What health issues should I watch for in my blind senior poodle?

Blind pets tend to do well and can still have a good quality of life. Here is a link with some helpful tips: https://www.petcoach.co/article/living-with-a-blind-dog-helpful-tips/ There is also a special harness that dogs can wear with can help them avoid running into walls. Yo may try to find one for purchase or construction. There is not a supplement that will help Oliver to regain his vision. If he has cataracts, there is an option for surgery (just so you know). It is important to feed a high quality senior dog food such as Royal Canin or Science Diet. If you are noticing a change in his body condition, I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian to have him checked for kidney or endocrine diseases which can change the body. It's best to catch these conditions early. I hope this helps.

I am so sorry to hear that PeeWee is not well. At the end of the day, it is all about quality of life. If you think his quality of life is not good then yes, humane euthanasia should be considered. Here is a link to an article that may help you with your decision. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-assess-your-pets-quality-of-life/ )

When making the decision if it is time to say goodbye to a loved pet, I suggest making a list of 5 things Willie loves to do. If he is no longer able to do at least 3 of them, his quality of life has declined to a point where it may be time to say goodbye. It is never an easy decision to euthanize an animal, but it is in the best interest of that animal to do it when their quality of life declines significantly. Making these kind of decisions is something I help people with frequently, and I would be glad to consult with you further if that would help. You can press the "consult online" button under my answer if you would like to talk further with me.

We can always help our four-legged friends age as gracefully as possible by staying on top of their wellness care. This includes regular visits to the veterinarian for physical exams and blood tests, as well as staying active and healthy at home. Keep your dog at a healthy body weight. Overweight dogs have additional strain placed on their joints, which can exacerbate existing arthritis, and are at a higher risk for developing diabetes or heart disease. Feed your dog a high quality diet and avoid offering too many treats or table foods since these can quickly pack on the pounds. A general guideline is that treats should represent less than 10% of your dog’s total food volume. Routine veterinary care is also critical for picking up on small problems before they become larger concerns. Although age is not a disease, our aging dogs are more prone to developing a variety of health conditions. Once your dog reaches “senior” status, it is recommended to increase the frequency of visits to the veterinarian from once a year to every 6 months. For an average-sized dog, this happens at 7 years of age, but for giant breeds like Great Danes and Newfoundlands, this occurs early, at 5 – 6 years of age. During this time, your veterinarian will be able to perform a full physical exam and routine blood tests to assess overall health of the heart, liver, kidneys, eyes, mouth, and joints.

Sadly, many of the ailments of human senior citizens can also occur in our canine companions. Impaired vision or blindness can occur in dogs and can be due to things like cataracts, glaucoma, etc. The good news is that these diseases, if caught early enough, can be treated and sometimes even reversed or cured! My best advice is to take Baby to your local veterinarian as soon as possible to have a complete ophthalmic examination performed. Some of the tests you should ask for are as follows: a menace test, intraocular tonopen test, schirmer tear test, and fundic exam. I hope this helps. Have a great day.

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

I am so sorry to hear that your pet has so many major issues that are debilitating and causing her to have a poor quality of life. I do think that if her condition cannot be improved with medications then it is someting you should discuss with your veterinarian. Humane euthansia, although it is probably not something you want to consider, should be considered if Sophie is not able to helped with medical management. However, there are pain medications that can be tried to see if they make a difference. You can discuss with your vet about trying Tramadol and/or Gabapentin to help with pain management. Probiotics can also be tried to help with her diarrhea, as well as a high fiber diet such as Royal Canin Gasrointestinal High Fiber (Rx). It sounds like she may have cancer involving her nervous system, which is why she can't maintain her mobitliy well. Poor girl. I hope that you can come to terms with her condition and maybe there is more you can try with her. Best wishes with Sophie. We are also available for a private consultation if you need to discuss more about Sophie's condition and futher care recommendations. Take care.