{"id":468,"date":"2025-11-03T03:02:37","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T03:02:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/?p=468"},"modified":"2025-11-03T03:02:37","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T03:02:37","slug":"couple-takes-15-year-old-dog-with-dementia-to-public-park-for-his-last-day-after-heartbreaking-decline-exclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/?p=468","title":{"rendered":"Couple Takes 15-Year-Old Dog with Dementia to Public Park for His ‘Last Day’ After ‘Heartbreaking’ Decline (Exclusive)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n
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Coeli Fortun was a teenager when she adopted her shih tzu, Manolo, in Manila, Philippines<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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The 29-year-old, now living in Toronto, tells PEOPLE he was \u201cgoofy and silly, with his tongue always sticking out, and he had a way of making everyone around him smile\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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On Oct. 2, 2025, Fortun had to say goodbye to her 15-year-old companion after he was diagnosed with canine dementia<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For 15 years, Coeli Fortun\u2019s life had been intertwined with that of her beloved shih tzu, Manolo.<\/p>\n
When Fortun first laid eyes on him, she was just 14, and Manolo wasn\u2019t even supposed to be up for adoption, as he was already partially blind in one eye and considered unfit to be rehomed.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo this day, I swear I heard ‘Happy Together’ by The Turtles playing in my head when we locked eyes,\u201d she tells PEOPLE exclusively.<\/p>\n
From that moment on, Manolo became part of every chapter of Fortun\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n
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Artage Portraits<\/p>\n
Coeli Fortun, her partner, Sean, and Manolo.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
In 2022, Fortun moved to Canada with her partner of 10 years to pursue their post-graduate studies. Taking Manolo and his best friend, Snuffles the cat, wasn\u2019t up for debate.<\/p>\n
The four of them built a new rhythm together, finding comfort in each other amid the bustle of everyday life. In February 2025, however, Fortun and her partner, Sean, began to notice changes in Manolo\u2019s behavior.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy partner and I were asleep when Manolo suddenly began screaming,\u201d the 29-year-old recalls. \u201cHe calmed down when we held him, and my partner gently massaged his neck in small circular motions until he drifted back to sleep. But soon, he began yelping during the daytime too.\u201d<\/p>\n
At first, they thought it might be a back problem, since shih tzus are prone to spinal issues like Intervertebral Disc Disease. Concerned, they took him to the vet.<\/p>\n
Although Manolo\u2019s bloodwork and X-rays came back normal, the vet suggested something much harder to swallow: early-stage canine dementia.<\/p>\n
In an effort to help slow down Manolo\u2019s symptoms, they started him on dementia supplements, along with other senior-care treatments for his arthritis.<\/p>\n
But time was not kind to Manolo. His paws began to knuckle and his back legs weakened. Despite this, Fortun and her partner refused to give up.<\/p>\n\n
![\"Artage](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/S969Q1tY0aDlZ.8tbg_Iig--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTkyMDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/people_218\/a707336ce6571b62aebff1597e0c3921\"\/)
<\/div>![\"Coeli](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/sCEv_UJxHJi03C2GeuK8oQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/people_218\/94916d07bc34f8bb1efacaa1d1782f10\"\/)