Guest bry736 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I have an 11 1/2yr. old female greyhound that is starting to lose her eyesight due to cataracts. I notice that she sometimes stumbles and has started wanting to stay with me even more than before. What can I do to make her older years more comfortable. We are building a larger step for her to get up & down off of our bed. Is there a product to help failing eyesight in dogs. She is just a wonderful dog, wonderful disposition, great manners and well loved. Anyone having the same problem out there. Any and all suggestions will be appreciated! Thanking you in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Were the cataracts diagnosed by a specialist? Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bry736 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Yes. By my vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey14me Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I would gate off any stairs so that she can't do them when you aren't home. I would put out nightlights in case she still has some eyesight as far as distinguishing dark and light objects. I would make sure there are non-skid rugs on any slippery floor surfaces so that she doesn't fall and I would start using commands when walking her like 'step up' and 'step down' for curbs and stuff so that she gets used to listening to you give commands and understands that's you're helping her. Although, in general, I think dogs do pretty darn well without much eyesight. Do you just have the one dog? Because if there is more than one, that is helpful...basically a seeing eye dog for your dog Quote Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05 Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell Wag more, bark less :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bry736 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 She doesn't wander at all at night as she has her own room, so she is safe then. We do have two other dogs so that should help her out. We have hard wood flooring throughout our house, and she is slipping once in awhile. She has been taking more time to walk, etc. Commands are a wonderful idea. We will start using them even in the house. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Your vet is a specialist? The reason I am asking, is to make sure this isn't pannus which can present many different ways. Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bry736 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 No, sorry not a specialist. None around here that I know of. I am in Saskatchewan, Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 OK - we need to contact our Canadian friends on here. Here is a picture of pannus. It presents in so many different ways! Pannus is treatable, but you need to have a proper diagnosis. Some links to research: http://www.wellvet.com/pannus.html http://eyedvm.com/cornea_with_chronic_superficial_.htm http://www.veterinaryvision.com/public_forum/pannus.htm http://www.dog-health-guide.org/pannusindogs.html Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bry736 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Her eyes don't look like that at all. They are just VERY slightly cloudy. Her pupils are more dialated than normal. (maybe due to straining???) Other than this, she is a very happy senior! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Pannus can be cloudy also. It presents so many different ways! Have people checking in your area I'd just hate to see her go blind if she has a treatable condition. If one has pannus and it is not treated, blindness will occur. Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bry736 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Thank you for your help. She is my baby, even though she was adopted only 3 years ago. What a special beautiful lady she turned out to be!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jerrybird Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 The University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon operates a Small Animal Clinic and I would bet that they have an opthamologist on staff. Any chance your vet could refer you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn8 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Cataracts should be treated with eye drops to prevent inflammation and/or secondary eye conditions. Jenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeh2o Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 (edited) My dog, Sheila (Shiba Inu/Chow mix) suddenly lost her sight due to SARDs. I learned some good tips from the Yahoo group, Owners of Blind Dogs. The top two things that helped, I got a cat bell and put it on my other dog's collar so Sheila could hear him, when at home I wore a bracelet with bells on it and would jingle it when I was moving around the house & I bought essential oils to put on the door way of each room including the door to go outside. The oils were a HUGE help to her as she was trying to navigate her way around the house. She moves a lot slower and uses her nose and all of her fur (she's a VERY fluffy girl) as antenna to navigate. She leaves a lot of slurpy nose marks around the house, but it's fine by me. I also use verbal commands, "step up" for going up a step, "step down", "stop" is a big one, "back back" if she gets stuck and needs to maneuver her way out of a place. Things like that. Also, when giving her a treat I hold it in the flat palm of my hand like I was taught to feed horses, she bites fingers really hard when trying to eat from a hand! I bought her a Babble Ball, she liked it, but since it's made of hard plastic it isn't her favorite toy. Her favorite things are tennis balls or anything that squeaks and her treat dispensing Kong. Good luck, I hope you can get this figured out and you both adjust ok. Edited January 27, 2009 by ckruzan Quote Sunsands Doodles: Doodles aka Claire, Bella Run Softly: Softy aka Bowie (the Diamond Dog) Missing my beautiful boy Sunsands Carl 2.25.2003 - 4.1.2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndysMom Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I was watching an episode of "It's Me or the Dog" that deal, in part, with a blind Mastiff. Victoria Stilwell made a good suggestion -- to put a textured mat or runner down at the spot where the dog approached a single step down into a different area of the house (like a sunken living room). This was a signal to the dog that there was a step ahead. That seemed like a good idea. Quote Mom to Palm City Roxie ("Roxie"). Remembering Heizer Jordan ("Jordan"), DB's PickedtoWin ("Andy"), CB Ectasy ("Ecstasy"), Oshkosh Unafraid ("Tribute"), Arathorn, WV's Imperial ("Abby") and her brother WV's Institute ("Mojo") and KB's Gameboy ("Game Boy"), who've all gone to the Bridge. Working with Austin Greyhound Adoption <austingreyhounds.org>. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest argolola Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Prayers for your little sweet girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Destiny Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 LIVING WITH BLIND DOGS is a wonderful book. Deals with all types of vision problems. My Lab has PRA and I find this book a great help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bry736 Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Thank you so much for all of your replys. I have always been steered in the right direction on this forum. I can follow up with my vet for a few suggestions. Thanks again so much! Mava Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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