Amica (my older dog) has basically gone blind in a week because of cateracts. She has an appointment in a week with a canine opthalmologist, to see if cateract surgery is an option. In the mean time we are trying to adapt.
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See if you can get a copy of Living with Blind Dogs (library or online). Lots of help. I used variety of scents to locate different doors, food station, etc. my elderly lab adapted immediately. Good luck to your pup, hope prognosis is fixable easily.
aug 31, 2025, 7:26 pm • 1 0 • view
Ordered. Thank you!
aug 31, 2025, 7:34 pm • 1 0 • view
I've started wearing a bell anklet, so she can follow me around the house easier. But if anyone has additional tips on how to help her navigate easier, I'd appreciate it. She is still in good health, and I want to encourage her to remain active.
aug 30, 2025, 11:38 pm • 2 0 • view
It took Scout a week or two to want to go back to her normal activity level. Soon, she had developed her own method for navigating the house at her usual speed.
aug 30, 2025, 11:45 pm • 1 0 • view
The only real adaptation we had to make for her was barriers up so she wouldn’t walk off of the couch or the side of the bed. Though, she was small, even by mini standards, only about nine pounds.
aug 30, 2025, 11:51 pm • 2 0 • view
Yeah, that's going to be a problem. I blocked part of the couch with a side table, and got some steps for the other end, and put blankets and unused pillows around the bed for now.
aug 31, 2025, 12:00 am • 0 0 • view
I wound up using a Costco special body pillow for the bed. She liked to snuggle against it like a human would. The couch was a cardboard trifold presentation display board unfolded all the way. Left exactly enough room for the doxie stairs up to the couch.
aug 31, 2025, 12:03 am • 1 0 • view
That happened suddenly to my Scout. The first cataract came on so fast it caused glaucoma in that eye. She adapted very quickly and still ruled over her brothers with an iron paw.
aug 30, 2025, 11:44 pm • 2 0 • view
That is good to hear! She currently gets off axis, ends up stuck in the hallway, and decides she'd rather have a nap than keep trying, so I have to keep an eye out for that. Otherwise she's doing fairly well!
aug 30, 2025, 11:55 pm • 1 0 • view
I was amazed at how quickly Scout adapted. She lost vision in the eye with glaucoma instantly, the pressure crushed the optic nerve. The other eye was a slower process, took a few months.
aug 30, 2025, 11:59 pm • 1 0 • view
She even learned not to run into the sliding door to the back yard when it was closed. Something her sighted brothers occasionally did when overexcited or distracted.
aug 31, 2025, 12:00 am • 1 0 • view
Those sliding doors can be tricky!
aug 31, 2025, 12:02 am • 1 0 • view
With their blasted transparency! We regularly marveled at how she managed it.
aug 31, 2025, 12:04 am • 1 0 • view