Blindness in Dogs

Dogs can lose sight due to varied canine eye problems, such as injury or disease. The disease or injury in the brain can also cause blindness in dogs. It can develop suddenly or slowly over time and is more common in middle-aged and senior dogs.  

To help you understand blindness in dogs, the article in detail sheds light on the symptoms to look out for, the various causes, its diagnosis, and the treatment plan.

Symptoms of Blindness in Dogs

It is often difficult to tell that a dog is blind only by looking at them. However, certain behavioral changes may indicate eye problems in dogs, such as bumping into objects, being anxious, and not jumping onto the furniture. Also, the dog may no longer respond to your hand near their eyes. 

Also, changes in appearance of a dog’s eye you must look out for include:

• Eye redness

• Dilated pupils

• Eye bulging

• Elevated green eye reflection

• White, blue, or hazy eye color

• Squinting 

Causes of Blindness in Dogs

Your dog can become blind due to various conditions and diseases, including:

Cataracts

The eye’s lens is a clear structure behind the iris (the color part of the eye) and the pupil opening. When a cataract progresses, the lens becomes hard and turns white, eventually blocking your dog’s vision. Cataracts can develop at any age, but older and diabetic dogs are more at risk of this condition. 

Glaucoma

To maintain a standard pressure, the eye continuously produces and drains fluid. When the eye’s drainage system gets clogged, the condition is called glaucoma. This can happen as a result of a congenital defect or another eye disease. Also, the rise in your dog’s eye pressure causes them pain. What happens is the nerve cells, responsible for vision, get damaged. 

A dog can become blind if their eye pressure remains higher for a long time or goes extremely high. Some purebred dogs, such as Siberian Huskies, Beagles, Chow Chows, and English and American Cocker Spaniels, are more prone to developing glaucoma.

Uveitis

Uveitis, or inflammation in the front part is typically a result of an eye infection, autoimmune condition, or cancer. The inflammatory cells can block the normal drainage system and cause glaucoma. They may also start inflammation in the back of the eye, which results in blindness. Uveitis can occur in any dog. 

Progressive Retinal Atrophy

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a genetic disease where the retina of a dog’s eye is affected. The cell layer lining the back of the eye, responsible for detecting light, deteriorates. PRA can affect one or both eyes of your dog and is a painless disease. 

In this condition, the dog’s retina worsens over time (months or years), leading to blindness, and no treatment is available. The breeds that are prone to PRA include Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Miniature, Toy, and Standard Poodles, Tibetan and Yorkshire Terriers, and Tibetan, English, and American Cocker Spaniels. 

Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome

Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome (SARDS) is a condition which is a type of PRA that leads to rapid and permanent blindness in your dog. According to the VCA Animal Hospitals, blindness occurs due to changes in the retina and usually happens over days to weeks. 

The causes of SARDS are still not well understood. However, research suggests that SARDS is linked with endocrine disorders, but there is not much study to explain this relationship to veterinarians. Also, this condition is more common in middle-aged female dogs and some specific breeds, such as Dachshunds, Miniature Schnauzers, Pugs, and Spaniels. 

Retinal Detachment

In this condition, the retina detaches from the back of the dog's eye, which typically causes rapid and sudden blindness in one or both eyes. But the process is usually painless.

The conditions that can cause the retina to detach include eye surgery or injury, immune system issues, and high blood pressure. However, retina detachment in Shih Tizu occurs for no noticeable reason.

Eye Injury

Serious eye injury or trauma, such as bleeding inside the eye, eye displacement, eye swelling, eye rupture, and lens dislocation, can also cause a dog to become blind.

Neurologic Disease

A dog's blindness can also be caused by brain injury or disease. Inflammation in the optic nerve, responsible for transmitting signals from the retina to the brain, causes neurological blindness in dogs.

There are numerous factors to consider when it comes to eye health. Using advanced veterinary technology, a dog DNA test is a reliable way to reveal potential eye problems, allowing for early treatment and prevention. Eye diseases are quite common in dogs, so it's better to prevent them with genetic testing to ensure better health and quality of life for your pet.

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will diagnose blindness by performing a physical exam where they will check your dog’s eye pressure and use an eye drop with a dye to look for injuries. They may also perform a few vision assessment tests, including checking your dog’s response to light and movement. 

The vet will perform diagnostic tests to rule out underlying issues such as Cushing’s disease and diabetes. These tests will also tell if an infection or illness has caused blindness.

Moreover, your veterinarian may refer you to a veterinary ophthalmologist or neurologist if the cause of your dog eye health issues is still not clear. A specialist will perform a more detailed exam and understand the cause of your dog going blind. 

You can provide your vet information about the symptoms and behavioral changes you noticed when your dog vision began declining or was suddenly damaged. This will help them diagnose the underlying problem of blindness.

Treatment of Blindness in Dogs

The treatment of blindness in your dog typically depends on the underlying cause. It is essential to understand that blindness is often permanent, and your veterinarian can only reduce the pain. 

The vet will be able to help stop or slow loss of vision in the sighted eye through treatment if your dog has lost sight in one eye. Moreover, if the cause of your dog’s blindness is a systemic health condition, including brain disease or high blood pressure, your veterinarian will direct treatment suitable for those conditions. 

According to an article by PetMD, if there is no chance of blind dog eyes getting vision and your dog has pain, the veterinarian may remove the eye. And if they see the possibility of vision recovery, the options for treatment include antiglaucoma, anti-inflammatory, or antibiotic eye drops, eye surgery, and oral steroids. 

Conclusion

Blindness in dogs can occur due to various causes including genetic conditions, which are usually not treatable but could be preventable. You can help your dog in this condition by looking out for symptoms and getting them regularly checked with a veterinarian.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to tell if your dog is going blind?

Your dog may begin to bump into objects, hesitate to jump on the furniture, sniff treats, or act aggressively. The changes in their eye appearance may also show, such as eye redness or bulging, dilated pupils, or squinting.