| NoSkiveez |
| Posted 2/21/2008 3:14:48 PM |
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Active: 07-10-2005
Posts: 5493
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I am looking for information on Canine Blindness or some place with information on Dog Blindness and how dogs adjust and cope with out the ability to see anymore.
I mentioned in another thread, Rico is going to loose his left eye, not just the vision in his eye, but the entire eye. Nothing can stop that. Preserving the right eye is our biggest concern, but it is possible that eye may have the same fate. We are hoping that the lab tests will help us determine a cause for this as the cause is still not known.
I have gotten some great ideas from a few people but I am looking for more.
All help is appreciated. |
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| suebgone |
| Posted 2/21/2008 11:16:24 PM |
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Active: 01-10-2006
Posts: 3359
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I had numerous blind dogs & they were all that way when I got them. they learned easily where the food & water were.
ocassionally got tangled up under a chair or table but they all did fine.
your's has the benefit of already knowing his way around your house. |
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| NoSkiveez |
| Posted 2/22/2008 1:38:05 AM |
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Active: 07-10-2005
Posts: 5493
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Even with him knowing where things are have still had some accidnets with him. He has fallen in the pool and cant go out alone anymore. Saturday he came to be back in bed and miss judged the distance and jumped too soon and fell on the floor really hard. His vision is limited and we are leaving lights on so that he can see the best he can. |
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| maoseger1010 |
| Posted 2/22/2008 2:52:41 AM |
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Forum Moderator
 
Active: 02-20-2005
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| Quote NoSkiveez: Even with him knowing where things are have still had some accidnets with him. He has fallen in the pool and cant go out alone anymore. Saturday he came to be back in bed and miss judged the distance and... |
Get him a ramp or steps for the bed and teach him to come up the ramp or steps. The pool is a problem so I wouldn't allow him outside by himself anymore. Because he can still see some he'll actually have more problems than if he were totally blind. Right now he "thinks" he can see how far something is. Once he can no longer "see" he will learn to judge by sound,touch, and smell much more. |
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| NoSkiveez |
| Posted 2/22/2008 11:42:00 AM |
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Active: 07-10-2005
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I never thought of it that way, but it would make alot of sense. I am thinking of also doing away with a coffee table in the living room out of fear that he will hurt himself on it.
The pool is a huge concern. We have new house rules. Only mom and dad are allowed to let the dogs out and we have pulled the Dog door out of the track. We are also looking into some sort of temporary barrier to eliminate some of the pool risk factors.
Rico is scheduled to go in on Thursday the 28th for the removal and closing of his left eye.
This weekend we are getting him a brand new outfit and we are taking him to have his pictures taken.
We are still completely devistated and cant understand how and why this has happened. |
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| suebgone |
| Posted 2/22/2008 4:21:30 PM |
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Active: 01-10-2006
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you have to stop thinking about your feelings here & put the dog's first. get down on the floor to his level & see what is there, in each room.
don't change furniture around. if you think the coffeetable is dangerous to him - then fix it or get rid of it. if its the corners, you can get plastic or rubber corners, I guess to baby proof. would they help? |
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| arachyd |
| Posted 2/22/2008 10:45:13 PM |
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Active: 05-09-2007
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When you put a ramp or steps up to the bed make sure the edge of the ramp lines up with something on the bed like a wall or headboard that the Dog can find easily from on the bed. This way he doesn't have to step out into space and guess where the edge of his ramp is-risking a fall out of bed if he misses. I agree it is harder for a Dog with very weak eyesight than for a totally blind Dog to get around because the Dog will still try to rely on vision that is deceptive to him. |
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| THMINIS |
| Posted 2/23/2008 7:19:18 PM |
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Active: 03-16-2006
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I agree with the others on the ramp for your bed. If he decides not to use it, I wouldn't allow him in the bed anymore. I do think though that he could easily be trained to use it.
Growing up our first Pug went blind. He stopped making tears(I can't remember the name of the disorder), and I actually now learn that we could have prevented him from going blind. Turns out that my parents opted to just let him go blind, but that's a totally different story.
Rocky did really well. You'll learn not to move things around, and I agree that if there are any sharp tables that you'll make the right choice if it is harmful. One thing to think about though, other than the pool, is stairs if you have them. Our old house had a couple stairs to go to the back door, and Rocky was okay with those we decided, but he never went downstairs to the basement or upstairs. Also, when a Dog is blind, even if they are the sweetest Dog in the world, I think it's nice to let them know when you're near them and around. You may forget that he's blind and go to pet him and forget that he doesn't know that until you touch him. If he does loose his right eye, I can only imagine that for the first few weeks, it's going to seem pathetic. I know many newly blind dogs that will go out in their yard and loose track of where their owner is and cry. It may seem like it isn't going to be okay, but he'll get through it. He'll just need your support for a while. Our pug rocky was blind from age 9 until he passed on at almost 12 years old. I was too young to really remember when he went blind (other than the test they did to test his tear production), but I remember him being a very happy and otherwise healthy dog. They really do learn to rely on their other senses and they become heightened when they loose one.
