Are you worried about your senior dog’s eyesight? Here are the signs you should look out for.
As dogs age, they become more vulnerable to disease, illness and degeneration. One of the most common issues is blindness, which is common in dogs. Keep an eye out for the following warning signs, which mean you’ll want to check in with your local Greencross Vets.
Clumsiness
Let’s face it – dogs can be pretty clumsy even with 20/20 vision. We’ve all seen our dogs knock over the bin or lose their footing at the park. But when your dog begins to lose their sense of sight you will notice this clumsiness is more frequent and happening when your dog is doing things they could do easily when they were younger.
If your senior dog is bumping into objects or structures, losing their footing up and down stairs, knocking things over, and this is new to their behaviour, this is a sign they may be losing their vision.
Reduced movement
Depending on the level of energy your dog normally has, if your senior dog is reluctant to move this may be due to loss of vision. If you have an energetic dog that is often moving around, jumping, wanting to play, this is easier to identify than if you have a dog that is usually happy on the couch.
They may look to you for help getting on the couch or bed, show reluctance to go to their bowl to eat, or go to the bathroom in places they usually wouldn’t like their bed. These signs can point to a loss of vision.
Anxiety
If a senior dog is losing their vision, their stress levels will increase. Your dog may become more nervous doing their normal activities such as socialising with humans and other pets, going outside, or eating.
Signs your dog is anxious include them crying, shaking, hiding, and conducting obsessive behaviour such as excessive licking, scratching or digging. If any of these behaviours are out of character, this may mean your senior dog is losing their vision.
Eye abnormalities
When looking for signs your senior dog is going blind, it’s important to check the health of their eyes. If your dog has redness in their eyes, enlarged pupils, discharge or a milky film over their eyes, or they are appearing sore these are physical signs their vision could be becoming impaired and you must book an appointment with your local Greencross Vets as soon as possible.
If your senior dog is showing any of these symptoms, refer to your local Greencross Vets, or if you would like more information on vision loss in dogs, refer to your local Petbarn team member.