Living with a blind dog can be a challenging undertaking, both for the dog and for its owner who now must be the eyes for both of them.
A dog who suddenly develops blindness is usually able to adjust to living life without its vision which has been an important and indispensable sense all its life.More than likely your dog has a good appetite which will not be affected by the loss of sight. Just help guide your pet to its food and water bowls until it gets used to locating them itself. Some owners whose dogs have lost their sight find that adding a little lemon to the water bowl gives the water a scent the dog can detect from a distance.
To properly care for your dog and to be sure that you are helping it all you can, you may need to make some adjustments to your living space. The first thing you’ll probably notice is that your pet will bump into furniture and other objects around the house that it used to avoid without a second thought. It can take a while before your dog gets re-accustomed to the layout of your house and learns how to get around without bumping into furniture. To quickly illustrate how much of a problem this can be for your dog, close your own eyes and try maneuvering around your rooms without bumping into things.
If you have furniture with sharp corners, place foam pads on the corners to prevent serious injuries if your pet should bump into the sharp edges.
Don’t change the layout of your rooms in the early stages of your dog’s blindness. Keeping your furniture in the same positions allows your blind dog to familiarize itself with its suddenly “new” surroundings. Be extra careful not to leave large or sharp objects lying around on the floor if your dog is not used to encountering them in the room. Leaving something lying around that you wouldn’t even think could be a problem may end up injuring your dog.
If you have stairs in your home, don’t let your dog climb up and down them unless you are sure it can easily and safely maneuver them.
Your dog is probably used to going outside to play or simply relieve itself. Look carefully around your yard to check for rakes, mowers, or any other large objects that could cause injury to your pet.
If you have a swimming pool you’ll need to watch your dog carefully when it’s outside because it’s very easy for the dog to accidentally fall into your pool and possibly drown if you’re not there to help. If it’s not feasible to place a fence around your pool you’ll need to be aware of the dog’s whereabouts the entire time it’s outside.
After your dog has lost its sight it will take some time before it can begin to rely solely on its sense of smell and hearing rather than using its eyesight also. Helping your dog find objects when it’s having trouble adjusting will speed the process of it adapting to the blindness as long as you don’t do everything for your pet, making it completely dependent on your assistance.
Living with a blind dog does not mean you’re now charged with the responsibility of caring for an animal that will require your constant attention. The quicker you can help your pet adjust to this new way of life, the easier it will be for both of you and the sooner you’ll regain the full attention of your loving pet again.