How will I cope if my dog goes blind?

Q I noticed my six-year-old labrador seems to be unsure of himself at night, tending to become disoriented on walks. My vet suspects retinal atrophy and has referred me to a veterinary ophthalmology specialist, but I’m worried how I will cope with a blind dog.

A The answer to your worry is that I am sure you will cope very well. In fact if your vet’s diagnosis turns out to be correct, it is very likely that your dog has been losing his sight gradually over the last year or so, and in the process adapting without you even noticing until recently.

If progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is confirmed, it will have been inherited by a defective gene from both parents. A specialist veterinary ophthalmologist will usually be able to diagnose PRA by a detailed examination of the back of the eye using an ophthalmoscope.

More sophisticated examinations could be required if there is any doubt – measuring the electrical activity of the retina, for example. There are also genetic tests available for the breed. Because these can identify the condition in dogs before signs develop, they are useful for screening dogs intended for breeding, and ensuring affected dogs are not bred.

In labradors, night vision is first affected, and within a year or so daytime vision. Complete blindness is frequently diagnosed by four to six years of age.

Provided owners don’t move furniture, blind dogs do amazingly well indoors. On walks, they’re best on a lead, quickly learning new voice commands and generally adapting happily.

Q

My 18-month-old crossbred female dog had her first season at one year old, which was prolonged. Since then she has had very enlarged teats, suggesting false pregnancy, and although she hasn’t produced milk our vet doesn’t want to spay her while her teats are so enlarged. I am worried we will have to go through another prolonged season.

A It’s definitely worth another visit to your vet to see if the signs of a false pregnancy have diminished since the last visit. Most vets (96 per cent in a recent survey) will advise against spaying a dog during a false pregnancy. The risk, as your vet will have explained to you, is that the signs of false pregnancy could continue for some time, permanently in some cases.

Spaying dogs has several important positives. Obviously a major one is to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Avoiding the nuisance of her coming into season is another, and for those dogs that regularly have false pregnancies, spaying prevents any further episodes.

Dogs that regularly have false pregnancies are more likely to develop a womb infection called pyometra later. False pregnancy is unpleasant for dogs as it often makes them quite miserable, and sometimes aggressive, caused by hormonal changes. Appetite may be diminished too.

I think another chat with your vet should help you decide when the best time to operate will be. This will mean normal teats, no milk and no behavioural problems. Notwithstanding the nuisance of another season, it isn’t worth risking changing a relatively short-term problem into a different, potentially long-term one.