Blindness In An Old Dog..

[redangel]

Hi my old girl who is pushing 15 has been steadily losing her sight due to cataracts. Yesterday she lost her sight completely- 100% blind. She was fine in all other respects, responding to me, eating dinner and interacting with her doggy companion. This morning she has some vision back. Well at least she sees larger objects....like me LOL

Her cataracts have progressed in the last few years. Has anyone had experience with old dogs going blind??? Is this the way I can expect her condition to progress??? How can I prepare her for the eventual? What experiences have you had coping with a vision impaired furkid? Having faced costly surgery and having to nurse her through intensive care a year ago I dont want to let something small like blindness rob her of life quality in the time we have left. I lost her mother aged 18 2 yrs ago.

Edited November 1, 2009 by redangel

[persephone]

We have had a couple of blind geriatrics - providing they know their way around, and you keep everything in the same place, they do well!

[4Kelpies]

Try this website http://www.blinddogs.com/support.htm

Good luck with your old girl. i hope she can still enjoy life for some time yet.

[Loraine]

My Coco (RIP) was going blind - could not see me if I was more than 4 metres away. He knew his way around our home, and I made sure not to move the furniture. I think they adapt very well, as long as we keep thing tidy for them.

[ellz]

My parents have had two geriatrics....both black poodles, both named Beau and both stone cold motherless blind.

Both dogs enjoyed a very active life. As persephone said, provided they are safe and secure in their environment and you don't go moving things around, they adjust very quickly.

The old Beau's used to have the particular high-stepping, almost "searching" gait of the old blind dog where it looked like they were sniffing in front of them firstly with their nose and then picking their way with their front feet so as to avoid colliding with anything, but unless something was out of place, it really wasn't an issue for them.

They still used to enjoy going for walks because the smells were there even if they couldn't see diddly-squat and they both loved car rides.

I wouldn't say it was difficult, but it was challenging to help maintain the status quo for them and both lived to ripe old ages.