What are the Special Requirements of Blind Pets?
What can I do for my dog that has gone blind?
Bob
Walk-about, OK
A number of conditions can cause blindness in pets. Fortunately, people whose pets have suffered vision loss can take solace from the fact that blindness almost never compromises pets’ quality of life.
For both cats and dogs, smell is the most important sense. Vision is number two. This is different from humans. For us, vision generally is considered the most important sense. Yet people who have suffered vision loss are still able to lead normal lives.
A few minor accommodations make things easier for pets who have lost their vision. People with blind pets should try to avoid rearranging the furniture in their houses. Blind pets usually memorize the locations of objects in their environment. Changing those locations can make it hard for them to navigate.
Cats who have suffered vision loss should be kept indoors. Blind dogs should be walked on leash and should not be forced to go too fast. Many animals with impaired vision may require gentle coaxing before they will go down stairs or step off curbs, since they can’t tell whether they are about to step down six inches or six thousand feet.
And that’s all the advice I have. Your dog’s blindness should not interfere too dramatically with his lifestyle, or with yours.
Photo: Zoe’s blindness doesn’t get in her way!
You have questions. 
Stanely Coren (the author of several dog behavior books) suggests scenting the corners of tables with perfume or essential oil (not a lot, a dog’s nose can detect extremely small concentrations) and also to put down carpeted mats at the tops and bottoms of stairs. The dog can use his nose (and feet) to detect important details around him, which is helpful when blindness first sets in and any time furniture moves.
I disagree that blind animals can always do as well. My dog got bleeding in her eyes from an autoimmune disorder. She could not see. We treated it immediately and hoped it would absorb and she would see again. But she did not. From that time on even though I took the best of care of her, she didn’t wag her tail or seem happy anymore. I walked her in and out on the leash as the article suggests and she stayed right by me . I helped her up and down the steps and tried to teach her to get along blind. But she never was really happy again. I took her for a ride in the car and she didn’t enjoy it at all. About two months after we tried and tried to help her adjust we finally had to give her release from her sadness. It was the saddest day of my life to have to put my dear old dog to sleep. But sometimes it isn’t nice to let an animal go on living just because you can. She was 13.
I would have to disagree very strongly with Mewsmom. We adopted Takoda 2 years ago and he was a rescue from a Puppy Mill. He was starved, only weighted 55 pounds, had heart worms and internal parasites, is blind and has diabetes insipidus. Did his stay in the Puppy Mill and all that sickness hamper his quest for life? Not in the least. He doesn’t realize he is blind and he has thought us more then we could ever teach him.
He’ll walk the paths through the woods on a loose leash and take you right down to the lake, it only took him 2 minutes to learn our house and he has been the easiest dog I have ever trained. Do we baby him and treat him like he was blind? We never have and I believe that’s why he is the way he is. He’ll run right alongside me, jump into his spot in the back of our Chevy HHR, walk through crowds and I am starting his training next week for Therapy dog.
In short, every dog deserves a chance at life but you have to treat them just like any other dog. They can tell your feelings and if you are nervous or scared, they will be too.
My tips from pawsonal experience, are to avoid sneaking up on us from behind – can’t smell ya back there, don’t always know it’s you, grr; talk a bit more around us – it helps to know you’re about to walk by us ’specially if we’re sleepy; and around dogs who can see shadows, careful with those hand movements – we don’t always know where those speedy hands are headed.
Those things sure help me out. :)
When my 10 year old went blind we started teaching him verbal commands.’Kubbi right’ Kubbi left’, ‘Step up” ect. he learned quickly and does quite well. We also now have an 8 week old that we will soon start teaching verbal as well as visual aids. They are useful tools that may come in handy in the futues.
I wish that there were more tips! My grandma’s dog is becoming blind and we need much more info! Isn’t it common sense to know not to move furniture around and to help them through their blindness? Does anyone have any tips that we might not know of? THanks!
I do believe that if the furbaby goes blind at a young enough age then they can deal with it just fine but sometimes when an animal is older in age and it is basically time for them to leave us and go to Heaven sometimes they don’t deal with it very well at all and the only solution is to let them go..
This article is talking about giving them a chance to tell you what they want.. At least that’s what I believe if the furbaby is happy you know they are going to be ok… Let them tell you what they want that’s what I believe anyway
I Honestly believe the transition to blindness is a little easier to the dog if they are older. they know the surroundings of their house and where things are. Talladega may bump into things occasionally when going to eat but except for walking a little slower to get to her food, she knows exactly where to go. when I take her out with me she still rolls around on the lawn like she always did as she plays with her toy (Stuffed animal). When we go to bed at night, she seems to still sense it and grabs her toy and follows us to our bedroom. Of course I help her up onto the bed but thats the only thing that changed there. I will admit that when I take her for her walks sometimes there seems to be a little bit of confusion as to where she is but I have always leash walked her and just by talking to her and re-assuring her that she’s O.K. she is doing just fine outside.
I have had a blind dog for the past two years – he is three years old now. It has been the most interesting and amazing experience.
My number one suggestion – be patient. It took Trouble two or three months to truly adjust to day to day life. It took longer for him the feel comfortable. I am fortunate to have a second dog that kept pushing him to act like a dog.
I use rugs to help Trouble get from room to room. This really works. If he gets disoriented, once his feet hit that runner – he knows where he is.
I used vanilla to scent my steps outside until he got use to them. Now he leaps down them. If you have bushes, get down on your dog’s level and trim back any low branches that could scratch his eyes and face.
I also talk a lot. That way he always knows where I am. Lots of love and time will do the trick. Trouble loves walks, he chases his brother, plays with his toys, and he runs in the backyard – he’s a DOG!
Just realize your dog will run into things and he may even get a boo-boo from time to time. But continue to treat him like a dog and he’ll act like one.
Zackary went blind from cataracts at a young age and was still happy, even as he grew older. I taught him to go up and go down, like using the stairs. Of course he got nervous in places that he didn’t recognize, but that is expected. Lots of encouragement always helps!