A bit of sad puppy news

It is however, not as bad as it could be so that’s a plus.

Today I took my beloved Ginger puppy to see the vet as I suspected something unusual was going on with her eyes. I had noticed a few times in the past couple of months that her eyes sometimes had a strange blue tint, but I always thought it was a trick of the light. Maybe I didn’t even think that, as the observation was so fleeting that it barely even registered in my mind. It wasn’t until I paid a visit to my aunt on the weekend, who has a recently blind dog, that I even realised I’d been seeing the blue tint for so long. Still I ignored it, thinking maybe I was just being paranoid. When I noticed the blue-ness again the next day however, I decided to investigate. I shone a flashlight into her eyes and really studied the milky blueish tint for the first time. I pondered, I researched, I even compared with my friend’s dog’s eyes. I pondered some more. Worry was definitely in the mix somewhere, so I booked the vet appointment, even though I thought (and hoped) that I was just crazy.

Unfortunately, as the vet assured me, I was not crazy and poor Ginger has developed cataracts in both eyes. The vet said that it is in the early stages and it will probably be a couple of years before full blindness sets in, but she also said that it is likely affecting her vision already because it is difficult to see the retina behind the cloudyness. In spite of this, I have yet to see any real signs of vision loss yet.

The good news is that dogs adjust rather well to being blind if the onset is slow, which it is likely to be. We also have an easy floorplan when it comes to her navigating the house; all one level and pretty much a straight line from one room to the next, not a lot of corners. The news is upsetting of course, and in my heart I grieve, but I know that the situation is much more upsetting for me than it is for Ginger. She is still happy and healthy, though a little overweight, and to her nothing has really changed, life is good.

So in honour of my beautiful baby, have some pics 🙂

(click to embiggen)

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ginger

holgingersmall
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A bit of sad puppy news
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17 thoughts on “A bit of sad puppy news

  1. 1

    I’m sorry to hear about this, but so happy the prognosis was so good. My dad is totally blind, and he’s still fun to have around. 😉 He does bump into things a lot, but it gives him a somewhat charming, drunken rascal vibe. Good luck!

  2. 4

    I used to dog sit for a pupper-dog who developed the same condition and he did just fine. Dogs are just happy to be and take these ailments in their stride.

    She’s such a pretty girl 🙂

  3. 5

    Thanks everyone for the comments 🙂
    Jenny, I’m sure she’ll still be just as fun and loving as always, just like your dad, maybe less drunk looking though haha
    And yes, she does have a very youthful appearance, I hope I age as gracefully as she has! She is 10 years old currently, and turning 11 in the spring.

  4. 9

    Just so you know Jodi, my sisters little dog went blind and partially deaf and they had her for another 6 years or so until she got to the point where she couldnt function, but that was due to cancer. She managed to adapt to being blind pretty well, the key was to not make drastic changes in the lay out of the household furniture lol.

  5. 10

    That really stinks, but at least she will be able to gradually adjust. Also, those pictures make me instinctively go “Aaawwwww – whoseagooddoggie!” and reach out like I’m trying to scratch the computer screen behind the ears.

  6. 12

    Paul — she might snap at you. She was a rescue dog, and she doesn’t much like strangers reaching for her until she’s had a chance to bark at them, gauge our response, then sniff your knees while you enter the house casually. Give her about half an hour, though, and she’ll be begging for pettings and scratchings like she’s been your best friend forever.

    Fair warning for anyone planning on visiting. 🙂

  7. 13

    It’s true. I tell everyone ‘Please ignore the dog completely when you enter the house. Yes, even if she barks at you. Yes, even if she comes and sniffs you and noses your hand.’but people never listen, bend over her to oogle at her cuteness and/or reach out a hand and inevitably get snapped at.
    I wonder though, if blindness would make her more or less aggressive in that situation, or around other dogs for that matter.

  8. 14

    Oh, in real life I know that it’s a bad idea to reach out a hand or get too close to a dog who hasn’t had a little time to get familiar with you – and to always listen to what the owners say about how to act around the dog!

  9. 16

    She is an only dog yes. She um… has issues with other dogs lol We managed to get my best friend’s dog Merlin and her to play, but it was tense, and not without an incident or two of extreme throat mauling on Ginger’s part. We used to board two other dogs (Shih tzus) and she was ok with them except when they would go to the vet and come back she would attack them. After we no longer had them we noticed a huge change in her, much calmer and not as aggressive towards people.
    If I thought that she would accept another dog, and that it would help her later on I would definitely consider it, but I wouldn’t want to cause her stress either.

  10. 17

    Ginger is gorgeous ! And suits her name :-)..and she looks good for 10 ! Molly sends her get well butt sniffs..

    My auntie had a blind dog ..well he was blind for the last 3 years of his life…he provided much entertainment and used to bump into people on purpose (we thought) and then give them a look as if to say “did you purposely move in front me ??”..

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