Dog is going blind

[Anonymous]

I just found out that our 13 year old dog has a progressive eye disease and will be blind within a year or so. Has anyone experienced this? The vet is trying to convince us that we will be much sadder about the sight loss than our pet and that she should adjust well.

[Anonymous]

Our dog is going blind too!

She has other mobility issues as well. So we've been carrying her up/down stairs, trying to keep her path clear.

I recommend Eric Smith:

http://local.yahoo.com/info-12505492-smith-eric-dvm-animal-eye-care-center-gaithersburg

[Anonymous]

Dogs are amazing and are able to adapt to their situations. They have a strong sense of smell and will rely more on that and if they still have their hearing.

[Anonymous]

Always remember dogs do not have feelings like humans. They won't pity themselves or ask why me. Your dog will adjust. I think most things with our pets are harder for us than them.

[Anonymous]

My dog is almost 14, can't walk and has cataracts... but boy can he smell! Dogs adjust amazingly well. Just don't move furniture around and keep bowls in same place. Senior dogs are the sweetest we can learn a lot from them!

[Anonymous]

Our husky lost sight in her right eye when she was about a year old, then the sight in her left eye a few months later. The glaucoma caused more discomfort in one eye than the other, so we opted to have a prosthetic put in (another shout out to Dr. Eric Smith in G'burg). You would never have guessed that she couldn't see (that is, as long as you didn't move the furniture!). Her other senses definitely compensated for her lack of sight because she would be the first of our three dogs to alert us when someone was coming up the porch, catch mice and possums in the yard, etc. When we walked her, she learned that gentle tugs on her leash to the right or left meant that an obstacle was on that side so that she could avoid it. The only real accommodations we had to make for her was to not move the furniture and keep clutter out of the way (i.e., not in her walking path from room to room). She lived to the ripe old age of 12 and led a very full and active life. Dogs are resilient, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

We had a dog growing up who couldn't see for the last seven years of his life. If we didn't move the furniture he was good to go! We have an eight year old dog losing his sight now. I'm more concerned for him because we have a baby coming in November so his stress will be increasing and he's a pretty high strung dog. We'll do what it takes to make his life as easy as possible once his sight is gone.

[Anonymous]

My former dog went blind, and he managed well.

He was blind for a few years before he died (of other causes).

He had the house mapped out and used his nose to navigate in unfamiliar places/outside.

He was pretty happy and didn't seem to mind losing his sight. Your vet is right; I was more upset than he was.

Your dog will be fine. Just don't move your furniture around, make sure you have clear paths.

[Anonymous]

Keep in mind that sight is not a dogs primary sense. Smell is to dogs what sight is to humans. Sight is important to them, yes, but not like it is to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that sight is not a dogs primary sense. Smell is to dogs what sight is to humans. Sight is important to them, yes, but not like it is to us.

My dog just got diagnosed with Glaucoma in his eye which he has a cataract and the size has doubled.
Looks like he will need his eye removed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that sight is not a dogs primary sense. Smell is to dogs what sight is to humans. Sight is important to them, yes, but not like it is to us.

My dog just got diagnosed with Glaucoma in his eye which he has a cataract and the size has doubled.
Looks like he will need his eye removed.

PP here, sorry meant to ask the forum; anyone they recommend for eye removal?
We dont have pet insurance and had cataract about 4 years ago.

I lost my maltese of 12 years last summer and now my shih-tzu needs his eye removed at 9 yrs old.
Just a sad day.

[Anonymous]

Dr. Eric Smith at the Animal Eye Care Center in Gaithersburg treated our dog (glaucoma in both eyes, one eye replaced with a prosthetic) several years ago. He was great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Eric Smith at the Animal Eye Care Center in Gaithersburg treated our dog (glaucoma in both eyes, one eye replaced with a prosthetic) several years ago. He was great.

I know this sounds crass, how much did that cost? Like b/w $1K-$2K for surgery and prosthetic

[Anonymous]

We paid $2.4k for eye removal for our dog, when she had an eye tumor in one eye. It was at Southpaws. They took wonderful care of her and the procedure and recovery were easier than I was expecting.

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP who recommended Dr. Eric Smith. It was several years ago but I recall it was maybe $1 - 2K. I'm sure you could schedule a consult to get a better idea of the cost of estimate.