[copperhead46]

We had a dr apt in town this morning and left early, I put the dogs out and we left. When we got home, I didn't notice anything unusual until I went out to feed and our 4 yo terrier mix seemed to stumble a little going down the stairs. When we got outside I noticed both his eyes were white, kind of opaque looking. He is blind ! He wasn't yesterday, but this evening he is, I let him out a little bit ago and I notice that it doesn't seem as bad in the dark as it was in the bright sunshine, anyone ever have this happen? I have noticed a swelling along the side of his face, under his eye and back toward his ear, not huge, but swollen. I will take him to the vet in the morning, but wondered what anyone else makes of it. He's not in any distress, except that he's seems a little confused which seems understandable.

 

[dizzy]

I have a friend that had that happen to her dog. She had taken him in to begin w/because he was deaf. There was nothing that could be done for him, so she ended up putting him down. W/where she lived, it was just too dangerous for him being both blind and deaf.

 

[Veronica]

Is it possible he hit into some tree or shrub that poked his eyes? It could be some kind of reaction, too. I think a vet visit is in order either way. We just dealt with a puncture wound in a dog and he needed eye drops to heal the eye. It's odd it would be both eyes, but a vet can make the determination.

 

[copperhead46]

on our way to the vet this morning, it's a sad thing to see the confusion in him, he's a bundle of energy normally.

 

[aoconnor1]

I would definitely see a vet, glad you are taking him. Opaque eyes can mean ulcers, or any number of other things. He fully this is temporary and you can have a seeing dog back. If not, it isn't the end of the world. Blind dogs do quite well as long as you are patient with them.

 

[PrincessFerf]

Good luck. Our coonhound went blind suddenly last fall and after a few tests we determined it was a tumor in her head. We made her as comfortable as possible and 4 months later we had to put her down.

I sincerely hope that is not the case for your dog.

 

[Helena]

Perhaps he has/had diabetes or cataracts..please check with a vet..good luck..

 

[mnn2501]

on our way to the vet this morning, it's a sad thing to see the confusion in him, he's a bundle of energy normally.

Keep us informed.

FWIW my mother kept a blind dog for about 2 years after she went blind.
Dog seemed OK as long as everything stayed in its place.

 

[GrannyCarol]

I had an old Silky Terrier that went blind and was fine for years both blind and deaf, but she was in the house or fenced yard and was a very calm happy dog. She just navigated in circles by touch and with a bit of help. She lived to 16 and a half.

However, I sure hope your young dog is alright and can be treated. Sounds maybe like an infection of some sort. I hope to hear soon what the vet says!

 

[copperhead46]

Vet was pretty concerned, his lymph nodes are swollen too! Vet thinks its an infection, not sure where it came from. Started Butch on predisone tablets, predisone eye drops, Atropine eye drops, and Clavamox antibiotics every twelve hours. He is in for a ten day program to see if it helps. He's getting around pretty good, I think he can see real close to him by the way he's traveling, doing the front legs out in front when he walks, I pray he'll be ok, we'll keep and love him anyway it turns out. He was dumped as a puppy and I found him starving on a bridge by our house, so he's pretty tough. I'll keep you posted if there is any change, please send him your good wishes, it's very hard to see him like this, he's never been uncertain of anything since the day I pick him up.

 

[aoconnor1]

Poor guy, but you are on the right track with treatment. Hope he will clear up and be ok soon. Please let us know...

 

[badlander]

Sounds as though your vet is on it in a big way. Hope the little guy recovers his sight. If he doesn't he will cope. I had a Schnauzer who suffered from Congenital Retinal Disease. Never knew he wasn't seeing well until he fell in my fish pond and then ran into a kitchen chair. Nothing to be done to help him but he coped fantastic. He walked stiff legged with his front legs acting as feelers and would find the chain linked fence, put his shoulder against it and walk around the yard that way. He also had an incredible sense of smell and could find me just by sniffing the air.

Dogs have amazing coping abilities. Unlike we humans, they do not think their state is abnormal. They simply deal with it as a 'normal' state for them. Bless you and him.

 

[CAjerseychick]

yes our sweet old blind dog coped just fine for 2 years afterwards. It was a tumor, seizures and a non healing chronic wound (would fill up with maggots )... that finally caused us to put her down...

 

[copperhead46]

Good new for Butch...........he has responded to treatment in a big way! the eyes cleared up, lymph nodes went down and other than the massive appetite from the prednisone, he's almost back to his old self. His eyes are really dialated but the vet said back off on the atropine drops, and that would straighten out. I will start cutting the prednisone tabs back to every other day starting Monday, but he's definitely on the right path. Thanks to all of you for you thoughts, and advise.

he's the little guy in the front

 

[aoconnor1]

Woohoo!! Excellent news!! So glad to read this, thanks for catching us up on your boy.

 

[copperhead46]

accidently repeated the message, don't know how to just delete it.:hammer:

 

[CAjerseychick]

awwww great news!
Prednisone saved my blind dog once (she wasnt clotting and started bleeding out, she had some auto-immune thing and the vet suggested prednisone as a last resort it worked great)...

 

[GrannyCarol]

So glad to hear he's doing great!

 

[dizzy]

Glad he's recovering.

 

[farmmom]

I have a friend who had a dog that was fine one day and blind the next. It turned out she was diabetic. Other things occurred as well that caused her to put the dog down, that had nothing to do with the diabetes or blindness. It would be worth having your pup checked.