Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

Thank you everyone,  yet again!!!  Thank you soo much!❤

I have seen the halo in some of the stuff I've  researched (love that you met Muffin Jerry).  I did a little bit of DIY trial and never invested  in one because  of how she reacted negatively to my "sample" I tried.  Granted,  that was NOT a good test of what could be a helpful tool.  I didn't  know how she would react when she a Frankie sleep by each other and the halo bumps him. , Plus I have a small living  area and jer "halo" would have to be pretty large for that big smoochable  head of hers❤

Anyway,  I need to revisit the links (thanks Karen and Michelle) and maybe give it a try.  Sounds like it was a great confidence  builder for Muffin in a strange environment.  That could really  open up Murtle's world.

PAM!  So sorry  your sweet Athena is  faced with loss of her eyesight. My Merrh Myrtle's came on so suddenly that I didn't  have anytime to try and develop  some techniques and strategies  to help her.

 Most of the below  you probably already know.  Plus, I'm probably  about as clear as mud trying  to explain  stuff!!

I'll share a few things that I wish I'd had time to implement while she still had some sight.   Even though Athena is able to only  "see" bright light,  or distinguish  between dark and bright, you still have "time" to prepare her.  When Myrtle went from one good eye, to that eye rapidly  losing  sight, to just distinguishing some light, I didn't  realize how much she could still actually distinguish  until she went totally  blind.   Prior to complete  blindness, even though she stumbled over things, maybe bumped into some things, she still had a fairly good sense of direction...relatively  speaking.  If she got turned around in a room, she was able to reorient  herself at least some of the time.   Now if she gets "off course" just by inches she gets completely  confused and can rarely find her way without me physically  touching  her and guiding  her.

Sooooo....if I had a do-over, I would  associate as many words as possible  for certain locations and directions.  Walk her through it over and over while she has "some" vision  no matter how slight or how cloudy.  Just constantly  use words and/or tapping.

For example, I tap each step as Myrtle tries to go down or up stairs.  Then I say the word "done" when there are no more steps. 

Another thing, especially if she feels uncertain, I get in front of her and  bend down and clap right in front  of her head  as I "lead" her where she needs to go.   Just a steady low sounding  clap. 

I have to be careful  not to JUST use my voice for things like helping  guide her up on my bed.  She will follow my voice which may, for instance, be at the end of the bed.  She jumps up and  BAM...misses the bed! So I make sure I'm  patting loudly on the spot she needs to jump up on and lean my head down tpwards that spot to help guide her with my voice also.  Just  making sure my voice is in same spot as my "pats"so she doesn't  miss the bed.

I'll navigate with my hand on her butt like a rudder and say things like "left", "right", etc.  I can say "wait" when I see her getting  ready to crash into something  and she'll wait for  me to help her make the correction.

Again, getting  in front of her clapping  seems to help guide her as much as my voice.

I'm  going to give you a video link and a book  that were very helpful.   It talks about using  different  textures, different scents, etc as  markers for them.   You may not ever be able to move a door mat or rug ever again!  And be careful.  Can't  tell you how many times Myrtle  has bumped into me when my back was turned and nearly knocked  me down!  One recommendation  was  to put bells on yourself and your dog.

I found that Myrtle  can get "lost" in her yard if the wind is blowing, so I'm  always aware that seems to mess up her scent tracking.   There are scent tracking  systems you can place around  to help them fi d their way.  I happen  to know Myrtle is about to be "gifted" ❤some....shhh...she doesn't  know it yet.   I'll let you know how they work.

Okay....enough of a "for whatever it's  worth"  on stuff you already know novel!!   Just so  sorry you are having  to deal with this.

Would love to see a picture of your girl!

This is a link from over a year ago Jerry just posted on a thread about their dog doing nosework.

One very bizarre thing with Myrtle is her sense of smell  see,s sll messed up.way off base.   Gonna check with her Eye Doc about it.  Was toying with the idea of nosework with her.

Okay, for those of you into "Universe stuff" and no coincidences...take a look at the link Jerry shared with the member.  The link is from 2017.

Read all the way down to the replies.  Make SURE you read Jerry's comment on my reply.   😎😎  Little did I know.........

  http://tripawds.....-work-dog/

And there's  another scent related  "sign", but i'll save that for later.....😉😉

So My sweet Merry Myrtle jad jer rhe appt. today.  Her pressure in both eyes read in the 30's.  That's  a "pain range". They were much lower previous visit. And eyes are "larger" than precious visit,  also indicating  they would be painful. 

He wants me to seriously  consider intravitreal gentocin injection jn both eyes.  He said he would do it at this point if it was his dog in order to stop the pain.  Yes, I've  been googling the heck out of it and getting  my questions  together.  It apparently  stops fluid from producing and the eyeballs shrink and  basically  just become slits.  It's a less expensive  surgery (everything is relative, right?) than removal of both eyes.  Has some risks an d isn't  always successful in stopping pain in long term and eye removal  may end up happening  anyway.  I'm  sure most dogs are much older than poor four year old Myrtle.  Sooooo young!!

I left with more eye drops and  wanted to try and manage  the pain that way a vit longer until I get as fully informed  as possible!  This absolutely  guarantees she will never, ever, ever, have even a 1% chance of ever seeing  again.  I know she is already 100% blind.  It's  just that, at four years old, is there EVER a chance in her lifetime there would be a breakthrough  where eyesight  could be restored??  Just need to wrap my head around everything. 

Oh, and her hearing is lessening and darn if I forgot to ask him about that. I did mention that  her sense of smell seemed to be lessening  thoigh.  Of course, she found the chicken  I put in the floor quickly.  I didn't  think to ask, but I wonder of all these drops are interfering  with her nose and her hearing.

So, that's  where we are for now.  Next appt is middle of October.  Going to email him   quesrions in rhe meantime. Hope he knows how to read tavlet typoing🤣