I'm going to be stuck in the cringe position

Mickey is going to give me nerve damage from cringing.
He's slightly sight impaired (seems moreso in the morning , is this possible?) and I'm not accustomed to that just yet (but I'm gonna learn he says...lol).
I know the basics of leaving things in the same place at all times so maybe he'll be able to feel his way out in time but it scares me that he's going to bump his eyes.
I've been trying my best to guide him around but sometimes I'm just not quick enough. Remi has quickly become his protector and takes it upon himself to help him around.
I know several here deal with this daily and wonder if there's anything extra I can do for him.

It's possible he's more vision impaired in the morning--especially if his eyes get goop in them overnight. My current foster boy builds up crap in his eyes overnight and I have to wipe them out every morning.

The key thing for me is not moving anything, working on them attending to your voice and I teach all my vision impaired (even the non-impaired) the word "careful" which tells them to slow down or stop as they are about to bump into/trip over/fall off something.

Generally vision impaired dogs have the most trouble at dusk and dawn and some in very bright light--varies according to the cause or location of the impairment.

Thank you Blanche.
He doesn't have "morning goop" or icky outside of the usual boogers so I wondered about the variances on time of day sight. I never thought of light and shadows in general.
*work in progress* I am.

I'll keep working on getting him to learn a single word of warning and hope that helps.
I've worked with mine since they were little to learn hand signals in case they ever needed them but suppose I should have thought of something for the eyes to.

I use hand and voice commands--mostly out of habit. People laugh when they see me using hand signals (and voice commands) with Hazel since she has no eyes--but it really is habit for me to use hand signals.

Might think about some clicker training--maybe using the click or a bell as the danger signal? Mind you, it means someone has to carry a clicker all the time--so maybe that's not such a good suggestion.

I will say that Tank is often "not all there" in the morning. Like his mother, it takes him a long time to wake up and I know his sight is pretty good. I think for Tank it's a matter of fully waking up before he notices things.

northernwitch wrote:I use hand and voice commands--mostly out of habit. People laugh when they see me using hand signals (and voice commands) with Hazel since she has no eyes--but it really is habit for me to use hand signals.

Indeed, I am chuckling!

But we all know Hazel CAN see! (We just don't know quite HOW (or how MUCH!!))

ayleash wrote:

northernwitch wrote:I use hand and voice commands--mostly out of habit. People laugh when they see me using hand signals (and voice commands) with Hazel since she has no eyes--but it really is habit for me to use hand signals.

Indeed, I am chuckling!

But we all know Hazel CAN see! (We just don't know quite HOW (or how MUCH!!))

I grew up using only hand signals since most of our dogs were deaf. It was hard for me to get into voice commands. then came the border collies and I used whistles and hand signals.

Then the "normal" dogs where I used voice and hand signals. Now I have pugs and use whatever I can to get some compliance.....

I'll admit, I laughed at the mental image of using the hand signals for someone without any eyes at all. Habits are ingrained though so I don't think you're nutty.
My son laughs at me for using them on the boys but what he doesn't realize is yes, Milo can hear just fine ....except for when he doesn't want to which is ofton.

just keep working with him. I'm sure you're doing a great job. I love that Remi has become his protector. how cute!

When I took my oldster, Rocky, to a specialist, he told me to start using Genteal on his eyes, especially before he goes to sleep. Rocky has a dry eyes & a couple lashes bending the wrong way, which may not be Milo's case, but the Genteal (an over-the-counter product you find in wherever they have contact lens products) really helps lubricate his eyes. it comes in several 'strengths', and I use the gel that is for severe dry eye. It 'sticks' in the eye better.

Just an idea that might help with his morning vision if you put it in before you crate him for the night.

Maryjo wrote:When I took my oldster, Rocky, to a specialist, he told me to start using Genteal on his eyes, especially before he goes to sleep. Rocky has a dry eyes & a couple lashes bending the wrong way, which may not be Milo's case, but the Genteal (an over-the-counter product you find in wherever they have contact lens products) really helps lubricate his eyes. it comes in several 'strengths', and I use the gel that is for severe dry eye. It 'sticks' in the eye better.

Just an idea that might help with his morning vision if you put it in before you crate him for the night.

Yep--good idea. You also might try putting a more liquid form in his eyes when he first gets up to wash out any crud that has collected overnight--even if you can't see it.

northernwitch wrote:

Maryjo wrote:When I took my oldster, Rocky, to a specialist, he told me to start using Genteal on his eyes, especially before he goes to sleep. Rocky has a dry eyes & a couple lashes bending the wrong way, which may not be Milo's case, but the Genteal (an over-the-counter product you find in wherever they have contact lens products) really helps lubricate his eyes. it comes in several 'strengths', and I use the gel that is for severe dry eye. It 'sticks' in the eye better.

Just an idea that might help with his morning vision if you put it in before you crate him for the night.

Yep--good idea. You also might try putting a more liquid form in his eyes when he first gets up to wash out any crud that has collected overnight--even if you can't see it.

Blanche, would artificial tears be OK to wash out the crud?

Maryjo wrote:

northernwitch wrote:

Maryjo wrote:When I took my oldster, Rocky, to a specialist, he told me to start using Genteal on his eyes, especially before he goes to sleep. Rocky has a dry eyes & a couple lashes bending the wrong way, which may not be Milo's case, but the Genteal (an over-the-counter product you find in wherever they have contact lens products) really helps lubricate his eyes. it comes in several 'strengths', and I use the gel that is for severe dry eye. It 'sticks' in the eye better.

Just an idea that might help with his morning vision if you put it in before you crate him for the night.

Yep--good idea. You also might try putting a more liquid form in his eyes when he first gets up to wash out any crud that has collected overnight--even if you can't see it.

Blanche, would artificial tears be OK to wash out the crud?

Sure. I use a wide variety of OTC eye stuff--from Refresh liquigel to Systane to Genteal artificial tears. I also use the gel and the lacrilube depending on who I'm treating and for what.

Thanks MJ :).
I'm taking notes and will pick up some eye supplies when I can leave in the morning (DH is at work and we're trying to rotate so someone is here for awhile until he settles). We've been soooo fortunate with our boys eyes so I'm ashamed to say I didn't prepare very well in that dept.
Mickey thanks you girls but he probably won't love me much with more cleaning abuse ahead.