Senior dog losing sight. What food and tips for blind dogs' care?

As pets get older, we do need to start evaluating the quality of life. Being blind is not generally a problem. Older pets need more frequent vet visits to check for things like arthritis and to know when certain medications need to be started to help maintain quality of life. This link also has good information: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-assess-your-pets-quality-of-life/ I hope this helps.

First matter of business is Sophie's safety. Baby gate any stairs or access to outside she may have. She can still us senses of touch taste and smell so utilize those for training. Banging the floor may orient her to where you are. There are also vibrating collars available. Make sure her area of the house doesn't change. Try to minimize moving furniture or inadvertently putting roadblocks (boxes, bags) in the path she normally travels. Dogs are creatures of habit so many acclimate well to loss of senses if thier environment doesn't change. I found this article that also may help with some pointers for Sophie. https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/senior-dogs/caring-for-dogs-that-are-blind-and-deaf

Depending on what is causing Chacha's vision loss (i.e. Cataracts, changes to the retina or changes to the cornea) there might be some things that you can do to treat the underlying problem but treatments would vary widely based on the diagnosis. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine Chacha's eyes to help determine what might be causing the cloudiness. If your veterinarian determines that there is not much to do for the vision loss you can make some changes to help her feel more confident. You should try to avoid moving things around the house so that Chacha can remember where furniture is located and avoid it. You should walk the same route every day. You can also look into harnesses and collars like Muffin's Halo Guide for blind dogs (not sure if it is available in your area): www.muffinshalo.com

Unfortunately, I do not know of any great meds for a cure. You could see an ophthalmologist to see if they know of any treatment. You could also see an acupuncturist. Sometimes they can slow down progression or strengthen their eyes and they may know of some herbs to try. I hope this helps and I am sorry to hear about his diagnosis.

Hello. Thank you for using PetCoach. Peanut is very handsome! The most common thing that happens as large breed dogs age is arthritis so I would just put him on a good all around supplement that contains joint supplements in it. I love this supplement by Missing Link. http://www.allivet.com/p-1647-missing-link-vet-canine-plus.aspx Some signs he may have arthritis are: * having a hard time getting up from a down position * not jumping up on the couch, bed, etc like he normally does (if he does that) * slowing down on walks (like he doesn't seem like he can go as far as he used to) Even if he is not showing signs of arthritis I would put him on a joint supplement. The other thing I would recommend is yearly blood testing with your vet to check his organ function. Declining organ function is not something you can see from the outside just by looking at your dog. Usually by the time you do see something abnormal it is often too late to do anything about it. It is better to test yearly so you can catch things early. Peanut looks to be in great shape! You are doing a great job! Hope this answers your questions. Please post again if you have more question. Best wishes.

I would recommend feeding Chacha a commercially prepared senior dog food diet. This will ensure that she is getting a balanced diet. Senior diets also tend to have less calories than a maintenance diet and more fiber. These help an older dog stay trim and fit. If you are interested in home cooking for Chacha you can visit the website www.balanceit.com. This can give you complete and balanced diet ideas that are formulated by a veterinary nutritionist for optimal health. You could also try adding some fish oils to her diet. Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids can help with brain health, skin/coat health, and eye health. Any veggie or fruit, with the exception of onions and grapes/raisins, can be given as treats for Chacha. Green beans are a great treat because they are low in calories and high in fiber. I hope this helps. Thanks for using PetCoach. Best of luck.

I would recommend seeing a veterinarian who can examine Zaboo's eyes. Some of the more common causes of vision loss in an older cat include high blood pressure affecting the retina, infectious diseases, and cancer. The supplement you are referring to could be taurine which is an amino acid that cats need in their diets and can cause blindness and vision loss if deficient. If Zaboo eats commercial cat food, taurine deficiency would be extremely unlikely since all cat foods are required to have enough taurine.