You can never have enough...

[Outsider]

Mica, larger picture above, aloof and intelligent but devoted to me, reminds me of a naughty six years old girl, often teases me with disobedience, you can see it on her face in this picture, she knew the camera was on her.

Stella is 12 years old approx, always had a heart murmur since being a puppy, is a 50% mix of red-nosed pitbull and bearded collie.

All blood work came back normal.

She is the dog in my avatar.  Of course she looks a lot older now, think she was about seven when this photo was taken.

Her breath is smelling like rotten meat, I thought it was indigestion but maybe her throat is deteriorating, hearing has got really bad in last year coinciding with water getting in her lungs whenever she gulps water too fast.

I thought she had collapsed trachea or esophagus causing at least some of the symptoms, apparently it is a common problem with older dogs.

Her throat and lips are quite swollen today but joyful and active on an hour long walk at lunchtime.

Not much money left for more vets fees, I'm on old age pension, so that $500 was more than a weeks income.

I don't know if you have seen this site which has some ideas about mouth problems in dogs: https://www.msdvetmanual.com/dog-owners/...th-in-dogs ? I was wondering if it could be Lip fold Dermatitis, especially as you said her breath smelled awful?