My baby is going blind...

[Texasgal]

Suzie-Q my 12 year old Boston Terrier is going blind. She has cataracts growing in both eyes.

The left eye is particularly bad. I've conversed with my vet, he thinks that she will eventually ( sooner than later ) go blind in both eyes unless she has cataract surgery.

I work in an eye surgery clinic for a living, so I know all about human cataract issues.

Here's the deal. the surgery will run 2,000.00 and we have no guaranty that it will work.

My vet seems to think we should let her go blind, he says it natural and that she will adapt.

What would YOU do?

[Pierre.Suave]

1. Oh god, such a hard decision

I hope I am never faced with a decision like that.

Give your little doggy a big :hug: for me, and here is a :hug: for you...

I have no idea how I would respond to that situation.

[Texasgal]

9. Awww!

Thanks for the hugs..

I feel like shit having to make such a choice... :cry:

[littlebit]

2. I am going through the same thing

with my 10 year old beagle. I don't want to put her through a painful surgery. So I have opted to let nature take it's course. As long as she is acting ok I don't see the point.

[LeftyFingerPop]

3. Would the surgery still have a chance of restoring her sight...

if the cataracts were let to progress and render her blind?

[Texasgal]

8. The more the cataracts grow the worse the

removal.. same as humans...

I honestly do not know what to do!

:cry:

[LeftyFingerPop]

13. Animals adapt quite well, surprisingly so....

My dog is deaf, but she has no idea she is deaf.

If this were happening to me, I would get a second opinion from another vet.

If the advice were the same, I would probably let nature take its course.

I have heard elsewhere that dogs can adapt quite well to both blindness and deafness.

Remember, if she does indeed go blind, she still knows that you are with her, and that you love her.

You can give her the attention she needs and help her adapt.

Also remember that a dog's sense of smell is what really gets them through. :hug:

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. That is a really tough decision!

Recently, a friend and I were remembering the old days when you took your dog into the vet and were told, "Yup! He's getting old."
No surgeries, unless life-saving, were offered. You had your pets, you loved'em, you held;em, and you let them go.

$2k is a lot of money...for me, at least. That would make my decision for me. :(

I have no advice.
Only this :hug: :grouphug: :hug:

[Texasgal]

14. 2 k is alot of money...

Don't get me wrong, it would be hard to do it fincially... but I would.. if I HAD to.

:cry:

I am so damn confused.

[lukasahero]

5. My dog went deaf

and he managed ok. I think if you have the patience to work with her, she can live a full and happy life blind. If you have the money and are comfortable with losing it, maybe surgery is an option but if you don't, I don't think you should fear trusting your vet's advice. There's a fair amount of controversery around deaf dogs, more so than blind ones, and my Beau really had a full life for several years after he went deaf.

It's a big commitment on your part though: your girl will need you to be there for her while she learns the lay of the land. If you have someone who can give her that kind of attention, I think you should just let nature take it's course: you'll be surprised how resilent they are.

:hug: for whatever decision you make.

[Texasgal]

11. She has lived her entire life in this house

so I think she knows.. you know, where the door is, where her food bowl is... where her little bed is.

I feel so damn guilty right now.. If I don't do it have I depraived her? :cry:

I am such a sucker...

[lukasahero]

15. Oh no, no, no - don't feel that way

I have to admit, there were many times when I wished Beau could hear me speak to him, comfort him, give him encouragement but I really believe dogs have a sense we do not have. She may not be able to see you but she will know your presence. She'll be just fine - you will be surprised how well she does. I learned a saying a looooong time ago: "just because you can doesn't mean you should". There's some real wisdom there. Not everything that frightens us is bad - it's just different. She will be ok. Don't be so hard on yourself.

PS - I'm going to bed now but PM me if you want to talk - I'll be on again in the morning. I know what you're going through and would be happy to offer a shoulder...

