Why is my 9-year-old dog bumping into things? Is his vision failing?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These could be signs that his vision may be affected perhaps by cataracts, or any other eye disease occurring in an older dog. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian to see if that seems to be issue. Good luck and have a good night!

Lily could have cataracts causing this cloudy pupil, but it could also be due to an eye infection or glaucoma. The eye is such a delicate and important structure that any problem with it should be considered an emergency. That's because leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. I would have Lily seen by a vet immediately, who can diagnose what is causing her cloudy pupil and can discuss treatment options with you.

Dogs can develop blindness secondary to disease of the brain (central), eye (peripheral) or secondary to systemic disease such as elevated blood pressure or Cushing's disease. If she is able to see now, she may not have been truly blind before or just had trouble seeing at night. A full examination would be needed to help to determine the underlying cause. In the meantime, observe her closely and make notes including changes in behavior, bumping into things, changes in eyes, changes in urination or defecation, appetite and take this information with you to your veterinary appointment.

There are some tests a veterinarian can perform to assess hearing and vision, however these are based on observation. You can make a noise behind Brandi to see if she reacts. You can drop something small and soft, like a cotton ball, in front of her to see if she responds. With age lenticular sclerosis, or a cloudiness of the lens is common in dogs, however we always want to make sure cloudiness isn't due to the formation of a cataract which can be associated with diabetes. I recommend having your veterinarian take a look to make sure appears to be age related change and not something more serious. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It doesn't sound like Sweet Pea is in any pain. She definitely sounds like she has developed some sort of problem though. Disorientation and stopping in front of walls / doors can be a sign of vision loss, blindness, coordination problems, or an underlying neurologic condition. In a 17 year old dog, the likelihood of a true health problem is unfortunately higher than in a younger one. I would recommend that she be examined soon in order to be given an ophthalmic exam and a neurologic exam. The veterinarian will also likely want to obtain blood work given Sweet Pea's age in order to rule out other diseases relating to the important organ systems in the body.

Pictures can be deceiving but it looks like she may have developed cataracts and i recommend a full vet check as soon as possible to rule out medical causes such as diabetes and other hormonal conditions. Surgical removal is often possible to restore vision

It sounds like Smudge is having issues with her vision. I would recommend that she be checked out by a vet to test this and see what could be the cause. There are many, many potential causes, including high blood pressure, tick disease or other infection, autoimmune disease, trauma, cataracts, among others. A vet will do a thorough physical exam, medical history review, and ocular exam. They may need to refer you to a veterinary ophthalmologist who may be better equipped to asses Smudge’s vision.