Is your dog gradually going blind and you haven't noticed?
Our dogs adapt so well to changes in their lives, that we are not always aware a problem may be developing. It is a good idea of getting into the habit of watching your dog carefully on a daily basis to see what is ‘normal’, even his elimination habits. It something does start to change, you are then able to catch, and take vet action in the very early days.
What causes blindness?
Blindness may not just be age related, it could be due to a condition such as diabetes, injury, or a hereditary disease you were not aware your dog had – especially if a mixed breed. There could be cataracts developing, and this is mostly seem by a milky film seeing to appear in the eye, or spots developing.
There is also the possibility that unless Dry Eye may be a culprit of blindness. The early signs can be easy to miss and if the condition is not noticed and treated, the dogs eyesight may be slowly and irreversibly deteriorating.
Some Signs that you dog is not seeing 100% - Do check your findings with your local vet.
Unless they've suffered a major injury, blindness in dogs is almost always gradual. That's why it can be difficult to spot the signs earlier on. Preliminary behavior changes like anxiety, depression, lack of energy, and aggression can also be signs but are often mistaken for other possible diseases, according to the AKC.
I would say that your first step is to watch your dog for a few days really paying attention to his behaviour and what has changed, checking him all over his body and making notes - and then a visit to the vet is called for.
Bearing in mind that we spend a heck of a lot more time with our dogs than our dogs than our vets have the opportunity to do, any information we can give them will help them make a diagnosis.
What causes blindness?
Blindness may not just be age related, it could be due to a condition such as diabetes, injury, or a hereditary disease you were not aware your dog had – especially if a mixed breed. There could be cataracts developing, and this is mostly seem by a milky film seeing to appear in the eye, or spots developing.
There is also the possibility that unless Dry Eye may be a culprit of blindness. The early signs can be easy to miss and if the condition is not noticed and treated, the dogs eyesight may be slowly and irreversibly deteriorating.
Some Signs that you dog is not seeing 100% - Do check your findings with your local vet.
Unless they've suffered a major injury, blindness in dogs is almost always gradual. That's why it can be difficult to spot the signs earlier on. Preliminary behavior changes like anxiety, depression, lack of energy, and aggression can also be signs but are often mistaken for other possible diseases, according to the AKC.
- A very obvious one, is when the eyes start to go a bit cloudy, or there are white spots on the actual eye.
- Look for any changes in the eye itself, such as redness, slight discharge and even a bit of pus, or that the area around the eye may be slightly inflamed or even swollen. Very often, the dog may paw at its own eye, or attempt to rub the eye against the couch or even the carpet.
- Another very common one is that your dog may seem to accidentally bump into things or seem unsure as to where food and water bowls are placed, especially when you have moved furniture around, or brought in a new piece of furniture.
My own Brady, many years ago, developed sudden onset blindness, and my first clue was when he started missing catching balls thrown up into the air for him – his most favourite activity, and he seldom failed to catch them – I knew something was not right. - Watch your dog as he gets into, or out of the car – is he as confident as normal, or is he hesitating slightly? This would also apply to things such as going up and down stairs, and even jumping on, or off furniture.
A sign a friend of mine became aware with her own dog, that instead of jumping up onto his own special chair, he suddenly started using the dog bed on the floor. She then called him to come and jump up and sit with her, and he was very hesitant. Thinking that this may be occurring due to an injury or arthritis, she went to the vet – it was the early onset of blindness. - Any behaviour changes should be investigated as these are often a warning that something physical is afoot, even though it may not be blindness.
Things to look out for are changes in relationships between existing dogs in the family such as reactive behaviour, lack of energy and anxiety, seem to be the most common. - Change of behaviour, such as slight anxiety when in a new environment, or even when out for a walk in a familiar place. You may notice that there is not as much sniffing and wandering away from you occurring, and your dog is sticking close to you, and may even show less interest in playing, especially where throwing balls or toys is concerned.
- Some dogs may startle if you or somebody else comes towards them unexpectedly, especially if the dog is looking towards the light, or there is a lot of shadows, or it is night-time.
I would say that your first step is to watch your dog for a few days really paying attention to his behaviour and what has changed, checking him all over his body and making notes - and then a visit to the vet is called for.
Bearing in mind that we spend a heck of a lot more time with our dogs than our dogs than our vets have the opportunity to do, any information we can give them will help them make a diagnosis.
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