GSDFan Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 As a result of her diabetes, Blythe appears to be going blind. At the moment she certainly has some sight but is struggling when she goes from outside to inside or vice versa ( changes of light presumably ). I think from information I have read on canine diabetes that she will lose most or all of her sight fairly quickly. I've had an elderly dog who went blind and a couple that in old age were partially sighted but I've never had a youngish dog. Blythe is only 6 or 7 years old. My oldies coped fine but on the whole they ambled around, if they bumped into anything they did it fairly slowly. At the moment Blythe is moving relatively slowly because she still isn't well, but I'm hoping there will come a time when she is charging around like a lunatic again. My worry is how she will cope with charging around and not being able to see. I'm gutted really, the only game she really loves to play is chasing after her ball and then being chased around with it, I don't want her to miss out on stuff like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanishPastry Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 Wendy&Gdogs Bumpy is blind and copes well. You can get balls with bells in them,or use highly scented toys for her to chase/sniff out, Obviously she would have to be in a big secure field without many obstructions, for her own safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 As you already know Jackie I have no experience of blindness in younger dogs - though my Katie did go blind due to her brain tumour and that seemed to be the least of her problems, she coped well with that side of things. I do know that the other senses tend to compensate but you probably already know that - no use at all am I..... Just wanted you to know I am thinking of you and the brave Blythe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherlock Bones Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 I'm hoping that my memory serves me right but i'm sure there's a website called Pepe Dog or something similar that deals with this. I have no experience myself but from what i've seen it is adaptation of your way of dealing with the blindness that matters - like not moving furniture often and using balls with bells etc - just changing how you do things rather than Blythe not being able to do the things she normally does - if that makes sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 (edited) My Max is about 5 1/2 and has been going blind for a couple of years (he's now completely blind due to PRA and CEA). Because it has been a gradual process I found it has not made a lot of difference to him. People really don't even notice he is blind unless I tell them because he charges round like a loon with the rest of them, albeit he goes off in the wrong direction sometimes and I have to guide him back to me by clapping. I take him to the same place for most of his walks and it's big wide open fields with a stream which he still goes in even though it's down a sharp incline. He copes very well with going to new places too, but if we go anywhere near woods I tend to keep him on lead in case he runs into anything sharp which could hurt him. He still runs like the wind over the fields, although sometimes he misses his footing and takes a tumble but he bounces straight back up again. Try www.blinddogs.com for some good tips and I have heard good things about the book "Living with Blind Dogs" by Caroline Levin If you have any questions please feel free to PM me. Edited February 11, 2007 by madmerle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSDFan Posted February 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 Wendy&Gdogs Bumpy is blind and copes well. You can get balls with bells in them,or use highly scented toys for her to chase/sniff out, Obviously she would have to be in a big secure field without many obstructions, for her own safety. Balls with bells is a brilliant idea I'm hoping that my memory serves me right but i'm sure there's a website called Pepe Dog or something similar that deals with this. Have looked and found it, although not yet read through it thanks Dee My Max is about 5 1/2 and has been going blind for a couple of years (he's now completely blind due to PRA and CEA). Because it has been a gradual process I found it has not made a lot of difference to him. I think Blythe will go blind in the space of a few days or at the most weeks, that worries me as much as anything because she will not have time to properly adjust. She's walked into the corner of the house twice today and fallen over the boot scraper We can move the boot scraper but can't do much about the house Try www.blinddogs.com for some good tips and I have heard good things about the book "Living with Blind Dogs" by Caroline Levin If you have any questions please feel free to PM me. Thank you, I've found that site as well now I'm having too learn far too much, far too quickly at the moment, learning to deal with diabetes and blindness all in one go is making me Thanks Guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nouggatti Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 Jackie I'm sorry I have no advice to offer. Just and best wishes for yourself, Blythe, Pete and the rest of the family at this time. Sorry to hear such sad news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaos Posted February 15, 2007 Report Share Posted February 15, 2007 Really sorry I missed this Jackie No other suggestions to offer I'm afraid, just 'common sense' type stuff, and you have plenty of that already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSDFan Posted February 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2007 Really sorry I missed this Jackie No other suggestions to offer I'm afraid, just 'common sense' type stuff, and you have plenty of that already Thanks Normally I seem to be reasonably good at common sense but it's deserted me a bit just at the moment Obviously we're making her environment as safe as possible but I think I need to also teach her things like directional control and new words for situations that aren't normally a problem - like steps. I'm not planning on doing any teaching just yet, she is very confused and I think she needs to adjust a bit first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nouggatti Posted February 15, 2007 Report Share Posted February 15, 2007 Aww to you all Jackie. Dunno if this is any help, if it is you can park it if you need it. I had to teach both Nanouki and Megan three leggedy dogs to "do" stairs" as they really struggled. To get them started we just did one stair at a time, and then sat, then moved up slowly over time. They both learned the "stairs" command so to speak, as that's what I called it lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSDFan Posted February 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2007 Aww to you all Jackie. Dunno if this is any help, if it is you can park it if you need it. I had to teach both Nanouki and Megan three leggedy dogs to "do" stairs" as they really struggled. To get them started we just did one stair at a time, and then sat, then moved up slowly over time. They both learned the "stairs" command so to speak, as that's what I called it lol Did you just use the same command whether it was up the stairs or down the stairs ? We don't have stairs fortunately but we do have a step from the porch into the garden and then some low steps from patio to lawn. At the moment she either falls up them or down them unless I have hold of her and make her go slowly. Fortunately they are very shallow so she doesn't hurt herself but she does get upset about it. If she just walks around slowly she is OK but she tends to break into a trot and then bumps into things. It's early days yet and I expect she will learn where things are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brierley Posted February 15, 2007 Report Share Posted February 15, 2007 Until he gets used to the condition (which doesn't affect dogs as much as it affects humans), it can be a good idea to use the foam type lagging you can buy for pipes and use it on the bottom of doors (as these move so are not always in the same place). Scent up his toys - ie, if he likes to chase balls in the garden, putting a ball in a polythene bag with a clove of garlic overnight can give it a scent to help him detect it etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nouggatti Posted February 15, 2007 Report Share Posted February 15, 2007 Did you just use the same command whether it was up the stairs or down the stairs ? We don't have stairs fortunately but we do have a step from the porch into the garden and then some low steps from patio to lawn. At the moment she either falls up them or down them unless I have hold of her and make her go slowly. Fortunately they are very shallow so she doesn't hurt herself but she does get upset about it. No I didn't Jackie, we started with "stairs, up, up" as both Megan and Nanouki had a dreadful fear of stairs. Then when we did get down the stairs we started that with just "stairs down" With Loppy who falls over (due to old age) either getting up or down off the step onto our giant mudpatch, I use just "step up" or "step down" as I take his rear end to give him support. Perhaps that might be an idea for Blythe? Especially before she completely loses her sight? Perhaps take her out supervised when possible and use something to indicate you/her are at the steps and she needs to stop and take it slow?? I like the idea of the padding, wonder would that work as a marker for the steps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisydukes2 Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 http://www.blinddog.info/msgbd/index.php?s...4215ff557d03ad1 i found this site good when my toby had his eyes removed due to tumours - he was 11 when it happened tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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