Elle123
Well-Known Member
Hello, *ignore the best in the title!*
just to update anyone that hasn't read about Pixel before:
She is a 4 month old blue roan show type cocker spaniel puppy. Recently got confirmed by the vet as being partially sighted due to:
- Bilateral Micropthalmia
- Optic Nerve Hypoplasia
The Bilateral Micropthalmia essentially means 'small eye'. The eye doesn't form correctly and she will always have smaller than normal, most likely sunken, eyes. This most commonly seen just in one eye, but Pixel has been very unlucky and has it in both : (
Optic Nerve Hypoplasia is where the Optic Nerve hasn't developed properly, and is abnormally small, meaning the brain can't receive the messages correctly.
she can only see shadows and lights
So to the problems,
sister has a mini schnauz, currently staying with us 'short term' (4 months and counting :S) he is quite nervy. (I think this may be due to being castrated too early) but anyway, when someone comes to the door he darts backwards and forwards from the front door to the back door barking constantly (house quite open plan) This scares the hell out of Pixel. She barks and gets disorientated. Recently he has got worse (most likely because mums been letting him get away with murder because he's 'confused' *rolls eyes*) and this has now led to Pixel even barking when she hears other dogs barking on the telly. Have been desensitizing her by recording noise cases of 'its me or the dog' and praising the quiet which has helped but i don't know what else I can do. Do you think she will start to calm down once the schnauz buggers off?!
Second problem,
Have been letting her off on walks (heathland not near roads and placed back on lead when meeting other dogs) and her recall is very hit and miss, not because shes lost like it used to be, but because something smells good
got to love a spangle but because she can't see all of the techniques i used on the others. bouncing up and down, running in the other direction, playing with a tennis ball etc. don't work. Even a squeaky toy won't get her interest. I have been putting her on a long line and making it really exciting, letting her walk on, calling her back, giving some sausage and then saying 'off you go' and she trundles off again. Which improves it, just wondering if anyone has any other ideas. Am currently in the process of whistle training her but till in the whistling at dinner phase as per trainers instructions. She has never dealt with a partially sighter/blind dog before though so was wondering what your thoughts were.
final issue,
she has problems with lights, which is not a big surprise considering, just wondering what the best way to handle it is. She gets startled by strips of light on the ground, like those coming through windows/trees. Currently I am coaxing her forward with treats and she is doing it less often.
But the main problem is when the sun is bright/and or low. This stops her in her tracks and she can get very confused. Once again I am calling her forward and rewarding and making it really happy and exciting with lots of praise So here is the main question which I can't make my mind up on. Do I get her doggles? part of me says yes because she can get stressed by it, but the other says no because she needs to be treated as much as possible as 'normal' and this may heighten the sensitivity when not wearing (plus her friends might laugh at her!!! )
I think thats all of it! Cookies for getting to the end and thank you in advance for replies
Here's the little monkey
In one of her new harnesses (Nice and bright so its easy to see where she is)
In her car harness
ahhh the face! How can you say no?!!!
Look mum! I'm almost as big as Ronnie!!!
That walk was knackering!
Can you see her horns starting to come through
Elle
x
just to update anyone that hasn't read about Pixel before:
She is a 4 month old blue roan show type cocker spaniel puppy. Recently got confirmed by the vet as being partially sighted due to:
- Bilateral Micropthalmia
- Optic Nerve Hypoplasia
The Bilateral Micropthalmia essentially means 'small eye'. The eye doesn't form correctly and she will always have smaller than normal, most likely sunken, eyes. This most commonly seen just in one eye, but Pixel has been very unlucky and has it in both : (
Optic Nerve Hypoplasia is where the Optic Nerve hasn't developed properly, and is abnormally small, meaning the brain can't receive the messages correctly.
she can only see shadows and lights
So to the problems,
sister has a mini schnauz, currently staying with us 'short term' (4 months and counting :S) he is quite nervy. (I think this may be due to being castrated too early) but anyway, when someone comes to the door he darts backwards and forwards from the front door to the back door barking constantly (house quite open plan) This scares the hell out of Pixel. She barks and gets disorientated. Recently he has got worse (most likely because mums been letting him get away with murder because he's 'confused' *rolls eyes*) and this has now led to Pixel even barking when she hears other dogs barking on the telly. Have been desensitizing her by recording noise cases of 'its me or the dog' and praising the quiet which has helped but i don't know what else I can do. Do you think she will start to calm down once the schnauz buggers off?!
Second problem,
Have been letting her off on walks (heathland not near roads and placed back on lead when meeting other dogs) and her recall is very hit and miss, not because shes lost like it used to be, but because something smells good
got to love a spangle but because she can't see all of the techniques i used on the others. bouncing up and down, running in the other direction, playing with a tennis ball etc. don't work. Even a squeaky toy won't get her interest. I have been putting her on a long line and making it really exciting, letting her walk on, calling her back, giving some sausage and then saying 'off you go' and she trundles off again. Which improves it, just wondering if anyone has any other ideas. Am currently in the process of whistle training her but till in the whistling at dinner phase as per trainers instructions. She has never dealt with a partially sighter/blind dog before though so was wondering what your thoughts were.final issue,
she has problems with lights, which is not a big surprise considering, just wondering what the best way to handle it is. She gets startled by strips of light on the ground, like those coming through windows/trees. Currently I am coaxing her forward with treats and she is doing it less often.
But the main problem is when the sun is bright/and or low. This stops her in her tracks and she can get very confused. Once again I am calling her forward and rewarding and making it really happy and exciting with lots of praise
So here is the main question which I can't make my mind up on. Do I get her doggles? part of me says yes because she can get stressed by it, but the other says no because she needs to be treated as much as possible as 'normal' and this may heighten the sensitivity when not wearing (plus her friends might laugh at her!!! ) I think thats all of it! Cookies for getting to the end and thank you in advance for replies
Here's the little monkey
In one of her new harnesses (Nice and bright so its easy to see where she is
)
In her car harness
ahhh the face! How can you say no?!!!
Look mum! I'm almost as big as Ronnie!!!
That walk was knackering!
Can you see her horns starting to come through
Elle
x
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