[Roon]

22. My Grandparents' schnauzer went deaf late in life

She was a big barker and because she couldn't hear herself, it made her bark louder. She lived until she was 18.

[lukasahero]

38. Interesting

My guy was never a big barker but he started barking in his last year (he had arthritis and would bark when he wanted help getting up). Funniest part was, he had surgery on his larynx previously so no sound came out when he barked. He absolutely threw his whole self into it though. I'm not sure if he knew he wasn't making any noise but it was the cutest thing ever and brings back sweet memories for me.

[Roon]

52. My Grandparents lost friends because of this dog

but they stuck it out and kept her. She would bark when you entered the room. She would bark if you went to the bathroom and came back. She also barked when she heard key jangling because she knew that hugs and kisses from departing family was going to come next.She was very jealous.

[fizzgig]

6. here is my take

i would spend the money if i had it, if only to give her a chance. however, i know that it is not a perfect world and that many of us are in a crunch and living paycheck to paycheck. if i were in your position, i would have to let her go blind and adapt.

the bottom line, in my view, is that she knows you love her. it is a hard reality, but i can't imagine that she will begrudge you for that.

all that said, i am so sorry that you are in such a position. :hug:

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

7. They DO adapt well.

Dogs use their ears and nose much more effectively than we do- the loss of sight is far less of a hindrance to them than to humans.

Keep loving your puppy and help her as much as she needs and she'll be okay.

[Flaxbee]

10. Our neighbors had an old, blind dog who would make the rounds

of the neighborhood pretty regularly and she was fine. It's very rural, otherwise there is no way they'd have let her out and about alone, but everyone knew to look out for the old girl. I think if there is no pain involved, let your Suzie-Q go blind --- she'll adapt with your loving care. Just don't move the furniture often!

She'll need some extra care, but it would probably be easier on her, too, to not go through the surgery.

Tough call. I'm sorry you have to make such a decision.

[flvegan]

12. Dogs rely so little on their sight.

I've had blind dogs come through here. You wouldn't know it. They learn their way around, follow their sniffer and they do just fine.

Nothing against the surgery. If you have the cash, it may be worth it mostly for your convenience. Blind dogs do bump into stuff, and they do startle time and again.

My best to you and your pup.

[Texasgal]

16. I would literally sell my left arm

for my suzie-q... she has been there for me... even when i took in weird dogs.. she loves me unconditionally.

I just want her OKAY.

Maybe it's ME that needs to understand her growth into old age.

Thank you for your thoughts. :hug:

[DS1]

24. If this guy says it

skip the surgery.

I think that's what he's saying, anyway.

[ThomCat]

17. If I was still working and could afford to go that much further into debt

I'd probably opt for the surgery. But that depends on how confident I felt that I'd be able to keep working long enough to pay it off. I'm still guessing if/when I'll have to go out on disability.

If I'm not confident about staying employed then I'd have to let my pet go blind, and I'd be kicking myself every day over it. :(

I can't advise you what to do. It really is up to you to decide whether or not you can afford it, and deal with any recovery issues. But either way, I am sending good thoughts and vibes for you and Suzie-Q.
:hug:

[Texasgal]

18. here is a pic of who we are discussing:

[lukasahero]

19. What a sweetie

Hang in there - both of you will be ok. :hug:

[flvegan]

21. Ah, what a sweetiepotamus!!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

20. i would listen to your vets advice.

[Arkansas Granny]

23. I can't really give you any advice, but I can tell you my experience

with an elderly dog I had years ago who went both deaf and blind. She knew where everything was in the house and she learned to move from room to room without bumping into furniture and doorways. She never had any trouble locating her food and water and was always able to let me know when she needed to go out. She was able to navigate in our fenced yard pretty well by herself. If I was doing yardwork and moving around the yard I would put her on her leash and clip it to my belt loop so she could follow me easily and she didn't have to search for me since she couldn't hear me to locate me. We could still go for walks and she even went on camping trips with us after she lost her sight and hearing. Since her nose still worked very well, she enjoyed getting out and smelling new things even if she couldn't see them and she still loved to swim. I always used a leash or a tie out stake when she was outside our yard and in unfamiliar territory. We both adapted quite well and the extra attention she required was really quite minimal and we were able to enjoy each others company for over 15 years.

