Dog is now completely blind

[NY10]

Yesterday my boyfriend woke me up super early to tell me that the dog could no longer see. It was a very stressful and painful day but we monitored her a lot throughout the day. She seemed very depressed and not her normal self, it was very tough to watch her walk slow and not be her normal hyper active self, especially since starting the insulin her activity has increased so much and she seemed to be doing so well and moving faster than ever before.

I was beyond heartbroken but did a lot of research, of course the one thing we read a lot online was that dogs adjust very well and they rely on their other senses which increase now. It was still hard but as the day went on she did resort to some of her more normal behavior. Going down the stairs, going onto our deck, jumping on and off the couch.

Today she seemed a lot better. She knows where her dog bowl is so she has been eating and drinking, waiting by the door to use the bathroom (that is huge to me) and she slept normal and ran down the stairs first thing this morning and is still down there like normal. I have yet to see her climb up the main stairs but know she climbed on the deck stairs which are harder and she did it ok.

I know that it'll be harder for us to adjust than her but I am scared now as what is to come next. All of this has been happening way to fast, the one eye gone over night, diabetes, and now again over night blind all together.

 

[theREALTrish]

I'm so sorry about your dog, NY. It's so heartbreaking when our pets have health problems. They can't really tell us how they're feeling. But, it sounds like your dog will adjust very well. It just might take a little time.

 

[SheLikesKitties]

So sorry to hear that. Poor thing. Pets get old and lose abilities.
My mom's dog is getting deaf, and my mom's cat is completely deaf.

Now that you mention getting down steps, when we are at the mountains, the stairs are so steep and narrow that Roxy can only get down by carefully zigzagging down. Now that we have a cat that can gracefully climb down the stairs in a straight and surefooted way, Roxy tried to imitate her, which resulted in poor Roxy rolling down the stairs in a scared bundle.

 

[NY10]

Thank you SLK and Trish.

Today was a bit better. She did go up and down the stairs, slow but she did it. It's very sad to watch her because this was at one time (just a few days ago) a fast moving, hyper active dog who loved to play, take long walks, drive in cars and look out the windows of the house. The bay window was all hers.

She is only 8 years old which makes this even harder, if she were 14 or 15 I would be a little more understanding but at 8 years old this is heartbreaking. Like my boyfriend keeps telling me this is going to be harder for me (us) than it will be for her but it doesn't take away the sadness I feel when I see her laying on the couch not being able to see us enter the room like she once did or I find myself wondering what quality of life my poor baby has now.

I am trying hard to stay happy and remind myself she will adjust and be okay but this pet has been by my side since she was just born and it's hard to see our little four legged friends suffer in anyway.

 

[Faith]

I was almost fully blind for 2 months after I was diagnosed with diabetes and started treatment for it. What happens is this, as my ophthalmologist explained it to me...

Before diagnosis and treatment, the blood sugar goes so high that sugar even accumulates in the fluid of the eyeballs. Loss of sight caused by high blood sugar comes on gradually, then suddenly you can't see at all. That's what happened to me... my vision was blurry, then suddenly I couldn't really see anything, just light and dark shapes.

Imagine the murkiness of a glass of water full of sugar stirred and dissolved in it. That's what it's like to look through sugar-filled eyes... it's all a big distorted blur.

Even though the blood sugar will come down to normal (or near-normal) level after treatment with insulin or other diabetes meds, it still takes a long, long time for the sugar to clear from the eyeball fluids.

When my eyesight was temporarily lost, I could only see vague shapes, details were completely a blur. I couldn't even read huge letters, like street signs or license plates... they were just a gray smear. I couldn't see the features on people's faces, just smears.

I was horribly depressed for the 2 months while I waited for the sugar to clear from my eyes... and yet I KNEW what was happening, and I KNEW it would be all right eventually. Imagine your poor doggie, she doesn't know what's happening to her.

Please have faith that your dog's eyesight will clear up again. True though, diabetes does eventually lead to blindness if it isn't well cared for. But I believe your dog is just undergoing a temporary loss of sight like what happened to me.

