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-   -   My old dog is blind. BTDT? (http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com/community/showthread.php?t=528426)

Singingmom 04-29-2020 09:22 AM

My old dog is blind. BTDT?
 
It happened suddenly, and it's so sad. :( He was almost deaf before. The vet says he's otherwise healthy.

When he was only deaf, I gave him hand signals that he seemed to understand, like come on! or no more food! Now he has no signals.

He walks into walls and finds himself in corners where he just stands, confused. We tap or pet him in the direction he needs to move when he's stuck like that, but it doesn't work well. And he's 60 lbs, too heavy for me to pick up and move around.

We have to help him down the two stairs to the outside, or he'll fall down them.

We're trying to keep chairs pushed in and closet doors closed, not leave things on the floor...

The hardest time is nighttime. I'm nighttime parenting again, since he wakes multiple times a night, the first time to go outside, but other times he doesn't seem to know what he wants. By 5 am he wants his breakfast, and I can't tell him to wait for daylight anymore. :yawn Part of that may be age as well. He's the first dog I've had (we've had him since he was a puppy, almost 13 years ago), so I'm not experienced with old dogs.

Do you have any suggestions?

FlyingBlueKiwi 04-29-2020 09:30 AM

Re: My old dog is blind. BTDT?
 
How do you think he would handle being in a crate overnight after his last trip outside, until breakfast time?

domesticzookeeper 04-29-2020 10:28 AM

Re: My old dog is blind. BTDT?
 
Some good ideas here: https://www.petplace.com/article/dog...f-senior-dogs/


I'm not sure what your routine is like in general, but I would think that now (more than ever) a really consistent and predictable routine would be comforting to him :hug :heart The crate could be a good idea, too, if it helps him feel contained and safe.

Singingmom 04-29-2020 02:18 PM

Re: My old dog is blind. BTDT?
 
Thank you!

He hasn’t been crated in years, but that’s an idea worth considering, along with baby gates.

charla 04-29-2020 02:39 PM

Re: My old dog is blind. BTDT?
 
I know nothing about dogs, but our cat became suddenly blind a couple years ago. I just wanted to say I'm sorry. It's quite an adjustment for both the animal and the owner.:hugheart Our cat gets around our house by trial and error, but has learned specific paths like to his food, the litter box, or his bed. He at least has learned to walk a lot more slowly so he doesn't bump into stuff hard for the most part. We do our best to keep things picked up and not move stuff around so it doesn't confuse him even more.

Singingmom 04-29-2020 05:31 PM

Re: My old dog is blind. BTDT?
 
Thank you, Charla. I hope my dog will be more confident in his paths as well. It has only been a few weeks of blindness. At first I was surprised at how confused he is after living in this house for 8 years, but then I realized that if I were blind I could put my hands out in front of me to feel my way. He just has to bump into things!


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