Okay, need a little advice with a dog going blind.

[Baitball Blogger]

She has a degenerative eye disease that is common to her breed. We can slow it down, but we can't stop it. The dog is a bit of a house cat. When she was young, we tried to take her to the beach or the dog park, but she didn't seem interested. So, we allowed her to roost at home for all these last few years, and now that she's going blind, I get the feeling that I should be doing more for her. Like taking her around with me on errands, that sort of thing. Or do I just accept that she just feels comfortable at home and buy the usual dog products that will help her move around without bumping into things?

Any one have experience with this?

[Ponietz]

1. There are many YouTube videos

Keep a consistent environment — don’t move furniture or her food and water bowls. Really good lighting helps them. Also, there are Halo collars that will warn them if they’re about to bump into anything. You can enrich her environment giving her different and new things to smell. Scent will be her world, so thank goodness dogs can smell 100,000x better than us. Also, use stair gates to protect her.

[Baitball Blogger]

5. The scent stimulation idea is a good one.

And I am trying to figure out how to put tracking lights along the walls.

[dflprincess]

2. My sister-in-law had a dog that went blind from diabetes

He lost his sight quite suddenly & it was heartbreaking to watch him try to feel his way around at first but
he did adjust fairly quickly & his vet did say as long as his nose worked (it did) he would be okay. Dogs seem to have an easier time with losing their sight than we do.

It wasn't too long before he was finding his way around the house & yard almost as well as ever. He seemed a little hesitant on walks at times but mostly appeared to still enjoy them. SIL kept him on a shorter leash as he did startle a more easily than he used to (he'd always been a little skittish).

SIL did not move furniture around after he went blind & even the kids got better at not leaving stuff laying on the floor. He did have some issues getting lost in the yard when there was fresh snow on the ground - it must have interfered with his being able to sniff his way back to the house. They had a younger dog that was part cattle dog & his herding instincts kicked in and he would guide Boo back to the house. The problem came when the pup decided he must always be by the old dog's side, like any cranky old guy, he did not always welcome the kid's help.

I wouldn't change anything about how you interact with her. Making sure she feels comfortable and secure is more important.

[Baitball Blogger]

6. Thanks for the information.

[in2herbs]

3. You don't say how old or how big the dog is, but if it were me, I would let her be where she wants

to be and if that means in the house on the couch all day, so be it. Let her adjust to what she is facing but you can help comfort her by leaving the tv or radio on when you go away. Maybe even ask her if she wants to go with you. When you enter a room tell you where you are and touch her. Sadly her degenerative eye disease is not the only thing she is suffering with. Did she like to get bathed? IF so, do that. For sure her nails will need to be maintained.

How is her hearing?

Make sure she is pain free. They make a bacon flavored CBD oil for pets.

Good luck,

[Baitball Blogger]

4. Thank you.

I already try to give her evening walks while there is still daylight. But if we're out there and it looks like she's having trouble, I just keep talking so she can figure out where I am.

The baths sound like a good idea. Thank you.

[womanofthehills]

7. I don't know if she is a cuddlier

One of my dogs just loves to plop down on me. He’s big and he just love to drop his head down in my lap.

I would spend more time touching & cuddling with your dog - tactile stuff.

A good raw soup bone he can chew on for hours.

[Baitball Blogger]

10. She wanted more cuddles before this thing began to take hold.

Not sure why she seems happy to be in the same room with me, but not necessarily on my lap.

[Irish_Dem]

8. I don't think it is the time to suddenly change her routine.

She may already be confused and stressed as she loses her eyesight.
And she will be moving around based on her memory of where things are
located in the home. But if you change all of that, it will be stressful.

Also she never liked leaving the home in the past.
So I wouldn't force her to do things she was never interested in before.

Yes I think the adaptive strategies in the home is the better avenue.

[Baitball Blogger]

11. Thanks, I just needed confirmation.

[sinkingfeeling]

9. I had a dog go blind from glaucoma after cataract surgery. She did just fine, even went up and down 17 stairs. I would

tell her "step up" or 'step down' when we took walks and came to curbs.