My Dog just went blind. She is a 7 year old Rott. Would it make her happier if I put her down?

Question

I can't stand watching her bump into objects in the backyard. She turned 7 in November. She's not too old, but old enough. It also seems that she might even be going deaf anytime soon. I wanted to know if it would be in her best intrest to be put down. Or would she feel more comfortable with our presence in her final days? Some advice please. Expert or Caring, either is totally fine.

Answer 1

I'm sorry about your dog losing her sight (do you know why she went blind?), but if your dog isn't in pain, please don't be too hasty about putting her to sleep! Blind dogs can have a wonderful quality of life!

One of my current dogs is completely blind. He wasn't born blind; he went blind (at the age of seven) very suddenly from an autoimmune-related condition called SARDS (sudden acute retinal degeneration syndrome), wherein the dog's retinas suddenly -- and irreversibly -- stop working; he went from normal to blind over the course of about a week -- so, at first, he was a bit lost (no time to adapt). When my dog went blind and was officially diagnosed by a vet ophthalmologist who told us that he would never see again, I cried for about a week.

Now, though -- after a few minor adjustments on his part and on our part -- our blind dog is pretty much back to his old, happy, healthy, spoiled normal self (he's now 9). I am continually amazed at how NORMAL he is (he just moves around a bit more slowly and deliberately). He has completely mapped out our house and yard, and most people who meet him are shocked when I tell them that he is completely blind. Since this happened, I have met many other people who have blind dogs. Honestly, it's amazing how well most blind dogs adapt! Sight is actually *not* a dog's most important sense, and they quickly learn to compensate w/ their sense of smell and hearing. It just takes a bit of patience; you have to be willing to let the dog make mistakes (while protecting her from real danger); they essentially "learn everything all over again" -- but most adapt. You will need to teach her how to handle things like stairs (this, for my dog, was the hardest "everyday" task to re-learn). Use scents like vanilla to mark edges of chairs and furniture. Make up new voice commands, for instance, I say: "UP!" when Monty needs to step up a stair and "DOWN!" when he needs to step down. Learn clicker training, etc. Within a week of totally losing his sight, he was bombing around the house, and learning to use the stairs.

I highly recommend that you check out the following website for helpful tips, resources and answers: www.blinddogs.com . Also, when my dog first went blind, I joined a Yahoo list for owners of blind dogs (there are thousands of members!). They were EXTREMELY helpful and were able to answer all of my immediate and long-term questions. You can find them at the following URL: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/blinddogs/ . You should definitely sign up for this list. There is also a book for owners of blind dogs w/ some very useful information and training tips: LIVING WITH BLIND DOGS by Caroline D. Levin .

Good luck to you! If you post your e-mail address, I will be happy to send you more info. Please, though, give your dog a chance to adapt. If she's truly suffering, that's a different matter, but if she has only lost her sight, try working with her before you give up on her, seven years old isn't that old.

Answer 2

That's a really hard decision. I had a dog once that went blind and would bump into everything. But it turned out that a brain tumor was causing the blindness and there wasn't a cure for it so we decided to put her down instead of making her suffer.

A blind dog can still lead a happy life as long as you still make her feel like she's wanted. It might take a little extra care and attention but you could definitely do it. Walk outside with her in the back yard if you have to.

As far as her being happier with being put down... Im not sure. She loves you to death, so she may not want it. She may not even care that she's blind... just happy to still be with you.
But then again she may hate it that she's always running into stuff and she may be feeling old.. you never know.

Whatever decision you make, just make sure you think it through. Dont go through with it and regret it later. It'll hurt more than anything in the world. If you do it, just keep in mind that she isn't suffering and that she's happy in doggy heaven.

Good luck.

Answer 3

The best thing to do for her is to keep furniture in the same places and don't move anything, set up a routine for her, and set up bump guards on any corners of furniture. The make them for parents of toddlers and are rubber bumpers that go on tables in case the toddler falls onto them.

Always speak to her when approaching her and put a hand onto her shoulder or back first. Starting at the head and neck can be a bit too startling for some dogs because it is a site where the mothers give correction nips to puppies and instinctually can come across as a more aggressive touch. In the case that she does go deaf, the best thing you can do is lay next to her so your neck and chest are touching her, especially around her head, and talk to her. The vibrations are very soothing.

She will be happier with an owner that loves her than to be put to sleep. Its just a normal part of dog's aging process.

