Eye problems in pets

On the subject of dogs, we seem to have a few fireworks going off roundabouts tonight [Andy Murray fans perhaps ] so my dog is having a breakdown again. Have given her a piriton tablet which might sedate her a bit but I think it's going to be a long night. And I've got November to look forward to. Oh dear.

PS I meant to say that this showed me dogs use smell as much as sight. Our own Golden Retriever comes to my husband every morning to have here eyes wiped. She presents one side of her face to him, he wipes her eye, and she presents the other side, She knows exactly what she wants. Usually there's nothing there - well, nothing visible to us, but she must feel the need.

I remember visiting my sister in France and going with her, her guide dog Elore, and our Hungarian friend Eszther to the station to catch the local train to Paris. There was a sudden power cut: it was a cloudy November night, black as pitch - none of us could see a thing including the dog I'm sure, but she still guided all three of us (Eszther and I clinging to my sister and my sister holding the harness) to the station.

The trains were on a different grid and still running, and somewhere along the line the power came back on. Phew!

thanks so much for all your support. After a 1 hour lecture by the specialist (complete with showing me diagrams) I felt completely brain bashed! She was doing various tests on Katie at the same time, but wouldnt even let me go out to the carpark for a few minutes with her while waiting for some drops to take effect! Anyway, there are risks in not doing it and even more risks in doing it, especially for JRs apparently. So, if I have my way in all this, it wil not be done. As some of you say, animals find their way around very well and at great speed on occasion.

Please let us know how you got on?

We tend to think of an dog's sight as being as important as our own, but their hearing and sense of smell are just as important. We used to take our blind cocker spaniel to the same caravan for holidays each year and she knew exactly where she was. Having said that, when the vet first told me she was losing her sigh I almost had an accident on the way home, I was so upset, so I understand how you feel.

Here's to Katie! Duncan sends his best lick.

Good luck from me too. Our first retired greyhound went blind as a result of a brain tumour ressing on his optic nerve and coped very well for a year + but eventually the tumour must have affected his sense of smell and it was very distressing. The blindness, he coped with so well, it was a few weeks before any of us noticed! As long as they have their sense of smell, most dogs will compensate. However, it is sad to see your dear pet unwell, so {hugs}

Good luck Wetweekend.

Same with my ginger cat - completely blind, but he could move at some speed, avoiding all obstacles, when he heard me using the tin opener.

Good luck wetweekend! Hope it goes well for her. We had a cocker spaniel who went completely blind by the time she was nine, and it appeared not to affect her at all, as long as the furniture remained in the same place and we did the same walk with her.