[XemaSab]

25. I've had dogs go blind before

and really, they adapt. :shrug:

[GreenPartyVoter]

27. There's a blind lab here in town that still goes out wandering and everything. Seems to do fine

[hedgehog]

26. I'm not sure how old 12 years is for a Boston Terrier, but I think you should balance

what may be a minor inconvenience for an old dog (dogs depend of their sniffers more than their eyes) vs. the major stress of being in a strange place and undergoing surgery.

[China_cat]

28. We had a Bouvier that went blind from cataracts.

She was fine in the house as long as we didn't rearrange the furniture. She was fine in the fenced yard as everything was marked with smells and she had special paths that she had been using for years. She was fine on the leash because we were her seeing-eye humans.

Spend the money on great treats, good food and favorite toys. She might slow down a bit, can't judge distance at a run, but you'll be amazed at how well she'll do.

[datasuspect]

29. if i had the money i would spend it

[evlbstrd]

30. My dog is 14 and starting the same thing.

I took over my mom's blind toy poodle after she passed away. Looking back, I'd have put him down.
My own dog is a tougher decision. She can still see. And let's just say that fireworks don't bother her anymore.

[Kali]

31. i'd let her go blind

I've known several blind dogs - they do fine, you just need to become more verbal with her if you aren't already.

[pitohui]

32. a dog who relies mostly on smell anyway? (and a friend's experience)

we should not make our decision based on what we would want, we are not dogs and to us as humans the sense of sight is primary, we are visual animals

to a dog, the sense of sight isn't so much and is pretty piss poor even when it's good, they rely on their NOSE

a friend's dog went blind and still lived well and happily for many years

if the cost of the surgery would hurt you financially, and considering the limited benefit this would be to a dog, i would tend toward not getting the surgery

only you know the dog and your situation but for god's sake, don't blame yourself whatever you decide

you already know that cataract surgery almost always does end well for humans, and you see the successes every day, but a dog just doesn't rely on his sight the same way and he does adapt (i've seen it) and, as you were told, even if you get the surgery for the dog, he may have stopped relying on sight anyway and not really get much use out of it because it is a sense he has already shut down...

[CreekDog]

33. i think surgery is pretty hard on an older dog

we had a dog that had a small growth removed and she was never the same after that. it's true that it was cancerous, however before and after the surgery she was markedly less energetic. i think it can be really hard on them and the healing afterwards and recovery from the anaesthesia is quite a burden for an older dog.

[Lil Missy]

34. That's a very difficult decision.

In my case, I had a dog with constant ear infections and allergies since the day I rescued him almost 15 years ago.

A couple years ago, she recommended a surgery that would end up making him deaf, but ease his misery. It was $1800 bucks, and took me a year to save up for it. In the meantime, he had to take a couple different antibiotics the first week of every month.

I am happy to say that he is a lot more comfortable now, and is a very happy pooch. I am just so sorry that it took me so long to save up the money. The only mishap we've had was over the 4th.

I didn't think he could hear anything, but he sorta freaked out with the fireworks and possibly the vibrations against the house. Next year I am going back to puppy prozac for the week of the 4th.

Good luck with your pooch. Keep us informed.

[av8rdave]

35. A good friend of mine has a mixed breed that went totally blind at about age 8

The dog did adapt quite quickly. I was surprised.

[GCP]

36. With her being Boston Terrier, if you don't get the surgery

I'd make sure there are no sharp corners for her to bang into - because their eyes are so prominent.
That's the only thing that would worry me.

