As I've already told in my introduction I am the human of two 16 years old dogs. They are still in good shape, they basically see the vet only for their check-up and vaccination.
The main problem is with Ricky that is slowly loosing his sight by cataract... We discussed it with the vet and surgery it will be too much to handle for a dog of his age. So the main plan is to teach him how to cope with it. Obviously being a dog it takes it doggy style. It just accepts it, but... there is a but. Especially on night when the problems are more severe he becomes aggressive (lounging and trying to bite) by fear when he is taken by surprise, especially by man.
If I anticipate him with a command just to distract him and to show him that I saw the person and that am in control of the environment usually (let's say 99% of the times) everything is ok. It is just a little worry and looks at the person but has not out of control reactions.
I can let him off the leash only in safe environments and this is really something that bothers me since he always was a very good dog on the leash and off it.
He uses Sheba as a guide usually walks just behind her and I believe that he uses the sent and the sound of his sister paws to orientate. Off leash if I am let's say more than 6-7 mt away he will come following my voice.
I realize that this is stressful for him and I would like to hear your advice on coping with this situation.
Coping with getting old and loosing sight
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
-
ScarletSci
- Posts: 463
- Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2013 3:44 pm
Re: Coping with getting old and loosing sight
Hi there, I saw this disappearing off the front page, so I'm bumping it with some amateur advice. Has your dog ever shown aggression before this happened?
I don't have experience of a dog losing it's vision, so the following advice is just what I would try to do in the same situation. I have had dogs that have reached the age of 18 though, so I have some experience with caring for an elderly pet. Your approach will have to be a little different, but as you said, dogs do adjust! There are just a few things that you can do to make that easier for him. Since sight loss due to cataracts is very gradual, it'll be easier for him to adjust to than a sudden loss. Losing vision sounds so devastating to us, because it's our primary sense, but for dogs, their nose and their ears are their primary senses, vision comes in at third, so it isn't quite as devastating as we feel it to be. There's a lot that you can do to make it less scary for him, and give him the best chance of adjusting.
I'd be working hard on training him and everyone in your family to use his nose and his ears, now, so that he's already got some systems in place before he loses his sight totally. Be very aware that it would be easy to surprise him, and surprising him will not only lead to him feeling scared and insecure, but may also lead to him lashing out to protect himself, as you've experienced. So make noise, call his name as you approach him, and be sure he's aware of you before you touch him or pass by close to him.
When out on walks, I'd be inclined to keep him on a long line. It might seem a shame when you and he are used to him being off-lead, but having that line might also give him some reassurance, he'll know that you're there, but still be able to explore and follow his canine friend.
As for him being surprised by other people while out, I'd find the smelliest treat that he loves, a stinky cheese for example, and when you see a person approaching, let him know! Use the same phrase "Ohh it's a person! Cheese time!" or something like that, and have him and sit and enjoy his treat until they've passed, then let him know that they've gone "let's go!" and carry on. His sense of smell and sense of hearing might well be intact, but you'll have to be on the look out for things in the distance, and be prepared to give him a heads up so he isn't taken off guard.
Get creative. Already, my mind is buzzing with things that would make a distinctive sound that could be tied to a cue, distinctive scents that can be used for specific situations, so that he knows that that sound/smell = THIS is going to happen/is here. Some small adjustments by you and your family could make a huge difference in making him feel secure in mapping his world.
I found this after a quick Google http://blinddogs.com/vetcentric-article.htm which gives some lovely examples of how other people and their dogs have coped with sight loss. Things like using scented candles to create an olfactory map of the house are a simple way of helping him to navigate. There's a good chance that he has a good mental map of your house already, so I'd be inclined to think that it's when you're outside that you'll need to do the most work. As long as you don't move your furniture around! Keep things as they are while he's still with you.
Good luck, I'm confident that he will adjust better than you imagine, and well done for looking after them so well that they've reached such a great age, and that you're still looking for ways to give them the best quality of life. Hopefully someone with more experience will now see this and be able to offer more, and feel free to update with any further progress or to brainstorm ideas for specific situations.
I don't have experience of a dog losing it's vision, so the following advice is just what I would try to do in the same situation. I have had dogs that have reached the age of 18 though, so I have some experience with caring for an elderly pet. Your approach will have to be a little different, but as you said, dogs do adjust! There are just a few things that you can do to make that easier for him. Since sight loss due to cataracts is very gradual, it'll be easier for him to adjust to than a sudden loss. Losing vision sounds so devastating to us, because it's our primary sense, but for dogs, their nose and their ears are their primary senses, vision comes in at third, so it isn't quite as devastating as we feel it to be. There's a lot that you can do to make it less scary for him, and give him the best chance of adjusting.
I'd be working hard on training him and everyone in your family to use his nose and his ears, now, so that he's already got some systems in place before he loses his sight totally. Be very aware that it would be easy to surprise him, and surprising him will not only lead to him feeling scared and insecure, but may also lead to him lashing out to protect himself, as you've experienced. So make noise, call his name as you approach him, and be sure he's aware of you before you touch him or pass by close to him.
When out on walks, I'd be inclined to keep him on a long line. It might seem a shame when you and he are used to him being off-lead, but having that line might also give him some reassurance, he'll know that you're there, but still be able to explore and follow his canine friend.
As for him being surprised by other people while out, I'd find the smelliest treat that he loves, a stinky cheese for example, and when you see a person approaching, let him know! Use the same phrase "Ohh it's a person! Cheese time!" or something like that, and have him and sit and enjoy his treat until they've passed, then let him know that they've gone "let's go!" and carry on. His sense of smell and sense of hearing might well be intact, but you'll have to be on the look out for things in the distance, and be prepared to give him a heads up so he isn't taken off guard.
Get creative. Already, my mind is buzzing with things that would make a distinctive sound that could be tied to a cue, distinctive scents that can be used for specific situations, so that he knows that that sound/smell = THIS is going to happen/is here. Some small adjustments by you and your family could make a huge difference in making him feel secure in mapping his world.
I found this after a quick Google http://blinddogs.com/vetcentric-article.htm which gives some lovely examples of how other people and their dogs have coped with sight loss. Things like using scented candles to create an olfactory map of the house are a simple way of helping him to navigate. There's a good chance that he has a good mental map of your house already, so I'd be inclined to think that it's when you're outside that you'll need to do the most work. As long as you don't move your furniture around! Keep things as they are while he's still with you.
Good luck, I'm confident that he will adjust better than you imagine, and well done for looking after them so well that they've reached such a great age, and that you're still looking for ways to give them the best quality of life. Hopefully someone with more experience will now see this and be able to offer more, and feel free to update with any further progress or to brainstorm ideas for specific situations.