Answer 4

Please don't put her down. Give her a minute to adjust. She will be fine and will stop running into things as soon as she gets the house mapped out in her mind.
I have had three blind dogs. One from glaucoma, one from an abusive home and one from cataracts. She went blind at age 11, deaf at 15 and lived to be 19!
You don't make any mention of what caused the dog's blindness.
Was it gradual or all at once? If it was all at once it will take a while longer for her to adjust, but SHE WILL. I have had several vets tell me that a dog's sense of smell is far more important to them than their sight. The three I have had are living proof.
Your dog will take this as well as you let her. Try to keep obstacles out of her way, but don't baby her or make her afraid to be outdoors.
Good luck and good thoughts to both of you!

Answer 5

if her only issue is that she is blind and going deaf please don't put her down,she will adjust i promise,my Rott/Great dane mix went blind and deaf at 3 years old,i considered the same thing as you are now,but she adjusted just fine,you just have to compensate for her disability and work with it,don't move your furniture around and she will soon learn the walking "pattern" of your house,never move anything in her yard she will get used to the different object in it soon,as far as my dog being deaf and blind at first before her blindness we taught her sign language but then after the blindness we had a "morse code" type of thing we used to do on the top of her head when we wanted something,like a sit or lay down,she would come to us by our stamping feet she responded to different vibrations for different situations animals are very intune to thier world and can adapt,they can and will live with both deafness and blindness and be just fine,it just depends on how far you want to go to help your pet adjust to her new world our dog lived another 7 happy years until cancer stole her away,she never once seemed depressed and i am happy i did not put her down

Answer 6

Dogs have MANY senses FAR HIGHER than our own.

They can adapt VERY WELL to many ailments, blindness, hearing loss, lamness, etc.

There are MANY blind dogs which find and do everything by scent, hearing, and touch. They are far better at this, because when they lose one sence, all the others are HEIGHTENED.

It is NOT a huge problem to the dog, as they adapt very well by instinct. What it is a huge problem for are the owners, who are distraught over their beloved pet becoming disabled.

This is a chance for you to show your pet how much you love them, putting your pup down is not the answer dear. LOVE your baby EVEN MORE, help your dog to learn & Grow from this experience. You might even find a GREATER BOND between the two of you, now that she needs you more at this time in her life.

BELIEVE ME ... not far into the future, you will be GLAD you let her live, to enjoy life NOT simply as a disabled dog, but as a NEW creature as she finds herself once more. This is not THE END my dear, ONLY a NEW BEGINING! :)

Blessings to you Both!

Answer 7

why would you put her down? Would you kill your mother if she went blind and deaf? the answer is of course not! Just give her some time to start to memorize her surroundings and to help put her on a leash and lead her around. I have a 13 year old male miniature poodle who is by human standards legally blind; he can see shapes, but not details and he has at times bumped into things even around my apartment that he can move around in just time. I know that he does have some level of hearing even though the humane society that I adopted him from said that he was deaf, and they didn't put him down. Just help her readjust to being blind, she can do it just like lots of other dogs adjust to living and enjoying life blind.

Answer 8

I have been having a lot of trouble with my eyes. I am almost blind in my left eye, even after 5 surgeries. I hope my family wont put me down if I lose the rest of my sight. I am not judging you, just giving you a personal point of view from someone with a similar problem. If she did lose her hearing too, then that would make it a lot more difficult for her with 2 senses gone. I am sorry your dog is going thru so much. Peace be with you.

Answer 9

The dog would feel better being with you of corse. I don't think there is any need to put her down. Arrange your yard so she won't bump into things. Make it a little easier for the dog. I think by putting some effort into this you will feel better and the dog will appreciate the love.

Answer 10

gosh, that's a hard one. l do not think l could put my dog to sleep and l would fine ways to make it safe for her to not get hurt. It's a lot of care involved taking care of a handicapped dog. But you are the only one who can make that decision. Weather it will make her happier, l could not answer that because a dog lives to please it's master. and if she feels she is still pleasing you then she is happy now. but if there is other reasons to put her to sleep, then you are the ;one can answer that. l would not want no one to turn from me if l was to become handicap. So l do not know if l answered you right or not. l think you are the only one to make up your mind. and good luck in your decision

Answer 11

I think that you have to really ask yourself if that's what u want.I have a cousin that had a 11 year old maltese(male) and he was blind and had a terrible ear infection in his right ear, and one afternoon the dog of hers was spitting out blood from his ears and nose and she rushed him to the pet hospital where the vets found several tumors in his brain. She had to put him to sleep, and she's been crying for her dog and his mate as well, so I'm not going to tell u yes or no just that u have to really think about it and make ur own decision. Take care.