Sorry to hear bout your dog, Buster.
I tried to get Diz into a PDSA vet, but I don't qualify. Their criteria is receipt of Housing Benefit or Council Tax support. Because I live with Mum & Dad I don't get either (as I pay no rent).
The other benefits I receive put me in the low-income category, but because the 'rents took me in when I was in too much of a bad way to live alone, I am counted as if I was on a reasonable wage.
Of course my parents have just paid off their mortgage (this week!) Yay for them and all their hard work. I'd rather that was the case than they were in dire straits and I could get free vet care.
Diz is okay now. I just had a scare after a bout of diarrhea and vomiting (him not me!) and wanted to set my mind at rest. It's not that I couldn't afford a consultation - I'm happy to go without for that. It's the worry that it would lead to an X-ray, a scan, medication, injection etc. Of course igf it had carried on I would have borrowed the money from Grandad and got him down there ASAP. When I move out in the New Year I will qualify, and intend to get him a full health check then, just to be on the safe side. Ironically, it will be my Dad who has to drive me there anyway, as it's too far away to feasibly take a cat on the bus.
I know they do great work, so I'm not really moaning, I'm just in the position of falling outside of their guidelines.
Anyway - if you can afford it a heated pad might really ease her suffering. I got mine from eBay and they run on very little electricity a day. It's always hard when you know it's a case of age catching up with a pet. How far do you go? How long do you leave it? How much is enough?
Good luck, and I hope things go as well as they can.
And Jinx?
What a lovely pair
Diz does that too. We don't make such a nice composition though.