After thinking his dog couldn’t see because his fur was too long, this owner was not prepared for the discovery he made when it was finally cut back.
In recent months, dog owner Casey Rock, 34, noticed that his senior Shih Tzu named Shimmy was bumping into doors and stumbling more. Rock hadn’t been too concerned about it, but he told Newsweek that the problem had become “significantly worse” in the last month.
Given that 17-year-old Shimmy’s fur was getting quite long and going in his eyes, Rock, of Vermont, presumed it was impairing his vision. So, he did what any loving owner would do, and he got the fur trimmed back to keep Shimmy’s eyes clear.
However, that didn’t appear to solve the problem.
“I found out pretty much immediately that his fur was not the main issue,” Rock said. “He’ll occasionally bump into doorways or stumble off a curb. But overall, he gets around OK.”
As soon as Rock got Shimmy home from the groomers, he captured a video of the senior rescue dog barking at the door “to give him food” because he had no idea it was just an inanimate object.
It didn’t take long for Rock to realize that Shimmy didn’t just have fur blocking his view, but that actually he’s going blind.
“We adopted him at 15, and he’s never had great vision, but it’s gotten significantly worse in the last month or two. He’s been slightly better at not running into stuff or stumbling around, but he’s still a bit clumsy,” Rock continued.
While Shimmy, who turns 18 in October, hasn’t received an official diagnosis, he does receive regular checkups. Rock has been told in the past by a vet that Shimmy’s eyes “are not what they used to be.”
Despite his age and deteriorating eyesight, Shimmy is still full of life and keeps his owner on his toes.
Rock told Newsweek that Shimmy is still “shockingly energetic” considering how old he is and still enjoys multiple walks every day. “He’s an old grump but very sweet,” Rock said.
After realizing the error in his ways, Rock shared the video of his senior dog mistaking a door for a person on TikTok (@casey4prez2028). The clip, which was captured soon after returning from the groomers, has gone viral with over 318,100 views and 83,200 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
Rock has been blown away by the online reaction, and hopes it will shine a light on the important of adopting an animal in need. It’s no secret that senior cats and dogs struggle to find forever homes, but Shimmy has shown just how much joy and love they can give in their later years.
“It’s been a crazy response. People have been giving tips and sharing stories about their older dogs, so it’s been really fun,” Rock said.
He continued: “Support your local animal shelter, and don’t be afraid to adopt older pups. They tend to go unadopted for a long time because people are concerned about the complications, but adopting Shimmy has been a highlight of our lives.”
In just a matter of days, the viral video has gained more than 100 comments on TikTok from bemused social media users.
One comment reads: “well at least he doesn’t have hair in his eyes anymore.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “don’t disregard the second most likely diagnosis though: stupid.”
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