Can dogs go crazy? Or perhaps develop dementia?
I ask because Sammy has been getting weirder and weirder.
It started a few months back when she refused to be in the house when my niece was here. My niece we see close to every weekend so it's not like Sammy had never met her before. When she went outside she would lay in the middle of the lawn, I should also mention that it was pouring rain (and I mean really bucketing) the first several times she did this. At the time we thought maybe the shrill little girl voices hurt her ears.
Then on Christmas she climbed in to the new play tent we'd bought Fiona and peed in it. I was able to clean it up but that is not the point. I wondered if maybe she was (after 3 years) getting resentful of Fiona.
This week she's insisted on repeatedly getting between me and the bath tub when I was trying to give Fiona a bath, taken up eating poop (yes dogs do this but it's new for her), and started pawing at anything cardboard she can find in an obsessive compulsive way.
I suppose I should call the vet. I'm just worried that they're going to say it's just 'cause she's old and we can't do anything about it. I don't want us to have to decide when to put her down based on how crazy she's become rather than how old and sick she is.
She has always annoyed me. I'm not proud of it but I've been known to tell her, "go away nobody likes you" But really she's just so freaking stupid it frustrates me. I don't actually hate her (as I may have also been known to say). I want Sammy to be her normal mildly annoying self for many more years not on a scary downward slide in to senility. Awww maaaaaan now I'm getting weepy.
Note: I should clarify a bit here. We wouldn't be putting her down just 'cause she's getting nutty. That would make us pretty horid. I meant that I didn't expect her being crazy to be a factor at all. I will be taking her to the vet in any case.
4 comments:
It's sad when they start slipping away. Mom's dog Mible was the stinky-est, dumbest, gassy-est dog in history and we all cried hysterically when she died.
Also, I can't let H see this post because he doesn't know putting down is an option when crazy is involved and I need to be around a while longer.
She may have some kind of infection or something that can be taken care of with an antibiotic. Urinary tract infections can make older people confused and disoriented, maybe it can do it to older dogs too.
Yeah, I'd take her to the vet. It may be something simple, and if it isn't it might be better to know now and be able to prepare Fiona.
LeeAnn-You make me lol.
Becky-Good point about infections. She's due for a check up any way. I'm just scared, ya know how it is with older animals, you think they're fine then you take em in for something little and the vet says "sorry she's not going to live through the night."
I'm with Becky. I'd bet money on something physical before something mental.
I thought for years the vet was going to tell me my cat was ready to go, but he never did. Walked out every year surprised.
It was very obvious when it was time, though. I consider myself fortunate for that.
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