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Janer

Janer

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Spike saw the ophthalmologist today, unfortunately it’s not cateracts. He has SARDS. There’s nothing they can do for his eyesight. Vet said it ties in really with his history of bad allergies, it’s an autoimmune disease. So we just have to help him as much as we can but he seems fine in himself. We are all upset as we thought he would be able to have an op and be able to see again but it’s not to be.
 
Very sorry to hear. But both dogs and humans are very adaptable, I think, and different ways of handling things will soon become norm.
 
OK , so now the planning starts. Make his life the best you can think games with sound and smell instead of sight based, think repeating familiar walks so he knows them like the back of his hand eer sorry Paw, realise you will not rearrange furniture while he still around to bump into new stuff..

Then sit back enjoy each day that comes each obsticle he overcomes and each fear you conquer.

Being blind is not the end of the world for him even though it might feel like that for you right now.. Im not being heartless just practical, he will gain nothing from your tears but loads from your planning and care.
 
So very sorry- but we had a lovely old boy who lived a fulfilling life even after he'd lost his sight. Love and care I suspect is more important to them.
 
Im very sorry to read about spike, when we take edie into our local park there is a white blind dog who is off his lead but the owner constantly talks to him he wears a yellow jacket stating that he is blind. He walks twice a day on the same paths. It makes me realise how precious sight is but with a few adaptions there is still fulfilment.
 
Mad Murphy said:
OK , so now the planning starts. Make his life the best you can think games with sound and smell instead of sight based, think repeating familiar walks so he knows them like the back of his hand eer sorry Paw, realise you will not rearrange furniture while he still around to bump into new stuff..

Then sit back enjoy each day that comes each obsticle he overcomes and each fear you conquer.

Being blind is not the end of the world for him even though it might feel like that for you right now.. Im not being heartless just practical, he will gain nothing from your tears but loads from your planning and care.
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Yes I know your not being heartless x. I think it’s just the frustration of not being able to do anything to save his sight. I bought him some noisy toys and balls but typically he’s not interested lol. He’s been ok on the walk we do everyday so that’s good. We do keep the furniture in the same position but a new challenge will happen for him soon as we have just sold our house and will be moving but I think as long as he can still find the fridge he will be happy :D
Oooo the goggles would be a good idea as he does tend to sniff very close to hedges:).
He will be fine I know he will x
 
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King of the sofa
 
Janer said:
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King of the sofa
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My little poodle Pepe the smaller one in the photo was diagnosed with Cataracts last year and had already lost the sight in his left eye by the time we saw the specialist he was booked in the following week to have it removed but he had sadly developed glaucoma so it couldn’t be done.He coped very well with the little amount of sight in the other eye. The glaucoma was managed with eye drops. We sadly lost him in November due to kidney problems by which time we think he had lost all if not most of his sight. We found he listened more to where our voices were coming from and only occasionally bumped into things. I am sure your dog will adapt like you I was probably more upset by Pepe losing his sight than he was. Sadly I have no dogs at the moment as we lost Rusty 6 months before Pepe.
 
Oh bless him , very sad when you can’t do anymore to help him but he’ll be fine I’m sure. I used to go riding with a lady that had a totally blind whippet and he used to come out with us trotting behind the ponies , he’d canter when we did , just listened to the hooves and followed, amazing little dog who lived til he was 16 !
 
@Janer I cant find the video I made right now but I have one of Benny with a giggle ball the type that dispenses treats. I would put the treats in it and shake it to make the noise then roll it down the room with Benny in hot pursuit .. With the smell of treats and the giggle as it rolled it kept him busy for ages.

I do understand the frustration, but I was always slightly annoyed at people who thought we should wrap Benny in cotton wool or worse have him PTS because of his blindness. JRT are so quick and bright I bet Spike will adapt really well. You just have to let him have the freedom to learn how to cope with this bump in the road.

Maybe you could start a little diary about him. It might give others hope if or when they are faced with similar problems.
 
So sorry to hear about Spike, but as others have said dogs adapt so well to things. As long as he's got you he'll be happy :)
P.s. he's such a handsome boy!! :)
 
Off to the normal vet later, the last couple of weeks we noticed that his sense of smell didn’t seem too good but just put it down to sniffing more due to losing his sight, I think I mentioned having to wash his face after a walk as his nose was so near the ground he was smelling awful, anyway looking up everything to do with SARDS apparently it can be a neuroendocrine disease (cancer)if the sense of smell is decreased. Hopefully it’s not but better to get it checked out x
 
Fingers crossed for you xx
 
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