[Dailydrool] Dog Blindness - Glaucoma and Memory

[Isabel Cerchiaro]

Answering Susan:

Our basset, Bertrand, has 1 serious disease per year (someday, I will post on the Drool a list of all his illnesses). Last year, he had glaucoma, which seems to be what Sasha has. Now he has an oftalmologist (a vet specialized in eyes) and he has the pressure checked every 2 to 3 months (now, 1 year after). If the eye pressure is not above 20, the dog doesn't feel the pain of the pressure that the liquid inside the eye makes due to not being able to get out. He has 3 types of eye drops for both eyes, 4 times a day, in a total of 10 drops a day (I believe I became a eye drop machine, it seems to me that it is all I do every day). According to Bertrand's eye specialist, dogs do fine being blind. They need their sense of smell and their hearing. We get more upset by their blindness.

We also got some information from this book: Living With Blind Dogs: A Resource Book and Training Guide for the Owners of Blind and Low-Vision Dogs, Second Edition by Caroline D. Levin (bought from Amazon, I am not saying that you should buy this book, there are other ones!) and that's why we decided to give Bertrand a sister, before he loses the other eye. According to this book: "The most common cause of galucoma in dogs result from anatomical defect... This type is called primary glaucoma and typically affects both eyes. Anatomical defects are present from birth and are considered to be genetic by nature. Commonly affected breeds include American and English Cocker Spaniel, BASSET HOUND, Bouvier des Flandres, Chihuahua, Dachshund, miniature Poodle...(p. 27)" "Even with dilligent treatment, it is common for both eyes to lose vision within several years of each other (p. 28)."

My mother-in-law saw a poodle near her home who accompanied his owner when the boy went shopping in the neighbourhood, simply by following the sound of the key chain in the boy's pocket. 

Bertrand still plays with other dogs, but I have noticed that sometimes he doesn't see when I open the door, since sometimes the door opens towards the blind eye. 

About they remebering, yes, Bertrand remember people he hasn't seen for a while. In front of my place there is a kiosk that sell flowers. The guy who worked there at night loved Bertrand. When this guy quited the job, Bertrand still asked (pulled the leash, you know...) to go to the flower shop to see if his friend was there. Now, after more than a year, we met in front of my building, as I was walking Bertrand and he came to visit old friends. Bertrand made such a fuss, jumped to greet him, was quite happy. 

Isabel and Bertrand


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