Maryellen wrote:oh no!!! poor Zoey.. at least now you know what happened.. have you thought about whether the retinal issue is genetic? will the pups possibly have it too?? now, is it possible her aggression is due to not being able to see and being startled since she does have a problem medically?? has the new dr said anything about medicines or anything to help her? or is her blindness going to come on rather quickly?
i just did a quick search, and it says its genetic..
http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/health/pra.htm
http://www.ovma.org/pets/prd.html
Progressive Retinal Degeneration (PRD)
Progressive retinal degeneration is widespread throughout purebred dogs, with over 85 breeds known to have contracted the disease to date. It has been noted that any bread of dog can be affected by PRD.
The disease affects the retina, which is the innermost layer of the eye. It is located in the back half of the eye, and is composed of specialized nervous tissue that transmits the image viewed by the eye to the brain for interpretation.
The first sign of PRD is a loss of night vision, followed later by the loss of day vision. Because dogs do so well with very limited vision, owners often don't detect the disease until it is quite advanced. In some dogs, (e.g. Irish Setters) the loss of both day and night vision occurs simultaneously. Occasionally, owners will note that dogs have trouble seeing moving objects. The disease may also first be detected when the animal leaves its familiar environment (e.g. on vacation), when bumping into objects or hesitancy may be noted.
As the disease progresses, pupils may remain dilated regardless of changes in light, Often, because the pupils are dilated, owners may notice cataract formation. The disease is not related to cataracts, but cataracts may form secondary to the disease. It is a retinal problem for which there is no treatment.
To diagnose the disease, an ophthalmoscopic examination is done. Early subtle changes are best detected by a veterinary ophthalmologist.
Good breeders routinely screen their breeding stock. However, as PRD can be a late onset disease, many offspring may have already been produced before the disease is detected in the parents. However, NO offspring from affected dogs should be used for breeding purposes. This is thought to be a simple autosomal recessive inheritance, so that carrier dogs cannot be detected.
Any dog with mature cataracts should be screened prior to surgery for a functional retina. This is done by electroretinography (ERG). It is pointless to remove cataracts if the dog is retinally blind. Occasionally, a luxated lens may be removed in a dog that is blind in an attempt to prevent glaucoma.
For more information on PRD or other eye problems, please see your veterinarian.
mnp13 wrote:I had a dog that had severe retinal demage due to the airbag in my car opening in her face. She adjusted. Animals usually do.
I got used to only approaching her from the right side so that I wouldn't startle her. My cat Merlin would stalk her from the left side because she couldn't see him. Yes, Merlin is a jerk.
I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but having your dog put down due to a manageable health condition is not responsible in my opinion. Right now she is scared and her reaction is to keep everyone away because she probably can't see them well enough to know what's going on. She may be able to see fleeting shadows but nothing clear enough to identify.
Plenty of people sucessfully manage to own blind dogs.
Maryellen wrote:what doesnt she do well with small kids?? are they just too jumpy for her? or does she growl and snap at them ??
since she is now going to lose her sight, i would keep her out of the kids way when they come over, and also educate the kids that come over that Zoey is going blind, and she is afraid of loud movements since she cant see very well, and to please give her her space and leave her alone..
say something like that so they understand.. check out the links i posted too..
and get her a walking harness, you know like the ones the blind people use for their dogs? this way when you start training her you can start out with a harness or a leash and use both to get her used to a harness..
i would keep her and king separated as well, and wait and see how she does with training.. if she does good and will tolerate king, then start teaching king to be her guide dog.. it can be done..
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