How to make an old blind dog comfortable?

June 9, 2008 1:36 PM

How do I make my parents' dog comfortable in what may be the last stage of his life?

I'm visiting my folks at the moment. They have a dog.

This dog is:
- a male Shetland Sheepdog
- 13 years old
- blind
- slow-moving
- possibly sick - his head hangs to one side a bit as he walks, but there seems to be nothing in the way of other symptoms.

posted by kldickson to pets & animals (11 comments total)

What makes you think he's not comfortable?
posted by amro at 1:44 PM on June 9, 2008

Keep him plenty warm, if you have a heating pad or electric blanket that would be good. Place it near his egress to his bathroom spot so he doesn't have to go too far. If his teeth are good keep ice cubes near by for him to chew on so he doesn't have to go far for water. You can also make the ice cubes out of tasty things like low-sodium chicken broth. Feed him tasty, stinky, healthy stuff that is super nutritious like beef tripe. This is all assuming he doesn't have any health problems that indicate a specific diet.
posted by vito90 at 2:03 PM on June 9, 2008

Don't bathe him unless absolutely necessary. Shelties are clean and non-smelly anyway, but they take forever to dry and that's really hard on them as they get older.

There are very nice egg-crate style dog beds that older dogs love, and he will probably like it if it's heated. Make sure it's not in a draft.

Has he been seen by a vet? It sounds as if he may have had a stroke.
posted by HotToddy at 2:41 PM on June 9, 2008

Lots of love and attention and cookies. Also, if there are a lot of stairs at your folks' place, try to minimize the amount of times he has to go up and down them.
posted by pised at 3:02 PM on June 9, 2008

There are three things to look for in deciding on an old or ill dog's quality of life beyond, of course, obvious discomfort. Is the dog alert, and do they notice the things going on around them? Do they wag their tail to acknowledge the people they are closest to? Do they eat their food?

If a dog is very ill or ready to pass away, they draw into themselves - they don't have the desire or energy to be involved in what's going on around them anymore. That's when they stop paying attention, wagging their tails, and eating.

If your parents' dog is still showing signs of active involvement in his surroundings, just be extra kind and loving to make sure that his later life is peaceful and happy. A soft bed will support his old joints, and he'll enjoy ice cubes in his water bowl on hot days. If he's mobile and blind, be sure that the stairs are blocked with a baby gate for his safety.
posted by tizzie at 3:07 PM on June 9, 2008

make sure he's not uncomfortable when getting food or water. some dogs like their bowls to be raised a bit off the floor so they don't have to lean as far.

and yeah, give him lots of loving and scritches. if his hearing is good, talk to him sometimes so he knows he's included in the pack (eye contact usually does this for non-blind dogs)
posted by rmd1023 at 3:12 PM on June 9, 2008

I just lost my blind 9 year-old lab to cancer. Here's what made him more comfortable in his last months and days:

- Lots and lots of touching. I would pet him constantly, whether he just happened to be walking by, or if he'd lay down between my outstretched legs for an extended session of lovin'. Always be touching him--his ears, his sides, his cheeks, his butt, his legs, his eyes, his hips, his neck. Feel him all over. Let him know you're all around him. Use a brush on him if he likes that at all.

- Talk to him a whole lot--more than you usually do. But don't baby him. Just talk to him in the same tone of voice you've always used, whether it's soothing or jovial or even jokingly stern. Which brings me to another point:

- Talk to him like you always have. He's still your friend. He just doesn't feel so good, maybe. But he needs your steady guidance more than ever. Don't waiver.

- If he is nearing his last day, consider doing what we did and plan his best doggie day ever. Pile on his favorite things, whatever they might be. Take him for a swim, cook him a steak, spend the day in the sun, walk him extra if he can handle it, take him through a fast food drive-through, have friends visit him, whatever would be his dream day. Hell, let him chase the cat. At the end of the day, he can just go to sleep.

I wish you both the best of luck.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 6:37 PM on June 9, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

He is blind - let him know where you are, what's going on, and when you are coming near, and when you are going to leave the room. You are a visitor in the house and he is not used to you. This will save him a lot of stress.

Massage. And don't keep him warm if it's hot. He migth want to put his belly on something cool. (If you give him both choices, he'll let you know which is best.)

Massage. Read the dog to see what he likes. Sometimes creaking old bones like a deep, firm massage. You will be able to tell.

If he is not averse to it, you might want to mist his face with an Evian Atomizer or just a spritz spray. Let him know when you are going to spray so he, being blind, is not surprised. Old dogs and old people tend to be too dry around the mouth and too weepy around the eyes.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 8:56 PM on June 9, 2008

Brush him. Consult the vet about analgesics, he probably has aches and pains. Otherwise, what everyone else said.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 11:06 PM on June 9, 2008

All of the above and this - consider asking a vet to check him over. A mouth or ear problem may be the cause of the head tilt or possibly some arthritis in his neck. It's worth the fee for a geriatric check up, just so that any significant and treatable issues can be highlighted and his days made more comfortable.
posted by Arqa at 9:09 AM on June 10, 2008

Our old Border Collie had a problem with his neck in the last few months of his life and walked with his head held down. Our vet put it down to arthritis, but seemed to think he was in no pain (he was on medicine for hip displaysia pain). Make sure that the vet tests his joints out - Shelties and Collies are both liable to arthritis and hip displaysia as they age. Avoid Rimadyl - it can cause seizures and strokes. There are lots of alternatives if he needs painkillers. We mounted a dog bowl in a hole cut into a weighted cardboard box to raise it, but he seemed to prefer it on the floor because of his stiff neck. The box mount allows you to experiment until you get a good height that the dog likes. Get a cushioned bed and make sure that his bowl, bed, and other things are all in the same place - if he is blind, he will be comforted by everything in its right place. If he is stiff, he won't want to move far to get a drink and may get dehydrated. We made some steps with Styrofoam (cut into pieces of the right size by Lowes), covered with astroturf, to allow him to climb onto the sofa or the bed and also to get into and out of the car. This allowed us to make the steps very shallow and wide, which helped with his stability when trying to get up onto the sofa on his own.
If the dog is off his food and you are in the US, Cesar is a good dogfood to try. Even when he got too picky (or frail possibly) to want freshly-cooked chicken or pork, our old dog would wolf down Cesar. Our vet reckoned that old dogs are like senior citizens: they lose their tastebuds and want really strongly flavored and strong-smelling foods. If you have ever smelled this dogfood, it smells like Boeuf Bourgignon ... I was tempted myself ... :-)
Finally, you might consider if another dog might be a comfort to him. An acquaintance got a mature second dog from a rescue to keep their dog company after he went blind. Their old dog loves his new buddy and seems to be so comforted to have another dog to follow around. He relies on the new dog to navigate a large yard, and cuddles up with him at night on their shared bed. The owners said that it was the best decision they could have made. A reputable animal rescue shelter could suggest a nice, quiet, friendly dog, let you introduce your dog to others at the shelter, and allow you to foster a dog for a week or two, to make sure that they get on before adoption.
posted by Susurration at 7:12 PM on June 10, 2008