I will keep Rico and you in my thoughts and prayers for a safe surgery and that his other eye manages to stay healthy. |
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| NoSkiveez |
| Posted 2/25/2008 10:55:23 AM |
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Active: 07-10-2005
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I have been fortunate enough to find people who have been thru this. As I am learning, Rico will adjust well. It will be harder for me to deal with what has happened to him than it will be for him. We are learning tips on how to make things easier for him. I think the hardest part for me isnt the fact that he is going to loose his eye. I think it is harder not having an answer as to why this is happening. I dont know what caused it and cant do anything to eliminate the cause. One of my first thoughts was that Tubby (AKA Little One) licked his face too much and maybe that was why. But the vet said that it wasnt the cause. We should have blood results today and hopefully that will provide some answers. He is on medications to help him. Quite a few actually. The swelling has gone down drastically but the vet said that his eye would never return to normal size. He will have medications to control the right eye as well. He is doing pretty good with the medications.
Wednesday we have an appointment to have his pictures taken in a studio. We want to have a nice photo of him before this.
It amazes me the nerve of some of the people who I know that just do not understand that my animals are a part of my family and that they are not "just a dog". Some of the comments made really irritate me. I think I have heard just about every rotten thing out there from he's just a Dog to what are you going to do with a lame Dog to that is too much money to spend on a Dog up to why dont you just put him down and that I am being selfish. |
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| maligirl1 |
| Posted 2/25/2008 11:14:53 AM |
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Active: 12-14-2007
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| Quote NoSkiveez: I have been fortunate enough to find people who have been thru this. As I am learning, Rico will adjust well. It will be harder for me to deal with what has happened to him than it will be for him. We... |
it is unfortunate that alot of people just don't understand how many people treat their pets like human family members.some people might consider this a little drastic but i would do anything to protect and care for my little one, so i kind of know where your coming from.yes it is terrible to think that some people just don't get it but as long as you know you are helping your Dog and it is the best thing for him take heart in that.just because he will lose sight in that eye doesn't make him any less lovable.good luck and god bless |
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| THMINIS |
| Posted 2/25/2008 6:46:32 PM |
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Active: 03-16-2006
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| Quote NoSkiveez: I have been fortunate enough to find people who have been thru this. As I am learning, Rico will adjust well. It will be harder for me to deal with what has happened to him than it will be for him. We... |
On the Pug board that I frequent, there are many happy Pugs who either only have one eye or lost both eyes. I agree that it will be harder for you than him, and he will continue living life happily and loved. Try to take comfort in that. He won't be wondering why this happened to him, and he will still love you and and be loyal to your family as his family. I do hope that the bloodwork can show something that would have caused this.
I totally understand the fact that many people don't understand that a Dog can be treated more than as "just a dog", yet still be well trained and a respectful canine. Luckily most people I've met online really do understand. The conversations I've had with other Pug lovers would probably be deemed crazy by people who don't hold a dog's love.
There's a lady I know from the other forum. I've messaged her to ask for her permission first, but I'm sure she'll let me share pictures of her black female Pug who only has one eye, and her male foster Pug who also only has one eye. I'll post them when she gets back to me!! |
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| THMINIS |
| Posted 2/26/2008 2:14:41 AM |
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Active: 03-16-2006
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Here you go NoSkivees...
This is a picture of a lady I know's foster George...he came to her with only one eye.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y135/italianswtie...
Here is her Pug Suki. She was also a rescue who Sara adopted when she already was missing her eye. She actually also has agression problems(because of her previous treatment and training), but Sara is providing her (and her foster brother, adopted sister, and puppy brother Pugs) with the best home possible.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y135/italianswtie...
Here are the two Dogster pages of a lady that I have never really spoken with, but she is well known at the other board for the rescue work she's done and for all her rescue Puggies!
Here's Percy, he had both eyes removed. Percy was deaf, too. He has recently crossed over Rainbow Bridge.
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/72750
And here's Jed. His eyes had to be removed after he was found wandering the streets right before Kim (the lady who owned Percy) adopted him.
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/234393
The reason I posted these for you is that I hope that maybe, just maybe, it makes you feel a little bit better about however Rico will continue his life with you. No one can deny that all four Pugs look like they live joyfull lives. They are happy in every single picture, and none of them look scared or lost. That's because they have owners that love them and who would go to the end of the world for them. Rico isn't any different, and he's going to continue living the great life that you've provided for him regardless of the outcome of his eyesight. |
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| NoSkiveez |
| Posted 2/26/2008 12:05:08 PM |
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Active: 07-10-2005
Posts: 5493
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Thank You for poting the photos.
We finally have a cause. They have determined that Rico has a moderate case of Valley Fever.
http://www.vfce.arizona.edu/VFCE%20OLD/ValleyFever...
He has began treatment for it. We dont know exactly how long he will need to be treated for. 6 months, maybe a year or possibly the rest of his life. It still doesnt change the fact that his eye has to be removed. They dont know how long he has had this either. |
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| NoSkiveez |
| Posted 2/29/2008 1:20:06 AM |
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Active: 07-10-2005
Posts: 5493
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Ricos eye was done today. Je looks good and is doing good.
http://www.vfce.arizona.edu/VFCE%20OLD/ValleyFever/canine/canine.htm#VFCE |
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| maligirl1 |
| Posted 2/29/2008 8:39:53 AM |
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Active: 12-14-2007
Posts: 475
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glad to hear that.good luck with him.hope all continues well . |
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| arachyd |
| Posted 2/29/2008 5:18:30 PM |
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Active: 05-09-2007
Posts: 209
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I hope all is well too. |
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| jjandmeeko |
| Posted 2/29/2008 5:31:06 PM |
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Active: 02-26-2008
Posts: 6
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So happy to hear Rico's eye is doing good. |
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