[malta blue]

37. I let my dog Luna go blind. She was 15 when

I had her put to sleep three weeks ago.


She had cataracts for 3-4 years and adapted well.

Good luck with whatever decision you make :hug:

[easttexaslefty]

39. I have a blind dog

She adapted fairly quickly to being blind. She's 10 and started losing her sight a couple of years ago. She had a little trouble for a couple of weeks but now you probably wouldn't notice she can't see a thing

[ThatsMyBarack]

40. My sister has a cat that went blind.

He's not as scared of things as he used to be because he can't see them! ;)

[bif]

41. If she was younger, i'd do it

But 12 is fairly old, so I'd save the money and she'll adapt.

[Maine-ah]

42. we've let our dog go with it

one of her eyes started going after a bee sting, she's allergic and her eye was swollen and popping out of her head...the other one is going with age. She seems to have a hard time finding her ball on the ground when she goes outside, but she eventually gets it. But you can throw it right at her and she catches it. We're gonna let nature take it's course.

[noonwitch]

43. My old dog had them-get her a kitten

I didn't want to subject Rosie to surgery, and she knew the house well. I had taken in Miranda, my cat, when Rosie still could see and the two were tight. Miranda was a leader cat to Rosie-she followed her around, and made sure she never bumped into anything. She would walk right along next to Rosie to make sure of it, too, and would jump in front of her if she was about to bump her head.

It was the sweetest thing I've ever seen a cat do for a dog. I don't think Miranda would do that for Katie, my current dog. She likes her enough, but not the same way.

[SacredCow]

44. They can adapt....

I've seen this many, many times. $2000 is a lot for a surgery that may or may not work. If it were my dog, I'd just make sure she was comfortable and give her lots of extra loving in her declining years...

[NewEnglandGirl]

45. I know that whatever you decide

will be the best decision for your little one because it's based on the love and wonderful care you've always given her. I feel for you. :hug: :hug: :hug:

[femmocrat]

46. At her age, I would forego the surgery.

As long as she is familiar with her environment, she will do just fine. Dogs are more scent-oriented than sight-oriented (except sight hounds, of course!) and they "memorize" their way around.

:hug: for Suzie-Q and you!

[undeterred]

47. My last dog had an eye removed because there was a tumor

behind it. She walked into a building once, but other than that, she adjusted to having one eye. Dogs depend so much on their noses. My current dog is deaf and has a cataract in one eye. But he's nearly 16, so surgery is too big a risk. He's a little more dependent on me, but he's happy.

[LynneSin]

48. Suzie-Q does not need her sight to know how you love her

She has other sense that are very aware of that:

When you pet her she feels your love
When you call her name she hears your love
When you feed her she can taste your love
and when you are just near her she can definately smell it too.


This is a tough economy and if you do not have $2k you should not create a hardship on yourself. Your pet sounds like she has spent her life indoors and will easily adapt but I would make sure at all time there is a collar on her with your address & contact number and I would even go so far to microchip her. If she got lost away from her house she may have a problem and if the collar was lost, animal shelters will still check for microchip for ownership.

[SeaLyons]

49. My "Brandy" was blind the last 4 of her

16 years....she did fine. In fact most people didn't even realize she was blind. She walked through the house and yard and did fine, so I would do as your vet says. That's what we were told too, and it was the right decision.

[LisaM]

50. I'd get the surgery

Of course, I paid $2000 for non-successful surgery for my beloved dog Scott, so maybe I'm not the best person to ask. I still wake up sometimes hoping I can turn back the clock and he'll be there at my feet, like he's supposed to be.

[Wcross]

51. My guy Buddy is also going blind, he will not be getting surgery.

He is somewhere in the neighborhood of 14 years old & I can't justify putting him through surgery at his age. I am ready, willing & able to help him live out the rest of his life if/when he goes blind. I will carry him outdoors to poop & pee if I have to. I will hand feed him if needed. If he starts pooping/peeing in the house I am OK with that too (no carpeting in the house).

