Thought Vision Was Fine But Now Not So Sure

[betty_joanne]

We just got a 4 year old female greyhound less than a month ago. I thought she was just clumsy and very "tactile" at first but now I am getting worried. She bumps into things during the day and even more so at night. I let her out and she does circles in the dark before going off to go potty. Then she stands half in and half out of the door trying to figure out which way to go. Her eyes look fine unless I really pull down the lower lid and then you can see third eyelid and pink tissue. Both eyes are like this and I looked at my boy's eyes and his don't look like this. You can tell where she is by all the noises she makes(bumps into bed, treadmill, toilet, food bowl,etc.). She also isn't quiet when she lays down and there is always a loud thud and she isn't even 60 lbs.

[XTRAWLD]

Take some cotton balls. Cover up one eye and toss one at her face. Do the same with the other. She should have a reaction. My vet did this to check Kasey's vision after I identified he's a complete klutz as well.

[tbhounds]

The cotton ball trick works really well. They are bright and quite. I would just throw one up in the air and have it land at her feet-watch for a reaction. Of course when in doubt you have seek out a opth consult.

[Feisty49]

I'm not one to panic or get anxious, but I am one to trust my gut, and if she were my dog, I'd take her to a specialist. My Annie has an auto-immune eye disease (similar to Pannus) and my gut instinct told me to take her to our vet, who was unsure what the problem was so recommended an ophthalmologist.

 

Does anyone else have a dog who bumps into as many things as described by the op? It sounds very odd to me.

[betty_joanne]

Vet says eyes are fine. I think that it is mainly her night vision that is horrible. She can reach up and grab a treat from me and she will watch the cotton balls fall from about 4 inches off the floor to the floor. I am more worried about her hurting herself on something(dishwasher when open, treadmill, etc.) than going blind. Husband thinks that she had one to many "collides" on the track . We watched some of her races where she went down and I am amazed that she is even alive. For now we are going to give her a bit longer to settle in and just keep an eye on her.

[KF_in_Georgia]

You can get a collar with a light on it to help at night. This is better than you trying to light her way with extra outside lighting or a flashlight since both those methods may cast her own shadow in the way. The lighted collar will throw the light toward the ground in front of her. Amazon has an assortment of the collars.

[JJNg]

A decrease in night vision can be one of the first signs of progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). The early changes in the retina can be pretty subtle, and a regular vet may not recognize them. Especially if you notice any signs of her vision continuing to decline, it may be worthwhile to consider a consult with a vet ophthalmologist.