Skin tags and lumps along with rotten breath.

So I recently adopted a 13yr old pitbull who my son's nana had since he was a puppy (8wks) The dogs owner passed and was not found for over a week and when found the dog had to survive so served himself a small section of his owner. This dog has had severe anxiety issues that were being treated so I think but now has hundreds of skin tags all over elbows, under belly and also has lumps or ball like growths through out body. Mostly towards mid to bad end of body. He also has had issues of excessive drinking, foul foul smelling breath and also consistent or should I say over excessive swallowing. He has literally attached to me and when I leave his sight he cries uncontrollable. And if someone comes near me he does not know he barks and barks then will guard me and then hide behind me. He has had a bad experience at the vets, so getting him to go is horrible. He would need to be put on something to pretty much make him unknowing of where he is before he gets there. What can I do and what may be wrong with him?

Also forgot to mention dog will go through random 24-36 hrs of pain where moving and or getting up is very painfull to where the dog yelps and cries very loudly. This only last a day to day and a half every few months. He's also very sensitive to any assistance of lifting and helping dog onto furniture. He will yelp and nip due to the pain!

Hello!   Your dog sounds to be in need of help.  Some of the main concerns I have identified from reading what you've written are as follows: 1) Excessive drinking    This can be a very serious sign and may relate to diabetes, kidney problems, liver problems, cancer .  However it can also relate simply to a severe mouth infection! 2) It is very clear that your dog may have a severe dental infection.  The extent of this may explain his fearful behaviour - imagine permanent widespread dental pain!  This needs to be dealt with. 3) It is hard to know from here what else may be going on!  Cancer is a possibility of course. IN your shoes, what I would do would be to make an appointment for ASAP with your vet and turn up with a fresh urine sample, (sometimes it helps to catch it in a clean dry container, such as a clean cats' litter tray but WITHOUT the litter, so that the sample can be analysed.  Never try to carry it in a litter tray though - pour it into an old clean, dry mug that you no longer want, or get a special container for the vets beforehand).  Always be honest about your dogs' fearfulness from the outset.  They may, for example, be happy to consult outside in the car-park. What I think you need to know from your vet is what needs to be done to preserve a reasonable quality of life for your dog.  This obviously sounds to include a dental.  How would they go about doing this? The second thing that you need to know is whether or not there is something else happening.  Depending on how many issues your old boy has and how much time and money is available - and whether you are prepared to leave him at at the vets to get this work done -  I think that there is a very real discussion to be had regarding which is most ethical: 1) to leave things as they are (but he sounds to be ill and possibly in a lot of hidden pain so it may be that this is the worst - though easiest - option). 2) to go ahead with treatment (on a practical level, there is no NHS for pets and vets will always be prepared to evaluate the financial cost vs the potential gains of this in the consultation - never hold back about asking.  Vets generally hate having to think about money too because the person in front of you often doesn't own the business and just wants to get on with helping the patient.  But always best to get it out in the open.) 3) whether euthanasia is the only viable option.  Hopefully this is not true, but in some rare cases it may be e.g. if the drinking is down to kidney failure or type one diabetes, or lots of stressful procedures are needed to make a dog comfortable, but they are scared and the gain in comfort or life expectancy is really short.  Or even on financial grounds.  If that may be the case, it is best for everyone if this is acknowledged early. I am personally of the opinion that the worst thing to do in a situation such as this would be the first option: to sit on a problem that is potentially putting your dog in pain because the option that you would like to find doesn't exist.  However, until options 2 and 3 are explored, you cannot know where you stand.  It can sometimes be a really brave step to go to the vets in the first place. Wishing you both all the best of luck and please do let us know how you get on.