How to deal with a dog who's gone blind?

lostinashford

Over the new year my 11 year old dog Ellie has gone blind, has anyone any recent experience on how to deal with this?

Any suggestions welcome, I did find a couple of old threads but nothing in the last 5 years so hoping to tap into some advice from people who have gone through this recently?

Tks

Darkginger

Our dog, Hobbit (sadly we lost her last year) was diabetic, and went blind (at age 10) as a result. We had two other dogs at the time, and she managed just fine by following them around. I tried scent marking doorways and so on (a dab of an essential oil on each side of the doorway, different scents in different places), but she didn't seem to take much notice of that.

If your dog is on familiar territory, she should be able to navigate using her nose and hearing - so long as everything stays where it usually is, and people don't leave things out she could bump into. Hobbit slowed down a lot after going blind - she never ran full tilt again, but she managed to trot around quite happily.

Going out, we kept her on the lead, except at the beach, which she again navigated by following the other dogs, and using her sense of hearing - we just kept up an continual stream of chat so she always knew where we were. In the car, your dog may benefit from a bit of added security, like a doggy seat belt - it's easy for them to get disorientated in a mobile vehicle.

Hobbit lived another 2 years after losing her sight, and she seemed to be a happy dog right up to the end. It did help that we had the other two for her to follow, but I think us talking to her all the time helped, too.

lostinashford

Darkginger wrote: »

Our dog, Hobbit (sadly we lost her last year) was diabetic, and went blind (at age 10) as a result. We had two other dogs at the time, and she managed just fine by following them around. I tried scent marking doorways and so on (a dab of an essential oil on each side of the doorway, different scents in different places), but she didn't seem to take much notice of that.

If your dog is on familiar territory, she should be able to navigate using her nose and hearing - so long as everything stays where it usually is, and people don't leave things out she could bump into. Hobbit slowed down a lot after going blind - she never ran full tilt again, but she managed to trot around quite happily.

Going out, we kept her on the lead, except at the beach, which she again navigated by following the other dogs, and using her sense of hearing - we just kept up an continual stream of chat so she always knew where we were. In the car, your dog may benefit from a bit of added security, like a doggy seat belt - it's easy for them to get disorientated in a mobile vehicle.

Hobbit lived another 2 years after losing her sight, and she seemed to be a happy dog right up to the end. It did help that we had the other two for her to follow, but I think us talking to her all the time helped, too.

Tks for that Darkginger,

I know it would help to have other dogs, unfortunately we don't, so Ellie is on her own with just us to help her.

Its only been a few days, she was chasing stones on the beach on Christmas Eve so it's all been very sudden for her.

Have been keeping her on the lead while out but is bumping into everything in the house. She has a dog flap as we both work but hate the idea of her getting disorientated in garden and not getting back in. Fairly big garden with a lot of slopes and drops!!!

She's finding the kids difficult, lots of noise and the youngest doesn't get whats going on. I'm talking to her loads and that certainly helps me (and her I hope)

Tks again

Delancey

When I was a child our family pet went blind over a period of time , tbh it really didn't seem to be a big problem - he knew his way around and barring a few accidents when something was moved or left lying around ( dads toolkit for example ) he just got on with his life . He was an only dog but we talked to him all the time.

lostinashford

Delancey wrote: »

When I was a child our family pet went blind over a period of time , tbh it really didn't seem to be a big problem - he knew his way around and barring a few accidents when something was moved or left lying around ( dads toolkit for example ) he just got on with his life . He was an only dog but we talked to him all the time.

Suddenly can see all the rubbish the kids leave out (roller skates and scooter for christmas) also chairs left out or dishwasher left open.

Tks for you reply:)

Mo60

My eldest dog is seventeen years old and has been blind for about four years. He is not very mobile, but when he does get up he manages to find his way about even when he goes outside. He seems to get about by touch and smell, sometimes standing still to get his bearings as to where he is. I find it facinating watching him managing so easily.

Even though I let him outside in the garden, I keep an eye on him in case he would be unable to find his way back. Although he normally finds he way back with no problem.

lostinashford

Mo60 wrote: »

My eldest dog is seventeen years old and has been blind for about four years. He is not very mobile, but when he does get up he manages to find his way about even when he goes outside. He seems to get about by touch and smell, sometimes standing still to get his bearings as to where he is. I find it facinating watching him managing so easily.

Even though I let him outside in the garden, I keep an eye on him in case he would be unable to find his way back. Although he normally finds he way back with no problem.

Thanks Mo60