Our 10 year old coonhound, Buena, has developed a problem in her nose/sinuses. She is in good health and is walked 3 miles at least 5x/week with a good appetite. By way of history, she is on thyroid medication and has a rather chronic ear infection (yeast or fungus), probably due to courses of antiobiotics for a lick granuloma. Her current problem started about 6 weeks ago and seems to be getting worse. She started sneezing often, and blood would shoot out of her right nostril. Now both nostrils are affected and she is having difficulty breathing through her nose and makes sounds like a horse. She has had an x-ray which showed what may be an infected canine tooth, but we don't want to pull it unless it is causing the problem, and that has not been established. Her doctor wants to do an MRI (which we can't afford). She has not had a scope or culture done. My question is: what diagnostic tests would give the most definitive results? Scope? Culture? MRI? Other?   She is definitely suffering and we don't know what to do!

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Marilyn Longmore
Strongsville, OH

Optional Information:
Age: 10; Female

Already Tried:
Claritin D - no success She is currently on an antibiotic for ear infection