TIP: Keep your dog well hydrated and well exercised in order to clear the eyes faster.

 

[NY10]

Thank you so much for sharing that story Faith, that really helps me have a better out look on this.

I am giving her, her shots twice a day and her diet and exercise is very well now so I do believe that maybe everything will be ok. Her numbers were almost 700 when she was diagnosed which is very very high as you know so of course there are going to be side effects of this.

Dog diabetes and human diabetes are very close, in fact the vet told me, they are treated the same and the results can be the same as well. Insulin is the same as is the treatment so I am hopeful that this will pass once time goes on. It has only been a month or two really.

Again, thank you so much for sharing that Faith.

 

[SheLikesKitties]

So is there a chance she could regain her sight? What has the vet said?

 

[Faith]

The vet probably can't tell you anything definitive at this point. My ophthalmologist told me he couldn't test my eyesight because it was impossible for him to see through the sugar in the eyeball fluid. So we had to wait and wait, until my vision cleared. Then I had a thorough exam to test for cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy... thankfully, I had ZERO damage to my eyes. And it's been that way ever since, for 14 years since my diagnosis. I take very good care of my health.

Regarding your dog's cataracts (or is it only in one of her eyes?), you might consider visiting an eye vet at some future time to see if laser surgery is an option. At least to get a consultation and find out the real cost... it might not be as expensive as you think.

But meanwhile, take the best possible care of your doggie, and give her plenty of happy exercise. She is completely dependent on you for her health and her life!

 

[NY10]

I have yet to contact the vet at this point. Today she spent the entire day on the couch sleeping and doing nothing. I did notice she ate this mooring but only went to the bathroom once. I know that if she stops urinating that means her kidneys are failing and that's pretty much the end. No, it is the end.

Right now. She is continuing to get her two shots a day but she is no longer active at all. Just picks a spot and lays there. She did not get off her spot on the couch once. I have tried to check her breathing and heartbeat just to make sure she's still alive that's how much she didn't move.

She does not have cataracts or glaucoma the last time she went to the vet so that was a relief. Her sugar levels were outrageously high so like Faith said that can be all it is but who knows at this point. Tomorrow is another day and we will see if she is a little more active. She ate once today so far which is not like her at all and I haven't seen her drink.

 

[Faith]

Don't delay taking her to the vet. This is serious. If this were happening to your human child, you wouldn't wait.

 

[whiterose]

Very sorry to hear that NY10. I had a cocker spaniel once who lost his eyesight due to glaucoma. He lived for several years without his sight. He adapted much better than I ever dreamed a newly blind dog could. Hoping your dog adapts well, too.

 

[NY10]

She did amazing today. Up and and down stairs, playing back to her old self. Today has been the best day since the loss of vision happened.

 

[SheLikesKitties]

What a great recovery!

 

[NY10]

What a great recovery!

Everyday there is more and more progress. She again went downstairs at 7:30 this morning, at and has been using the bathroom the same as she always has. She was playful again tonight and extra cuddly. Right now she's on the couch under her blanket as we watch netflix as a family. Her sleep pattern has gone back to normal to. She is making her way around the house very well and knows/remembers where everything is.

 

[M&M]

sorry to hear about her new challenges but you know, dogs are amazing. they can handle this better than most humans. hope all is well with her

 

[kilny]

My beloved canine friend lost her sight and hearing. She did the same routine things she always did, but stuck closer to me all the time. She went on for over a year like that until she ended up with cancer and I had to let her go over the Rainbow Bridge.

 

[NY10]

sorry to hear about her new challenges but you know, dogs are amazing. they can handle this better than most humans. hope all is well with her

Thank you, it was hard at first to go through everything so fast, over night pretty much but I am very happy to say that she is doing amazing. Her personalty is back and she's back to her same old self, she gets around just find has the same temperament and has adjusted amazing, she is more cuddly at times but that's no problem at all. Everything has fallen into place thank God, next month I return back to work (off for the summers) so we will see how she does home alone for most of the day now but I am sure that it's going to be just fine.