Err kind of worried-I dont know what exactly to think :S

[buttercup132]

Rockee is turning 12 in August . My mom thinks shes going blind but I'm not sure. My sisters freind was over yesterday and she tripper(not landing on Rockee) but Rockee went o bite her and growled. She is not at all the type to do that!!!!! My mom thinks its just a matter of time before she actually bites someone...also whenever my brother comes in the house from being outside she will start barking and freak out, she acts like she dosent know him.
Now there isnt really a point in bringing her to the vet right? If shes blind then it would be a waste of money for them to just tell us that cause theres nothing you can do for blindness.

Kind of pointless thread but I wanted to get it out.
I dont know what to do about her, I dont want her biting anyone, especially a little kid.

[Muddy4paws]

Maybe a trip to the vets to see if there is anything they can do for her to prevent her going blind for a while longer, I think its reasonable for dogs to get a little grumpy when they are getting older but I still dont believe its ok for them to bite I would keep people away from her and warn them to be gentle with her and not to creep up and scare her that way they got their warning.

[Karen]

Yes, it is your responsibiity to warn visitors that she may be blind, and not to startle her. She can live a long, happy life still if you - the humans of the house - adjust your expectations for her.

[Glacier]

Anytime you see a change in a dog's normal behavior or temperment, it's time for a vet check. Particularly at her age, there are lots of treatable issues that could be causing her behavior.

There are all kinds of things you can do for a blind dog to keep them safe and happy. My Preacher has been completely blind for three years and had minimal sight before that. Dogs rarely go suddenly, completely blind. They loose their sight very gradually and adapt so well that their owners rarely notice until their sight is almost gone. Preacher has Progressive Retinal Atrophy--the blood vessels supplying his eyes slowly died causing him to loose his vision. I only noticed something was wrong with Preacher's sight when I was holding a fish over his head and he couldn't find it, until I touched his nose with it. Unless I told you Preacher was blind, you'd never guess by watching him. He's pushing 13 now.

The biggest thing for a blind dog is consistency--no moving the furniture, no rearranging your yard, no holes/toys/boxes/shoes/ect in his way. He will develop a mind map and be able to navigate without problems. If you change anything, he has to start all over and is in danger of hurting himself.

Teach him directional commands--whatever word you choose to use. Teach him on a leash first. Say the command word and move him that way. Preacher was fortunate in that he was a sled dog. He knew gee, haw, whoa, over ect. Now I use them to guide him if he's in an unfamiliar area instead of guiding a team down the trail. As much as possible, he stays in familiar areas.

Make noise when you approach him. Never ever sneak up on a blind dog. You will get bit! Every time I get within a few feet of Preacher, I start talking to him, telling him "it's just me buddy, it's ok." Don't step over him, go around him. Make sure he always knows you're coming. If a stranger is around, make sure the dogs knows you are there too. If there's too much excitement or activity around our house, I just give Preacher a chewie and put him in my bedroom--where he's safe and relaxed. He will and has bitten when he's startled or stressed.

Blindness is not the end of the world for a dog. It will be harder for you to adjust than for your dog. Preacher never missed a stride, never whined, never complained. He just learned new ways to do what he wanted and needed to do.

He is the same dog he always was--noisy, bossy with the young dogs, lazy, occasionally goofy, smart. He still plays(not often cuz he's old), he still loves his moose bones, still chases his tail, still likes to roll around in the dirt, still hates being brushed.....He's still Preacher.

[buttercup132]

It just scared me because she was pretty much my first dog.And now shes actualy showing signs of being old, its scary.
Shes still hyper and crazy , but she snatches treats now instead of nicley taking them. Ive never delt with a old dog either so lots of advice is greatly appreciated.I'll talk to my mom about going to the vet.

[Chilli]

Maybe this behaivor will pass once she gets used to her vision failing? My uncle has a beagle that is blind. She was a bit aggressive at first, but now she's mellowed alot. I agree, though. No moving furniture... someone accidently pulled out a dining room chair, and my uncle's dog ran straight into it.
Good luck to you and her!

[zoomer]

Aww, poor girl. I don't know how to help but... good luck!

[cyber-sibes]

Actually I do have a sight-impaired dog -- Sherman. He developed a genetic condition, juvenile cataracts, and went almost entirely blind in only three weeks as a puppy, but fortunately his sight is gradually improving. Because Rockee probably has age-related cataracts, she probably won't improve. They can do cataract surgery if it's really bad, my vet said that often getting one eye corrected really helps, but it's expensive. So if you can adjust her enviornment, she'll get along just fine. Good advice about this, as usual, from Glacier. You know, she may be getting hard of hearing, too, so things startle her because she can't hear as well - but only a trip to the vet will help you determine just what's going on. Good luck, will keep paws crossed it's nothing more serious than old age.

[buttercup132]

Thanks guys
I hopefully can get her to the vet but my mom is had to take the dogs to the vet unless theres something really worng. She will just say"shes old and going blind theres nothing wrong with her and I dont want to pay that money to be told something I already know"

[mruffruff]

Please try to convince your mom to take her to the vet. You need to know for sure what's going on so you can handle it correctly.

Glacier said exactly what I would have said (but put it better than I could). My dog, Bear, was blind for the last 5 years of his life and did very well. His cataracts were from diabetes.

If her hearing is also going, walk hard when approaching so she can feel the vibrations in the floor.

[GreyhoundGirl]

I don't know very much, but Good Luck !

P.S. ... Hey, maybe you could get a seeing eye dog?

[IRescue452]

I know how it feels to notice your dog is getting old. Just keep up with discipline and spend lots of time handling the dog physically. There is a white shepherd down the street who has gone blind in old age. I approach her slowly and give her plenty of time to recognize me. She growls pretty vicious when I first walk up to her. They need to get used to people touching them and walking with them when they can't see, so they don't become reclusive.

[elizabethann]

Perhaps she's not only blind but hard of hearing as well? So when she "sees" shadows coming through the door or coming towards her, she just doesn't know who it is because she can't really make out that person's face or hear that person's voice.

Please beg your Mom to take her to the vets. Perhaps you can show her all the posts people made here on PT. Maybe that will convince her.

Good luck & keep us posted on her condition.