Dog Losing Sight In One Eye?
Discussion
Long story short;
It seems the dog poked himself in the eye when diving into a hedge. Eye went silvery/cloudy (like nuclear sclerosis) and the white around the edge was bloodshot.
The vet said she could see a pinprink of a cataract, but also yes, there was a small scar or something there. We got Metacam for the inflammation and antibiotic eyedrops, and we saw an immediate improvement.
However, now the improvement has stalled. The eye is still a little bloodshot, and silvery. We'll be going to his French vet next week (we saw the English one ten days ago) to see what she says, but I'm increasingly worried he's losing his sight in that one eye.
He bumped into a table leg and a door this morning.
Any experience/advice re similar? How will he cope? Will he lose his confidence? What can we do to help him?
Obviously it's not definite yet, but I'm not sleeping well...
It seems the dog poked himself in the eye when diving into a hedge. Eye went silvery/cloudy (like nuclear sclerosis) and the white around the edge was bloodshot.
The vet said she could see a pinprink of a cataract, but also yes, there was a small scar or something there. We got Metacam for the inflammation and antibiotic eyedrops, and we saw an immediate improvement.
However, now the improvement has stalled. The eye is still a little bloodshot, and silvery. We'll be going to his French vet next week (we saw the English one ten days ago) to see what she says, but I'm increasingly worried he's losing his sight in that one eye.
He bumped into a table leg and a door this morning.
Any experience/advice re similar? How will he cope? Will he lose his confidence? What can we do to help him?
Obviously it's not definite yet, but I'm not sleeping well...
Our dog who is approaching 15 in the coming months had an eye removed about 3 months ago.
Like you we were both worried he would struggle but honestly? He was like a new dog afterwards and it hasn’t bothered him 1 bit.
It healed really quickly and without hiccup.
If you’re putting off having it removed because you’re worried about ‘What if’ I wouldn’t.
Like you we were both worried he would struggle but honestly? He was like a new dog afterwards and it hasn’t bothered him 1 bit.
It healed really quickly and without hiccup.
If you’re putting off having it removed because you’re worried about ‘What if’ I wouldn’t.
Sorry to hear about your dog
Above is Snoopy (RIP). He was working as a guide dog with 20% sight.
We fostered him until a new home could be found for him. After a few months he moved to his new home, thanks to Networking on here.
He lived a good life until old age finally got him
Animals are amazingly adaptable
Good luck
Above is Snoopy (RIP). He was working as a guide dog with 20% sight.
We fostered him until a new home could be found for him. After a few months he moved to his new home, thanks to Networking on here.
He lived a good life until old age finally got him
Animals are amazingly adaptable
Good luck
Thank you.
I know he won't question what's happening, and he won't malinger like we would, but I worry about his quality of life, and his confidence.
The trouble is, I read too much into any change in his behaviour. We've spent two days driving from Warwickshire to SW France, and when we stopped at a service station, or an aire, he got out of the car, had a wee and a large drink of water (also out of character) and got straight back in again.
Me: See? He's lost his confidence, because he can't see.
My Wife: He had a massive drink and got back in the car because that's air conditioned and it's 30° out here. Yet here we are, standing in the f
king car park, talking about the dog, who has proven himself to be wiser than both of us!
Hopefully we'll learn more from the vet early next week.
I know he won't question what's happening, and he won't malinger like we would, but I worry about his quality of life, and his confidence.
The trouble is, I read too much into any change in his behaviour. We've spent two days driving from Warwickshire to SW France, and when we stopped at a service station, or an aire, he got out of the car, had a wee and a large drink of water (also out of character) and got straight back in again.
Me: See? He's lost his confidence, because he can't see.
My Wife: He had a massive drink and got back in the car because that's air conditioned and it's 30° out here. Yet here we are, standing in the f
king car park, talking about the dog, who has proven himself to be wiser than both of us!Hopefully we'll learn more from the vet early next week.
Hopefully, somewhere down the page will be a link to a short video. This was made by my daughters boss who was inspired by the spirit and resilience shown by my daughters dog, Roscoe.
Long story short, one day about two years or so ago, Roscoe lost his sight, within hours, or even minutes. Turns out he had an infection in his retinas, which his own immune system attacked, causing the retinas to become irreparably damaged. Subsequently, he suffered with glaucoma, which meant his eyes had to be removed. So at the age of 12, he was suddenly sightless. He's 14 now, and slowing down a bit, but his ability to adapt to his new normal is a lesson to us all. Dogs really are the most resilient animals. Have a look at the video, it's only a couple of minutes long. It does sometimes make dust get in your eyes, I must warn you!!
https://app.frame.io/reviews/5678c94e-c68c-4071-93...
Kim
p.s. hoping for a good outcome for your dog, but if the worst comes to the worst, it's not the end of the world, for the dog or for you!
pps Forgot to say, our little boxer Esther, now sadly departed, had a very similar injury to your dogs (stabbed in the eye by a blackthorn).
She developed a fungal infection which was eventually cleared up by using iodine - cost a fortune though - then she caught the other eye a year or so later, same result. But no long term effect on her eyesight.
Long story short, one day about two years or so ago, Roscoe lost his sight, within hours, or even minutes. Turns out he had an infection in his retinas, which his own immune system attacked, causing the retinas to become irreparably damaged. Subsequently, he suffered with glaucoma, which meant his eyes had to be removed. So at the age of 12, he was suddenly sightless. He's 14 now, and slowing down a bit, but his ability to adapt to his new normal is a lesson to us all. Dogs really are the most resilient animals. Have a look at the video, it's only a couple of minutes long. It does sometimes make dust get in your eyes, I must warn you!!
https://app.frame.io/reviews/5678c94e-c68c-4071-93...
Kim
p.s. hoping for a good outcome for your dog, but if the worst comes to the worst, it's not the end of the world, for the dog or for you!
pps Forgot to say, our little boxer Esther, now sadly departed, had a very similar injury to your dogs (stabbed in the eye by a blackthorn).
She developed a fungal infection which was eventually cleared up by using iodine - cost a fortune though - then she caught the other eye a year or so later, same result. But no long term effect on her eyesight.
Edited by kimducati on Saturday 3rd May 21:09
My last staffie had to have an eye removed and he was fine didn’t change his behaviour/ confidence etc at all. It can affect their ability to judge distance so every now and then he’d jump to early up a kerb and trip but nothing serious.
I did move a side table in the hall way though as it was on his ‘blind side’ as he came round the corner and he knocked into it a couple times.
I did move a side table in the hall way though as it was on his ‘blind side’ as he came round the corner and he knocked into it a couple times.
My experience is that they cope remarkably well, sight seems secondary to smell to a dog. Our JRT developed glaucoma in both eyes, deemed untreatable. Eventually she had both removed to ease the pain. Around the house, dont move furniture and keep bed, water bowl and food bowls in the same place. We used fabric tape held onto table and chair legs to stop her away from getting stuck under things and also across corners to minimise head bumps. Things like radiator valves I covered with bits of foam pipe insulation (though she clearly wasnt going to poke an eye out…). By watching her I saw how she used smell to navigate to the dog flap so made sure we kept the same mats and boots by the door. We also developed the use of the word ‘carefull’ (said as CARE-full) as a warning that she was about to bump into something. Outside was fine on a lead but lacking confidence off it. I worked on this by using a very thin bamboo fruit cane to gently tap left or right with the ‘care-full’ plus a tap on her back to slow or stop. We got to a level of trust such that on a large lawn or playing field or even a beach she would run (chasing imagined prey) with me providing the guidance. She lived happily while blind for 7 years. I do miss her.
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