretty similar to what you describe above. But when it comes to injuries or infections I absolutely trust my Vet. He is the specialist and he knows what he is doing. I don't try to self-diagnose since even if by chance I would be right there is nothing I can do anyway until I get a recommendation and treatment from the Vet. I know that it's extremely difficult but I would really try to stop figuring out what it might be, distract yourself and dedicate this time to your dog. She needs you now when she is not feeling well. I wish your dog all the best and that she gets well soon.

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1 hour ago, GreyCat said:

Hi,

I think it's normal to be worried in this situation but luckily you've the Vet appointment already tonight so that your dog gets a diagnose and treatment. Until then I would try to refrain from trying to figure out what it might be. This is just speculation and as always with OCD suspecting the worst. I can totally relate, I also have OCD around my cats pretty similar to what you describe above. But when it comes to injuries or infections I absolutely trust my Vet. He is the specialist and he knows what he is doing. I don't try to self-diagnose since even if by chance I would be right there is nothing I can do anyway until I get a recommendation and treatment from the Vet. I know that it's extremely difficult but I would really try to stop figuring out what it might be, distract yourself and dedicate this time to your dog. She needs you now when she is not feeling well. I wish your dog all the best and that she gets well soon.

Thank you so much GreyCat. She's at the Vets now.

Does your OCD about your cats affect you much of the time? 

I hope the Vet will be able to tell what it is and treat her. My anxiety is made worse by the fact that our Vet Practice hasn't always been great at diagnosing my dog; for example she had Lungworm for months as a puppy despite monthly Milbermax worming treatment (they had recommended that over Advocate) and the Vet kept thinking that we were making a fuss until they kept her in and observed that she was breathing 3x the normal rate and an X-ray revealed Lungworm! Another time she had an abscess following her spay operation and the Vet missed it so I had to insist on them ultrasound scanning her- again they ended up surprised that she had a severe infection! Perhaps if it's a skin lesion it's more straightforward though. xx

 

Edited by BelAnna
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Hi, I try  to answer but typing is a big Theme for me. I understand, it is indeed bad that you had some Not good experience with your vet so that you don't  trust your vet completely.  I am lucky in this context since my vet is brilliant. Yes the OCD around my cats affects me a lot which is even more strange since I don't have a theme for myself here. Like you I take care that the sink is clean before filling their water bowl, I check that all cupboards are closed, that no bags are lying around, no sharp things.... I avoid touching other cats  (we have 2 deadly diseases in our area) sometimes I have to change clothes if I touch something which might be dangerous 

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 25/07/2019 at 04:29, Lost_in_a_Dark_Maze said:

I'm sorry you had such a panic today. I'm glad it wasn't as bad as you feared. :hug:

 

On 24/07/2019 at 20:01, GreyCat said:

It is good news that all your fears were purely OCD. I send my get-well wishes to your dog. 

Thank you for your help guys. My dog's infection cleared up and then came back but seems to have gone again now (since yesterday). However I'm in a panic because she has thrown up twice in the last week, is reluctant to walk and keeps looking anxious at me a lot. I'm terrified that she's seriously ill. I do not drive so cannot get her to a Vet until tomorrow evening at the earliest, which just adds to my anxiety! 

I do have OCD about silly things to do with my dog but I do think that her exercise reluctance at 3 years old is worrying. 

I keep having thoughts that she is not going to live long and as I had similar thoughts shortly before my cat died a few years ago I feel extra worried! 

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Hi BelAnna,

I'm sorry you're struggling. It's hard when things happen that make us feel as though our fears are valid.

Fingers crossed the infection stays away this time and that the current symptoms are nothing serious. :hug:

I wonder if some of her behaviour is because she is picking up on your anxiety?

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Hi BelAnna,

So sorry to learn that you're struggling. I was also wondering if your dog is picking up on your anxiety. One of my cats does. Whenever I'm very anxious, he gets nervous too, doesn't eat or vomits. I don't want to give reassurance but depending on the medication your dog got she might be tired. And the immune system had to fend off an infection which is also an inside battle. So she might be just not feeling well because of this.

I know the thoughts you mention but did you only have them shortly before your cat died? Or did you have them more or less permanent but did only make the connection when it really happened? I have constant worst case scenarios in my head and expect my cats being dead when I get home. So far it never happened (in more than a decade) so if it should be true one day it would still be 100 million times thought not true versus 1 time true.

Sorry that I can't write more and that I'm not really helpful but I'm struggling with typing. I send you and your dog my best wishes.

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