Vision Loss in Senior Dogs — Symptoms and Management

Just as our eyesight can become impaired as we age, dogs can also suffer from vision loss as they enter their senior years. However, unlike humans, dogs do not rely on vision as their most important sense. Their noses and ears allow them to adapt quite well to changes in their eyesight. Here are the signs of potential vision impairment and some steps you can take to help your senior dog cope with any loss of sight.

Vision Loss: Causes and Symptoms
There are many causes of vision loss in older dogs, including glaucoma and macular degeneration.

One of the more probable causes is a cataract, when the lens of the eye is clouded over. A cataract will appear as a hazy, opaque white growth over the eye and often goes hand-in-hand with other illnesses, such as diabetes.

Hypertension (high blood pressure) can cause a multitude of ocular problems, such as retinal detachment, which could lead to blindness. Untreated infections, chronic dry eye, and tumors or cancer can also cause blindness. It’s vital for your elderly dog to have regular visits (at least every 6-to-9 months) with his veterinarian, as the sooner the condition is detected and diagnosed, the better the possible outcome.

Signs that your dog is losing his eyesight can be quite obvious. He might bump into walls or furniture or have trouble locating his food or toys. He might stop making eye contact with you. The signs can also be subtler, such as being reluctant to jump on or off the couch, a new level of anxiety, or becoming clingy. Your dog may even begin to show aggression because his vision loss may leave him feeling vulnerable and more inclined to act offensively in an attempt to keep himself safe.

To read more on this story, click here: Vision Loss in Senior Dogs — Symptoms and Management

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