Why is my 7-year-old dog suddenly losing vision and sleeping so much?

Hi, I can't see any picture of Sachi on your post, so I'm assuming you have seen another post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach which looks like her eye. If your vet has seen that Sachi already had mild (or immature) cataracts, it is likely that it may have become mature and looks more white. Cataracts can develop very rapidly, particularly with some health conditions like Diabetes mellitus. It would be a good idea to get her eyes checked by your vet. They will probably also recommend a blood test to check that she doesn't have an underlying health concern. If you have any other questions I can help you with a text consultation.

There is a condition called SARDS or sudden acute retinal degeneration syndrome. We don't know what causes this syndrome in dogs, but it does cause sudden blindness, weight gain, and increased water intake. Your veterinarian may be able to help identify if they agree with this possibility. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Pet Coach.

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.

It sounds like your dog may have cataracts, which can occur as dog’s age or with diseases like Diabetes. If this change has occurred suddenly I would recommend having Coco checked out as soon as possible. If it has been a gradual change it is probably less concerning. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

That’s very sad. Sudden blindness can be from high blood pressure causing retinal detachment or diabetic cataracts. She may have had a heart or lung condition that prevented her from getting enough air and chest expansion to bark. Dogs do die from congestive heart failure, complications from heartworm disease and other heart problems. Unfortunately neither of the symptoms you describe are specific enough to know why she died. I’m sorry for your loss. In the future you can request an autopsy by your veterinarian if an animal dies and you want to know the reason. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

From the picture it looks like Bambi has catarats. However, other problems can accompany cataracts that I can’t evaluate from a picture. Secondary problems such as conjunctivitis, uveitis, and even glaucoma. Also diabetes can cause cataracts. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian soon. They may recommend anti inflammatory drops to keep the cataracts from causing other problems. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Six years old is not old for a Shih Tzu, and while a dog's vision can decrease with age, it's not normal to go completely blind at this age. I would be concerned there is something medical causing his loss of sight such as glaucoma, and the only solution for this is to have him seen by a vet. The vet can diagnose what is causing him to lose his sight, and can discuss with you if there is a treatment for it to return his sight. I'd take him into a vet today. Best of luck.