Sandra McGinty
New member
I'm not sure how to write this -- but Yogi has not been himself for a few months now.
I thought at first that the heat and humidity this summer was the cause of Yogi acting so... well, Old. But it's more than just him being slower, and not lifting his leg anymore for peeing. He turned 11 a few months ago and I knew he'd start slowing down eventually.
His behavior is off. He doesn't acknowledge his name anymore, he has a slight stagger to his walk and sometimes it looks like a very slight head tilt to the right. He'll stand in the yard staring off and we have to touch him to get him going again. Yogi also has been doing this odd thing with his bowls. When his food bowl is empty, he'll keep stepping in it and making it rock and roll back and forth. He's never done this before. There are other strange new behaviors, but I won't mention them all.
The worst thing, is that I see no life in his eyes anymore. It's like he is simply existing- walking around in a shell of a body. He takes no joy in anything except when he is fed.
The vet first tells me he is finally feeling his age. He eats/drinks fine, pees and poos just fine. Yogi has not had any accidents in the house. Since we only have had Yogi for a year, his blood panel cannot be compared to a 'younger 'sample, but the vet says everything looks just good for a dog his age.
chances are Yogi had a stroke early this summer. with me not working and money slim to none, I cannot afford to take him somewhere where they can do a scan and confirm a stroke. I feel guilty about that to no end. From what I've been reading, his behaviors will most likely stay the same, but it's the lack of Life in his eyes that is getting to me.
I've always believed quality of life, not quantity. I don't know what to do, if anything at all. advice? I love my Yogi bear --
I didn't write this very well -- just tossed it all down, sorry about that. It is so hard to share this .. Sandy
I thought at first that the heat and humidity this summer was the cause of Yogi acting so... well, Old. But it's more than just him being slower, and not lifting his leg anymore for peeing. He turned 11 a few months ago and I knew he'd start slowing down eventually.
His behavior is off. He doesn't acknowledge his name anymore, he has a slight stagger to his walk and sometimes it looks like a very slight head tilt to the right. He'll stand in the yard staring off and we have to touch him to get him going again. Yogi also has been doing this odd thing with his bowls. When his food bowl is empty, he'll keep stepping in it and making it rock and roll back and forth. He's never done this before. There are other strange new behaviors, but I won't mention them all.
The worst thing, is that I see no life in his eyes anymore. It's like he is simply existing- walking around in a shell of a body. He takes no joy in anything except when he is fed.
The vet first tells me he is finally feeling his age. He eats/drinks fine, pees and poos just fine. Yogi has not had any accidents in the house. Since we only have had Yogi for a year, his blood panel cannot be compared to a 'younger 'sample, but the vet says everything looks just good for a dog his age.
chances are Yogi had a stroke early this summer. with me not working and money slim to none, I cannot afford to take him somewhere where they can do a scan and confirm a stroke. I feel guilty about that to no end. From what I've been reading, his behaviors will most likely stay the same, but it's the lack of Life in his eyes that is getting to me.
I've always believed quality of life, not quantity. I don't know what to do, if anything at all. advice? I love my Yogi bear --
I didn't write this very well -- just tossed it all down, sorry about that. It is so hard to share this .. Sandy