I would just accommodate Suzie-Q as best you can. I know you love her, she will be OK with a little help from her friend.

[stuntcat]

53. oh that's a hard thing to have to decide for her

I bet she could adapt pretty well though. That was already said but yeah, I re-say it, and putting her through surgery might not be worth the stress it would cause for her. Hugs to Suzie whatever happens :hug:

[Taverner]

54. Let her go blind - dogs would rather have their sense of smell than sight

They don't rely on sight like we hominids do. They rely mostly on sound and smell - so taking away their eyesight is a bit like taking away our sense of smell. It will be missed, but not needed.

[Lady Freedom]

55. I had a pug that was blind.

he was a puppy when they discovered it. they also learned he had the dog version of epilepsy. I took him so they would not put him down. I can tell you that being a seeing eye human can be rough. If your baby does go blind and have some questions on how to help make life easier, just ask me.

[A HERETIC I AM]

56. 1st of all, if you aren't married, will you marry me?

2nd. I've owned Bostons all my life (hence the marriage proposal. Any woman that likes Bostons is ok by me!) and every one I've ever owned eventually had the same condition, to one degree or another.

3rd. She's 12. That's VERY old for this breed, as I'm sure you're aware. The oldest one I've ever heard of lived to be about 15 or so, and she was in our family. I don't say this to sound crass, but she is old and cataracts are virtually inevitable at that age with Bostons.

It becomes a quality of life issue against what you can afford. My last boy, "Mr. Beau Brummel" got them when he was about 8 1/2. The cataracts didn't slow him down too much but then the symptoms of diabetes began to really manifest themselves and things got real bad. He became a shell of his former self. I realized he was suffering and I had him put down.

Here he is. In this pic he is probably 5 or 6. I call this photo "The Elegant Tourist"


He was SOOO patient. He loved kids and would let himself be dressed up because he seemed to know it was funny.

I miss him so. I'm tearing up writing this.

My answer to "what would you do" is simple; I would carefully weigh her quality of life, her life expectancy and compare that to the cost. If you have owned dogs before, you know that sooner or later you will have to have her put to sleep, if she does not die naturally. Again, my family has owned Bostons all my life (I'm 49) and with the exception of one that was hit by a truck, we have had to eventually put all of them to sleep. We just did not have the experience of any of our dogs living well in their very old age and dying peacefully. They seem to deteriorate to one degree or another to the point that they have lost all quality of life or life became too difficult to bear. One became prone to seizures and as time went on, it would take her literally days to recover. It becomes too painful to watch, especially knowing how much of a zest for life the dog had only a year or so earlier.

If Suzie-Q is otherwise healthy and happy, and unless you can completely afford the surgery, do nothing. She'll be fine. Show her more and more love as the days go by, because they are now so very limited.

You have my very best and sincere wishes for her and your happiness.

Damn.......i need a drink of water. I've got a rock in my throat now.

[Mutley]

57. I would probably let her go blind.

There is training out there to help you and your puppy learn to adapt. Plus, you can save the $2,000 in case she needs surgery for a life-threatening issue at some point down the road.

[NMDemDist2]

58. my old girl is almost blind from the same situation. she does fine BUT

if we rearrange furniture we carefully lead her through the room so she can set down new "smell paths" and are careful to keep her paths clear of 'stuff'

she has other dogs who watch out for her and if she gets lost in the back of the acre, she has a special bark that sends the other two barreling out to "rescue" her. she puts her nose at the hip of the male and he leads her back to the house.

she does ok in the dim house, the bright sunlight is tougher on her, I find she does her 'outside business' usually after dark more these days.

I think you'll be amazed how well an old dog adapts to cataracts. I was.

Edit to add: my girl is named Sue Z. too and is a 15 year old aussie/border collie mix. 15 is very very old for the herding breeds.