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Re: Mickey Has diabetes possible Cushings too
Hi Dori,
I just caught up reading your thread. Kathy had a whole bunch of great links for you; I learned a fair bit on the blinddogs list- at least the crucial stuff. I learned from Kumbi as well!
I think it's just wonderful that your other animals are coping with Mickey's blindness. That also indicates to me that you take great, excellent, care of all of them, sensitive to their interactions, aware of those - that you provide for them and shepherd them, so they can make full use of their own inclinations always to avoid conflict; to work for peace. GREAT JOB, Dori!
I see others have also been contributing useful information. I can't add much, but can report a bit on my experience with Kumbi going mostly blind.
Kumbi started bumping into things in the house about five months after he was diagnosed with diabetes. I had seen the cataracts coming; that's different from Mickey. I'm glad you're in close touch with your vet about Mickey's eyes.
I also agree with - was it Kathy? - who said the surgery can be worse than the blindness. This depends on a whole bunch of different circumstances. With me, there was nothing to decide; there's no way I can afford the surgery, even if Kumbi were a good candidate for it. And I'd have to travel; both dogs would have to travel with me - they cannot manage it; too much stress - dislocation! Kumbi had turned 10 a few months before he lost his vision; Kwali was 12 already.
So, I went to the blinddogs list, where I learned a few useful things. And I watched Kumbi around the house. I put up a few barriers outdoors, trying to keep Kumbi from falling into the perimeter ditch (deep! - steep angles) that surround my trailer house. He did once fall in! He managed to scramble out - he arrived soaking wet at the front door!
Kumbi can't see right in front of his nose. I don't move my furniture, and I see him feeling his way, both with paws and with his body, as we have a lot of narrow spaces here. I leave a jacket hanging on a chair near the front door, and he uses that as a guide! It's nice and soft!
Dogs notice textures under their paws, too; that might help sometimes. Like Mickey, Kumbi jumps up on the couch, and also, he climbs steps to Our Bed, and descends them as well. I added extra panels from ex-pens to make extra fences, to keep Kumbi from falling - I put them alongside the Bed-Steps, for instance.
One of the hardest things for US to do is to avoid communicating our unhappiness to the dog, but they read us to perfection, so you might need to work on yourself for a bit, about feeling it's unfair. Of course it's unfair, but as others have said, dogs adapt very well, though they can easily be depressed for a few weeks at first.
From all your descriptions, I think maybe Mickey has some vision - at a guess, maybe he sees light and dark, maybe some motion, possibly, in his peripheral vision but not straight ahead, in front of his nose.
My biggest feeling right now is that if you can act cheerful, even if you don't feel that way, that will be a help to Mickey. Be ready to praise him for his successes - give him a bit of a cuddle!
I'll keep a close eye (ha!) on this thread, and try to jump in if I see anything I might possibly help with a bit. Both for Mickey and for you!
Love and hugs,
Wed, 1 Oct 2008 10:34:20
Hi Dori,
I just caught up reading your thread. Kathy had a whole bunch of great links for you; I learned a fair bit on the blinddogs list- at least the crucial stuff. I learned from Kumbi as well!
I think it's just wonderful that your other animals are coping with Mickey's blindness. That also indicates to me that you take great, excellent, care of all of them, sensitive to their interactions, aware of those - that you provide for them and shepherd them, so they can make full use of their own inclinations always to avoid conflict; to work for peace. GREAT JOB, Dori!
I see others have also been contributing useful information. I can't add much, but can report a bit on my experience with Kumbi going mostly blind.
Kumbi started bumping into things in the house about five months after he was diagnosed with diabetes. I had seen the cataracts coming; that's different from Mickey. I'm glad you're in close touch with your vet about Mickey's eyes.
I also agree with - was it Kathy? - who said the surgery can be worse than the blindness. This depends on a whole bunch of different circumstances. With me, there was nothing to decide; there's no way I can afford the surgery, even if Kumbi were a good candidate for it. And I'd have to travel; both dogs would have to travel with me - they cannot manage it; too much stress - dislocation! Kumbi had turned 10 a few months before he lost his vision; Kwali was 12 already.
So, I went to the blinddogs list, where I learned a few useful things. And I watched Kumbi around the house. I put up a few barriers outdoors, trying to keep Kumbi from falling into the perimeter ditch (deep! - steep angles) that surround my trailer house. He did once fall in! He managed to scramble out - he arrived soaking wet at the front door!
Kumbi can't see right in front of his nose. I don't move my furniture, and I see him feeling his way, both with paws and with his body, as we have a lot of narrow spaces here. I leave a jacket hanging on a chair near the front door, and he uses that as a guide! It's nice and soft!
Dogs notice textures under their paws, too; that might help sometimes. Like Mickey, Kumbi jumps up on the couch, and also, he climbs steps to Our Bed, and descends them as well. I added extra panels from ex-pens to make extra fences, to keep Kumbi from falling - I put them alongside the Bed-Steps, for instance.
One of the hardest things for US to do is to avoid communicating our unhappiness to the dog, but they read us to perfection, so you might need to work on yourself for a bit, about feeling it's unfair. Of course it's unfair, but as others have said, dogs adapt very well, though they can easily be depressed for a few weeks at first.
From all your descriptions, I think maybe Mickey has some vision - at a guess, maybe he sees light and dark, maybe some motion, possibly, in his peripheral vision but not straight ahead, in front of his nose.
My biggest feeling right now is that if you can act cheerful, even if you don't feel that way, that will be a help to Mickey. Be ready to praise him for his successes - give him a bit of a cuddle!
I'll keep a close eye (ha!) on this thread, and try to jump in if I see anything I might possibly help with a bit. Both for Mickey and for you!
Love and hugs,
Wed, 1 Oct 2008 10:34:20
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