Ocuglo for Dogs with PRA

[amanda9586]

We have had a bit of bad news about Poppy which has been quite upsetting to say the least.

She has been diagnosed with PRA which basically means that she is going blind.  :-((( We have been to see an eye specialist who said it’s a genetic disorder but at 4 ½ she is quite young to get it.  He also said it is unusual for him to see dogs before they go totally blind as its only then usually that the owners notice that they are bumping into the odd thing.  So the diagnosis is that she has about a year before she goes blind…….

I’m not sure whether we feel better for having spotted it early or sad that we are now waiting for something to happen.  The positive side is that she is very young so she should learn to cope with it really well and from what I have read most blind dogs get around based on smell alone.

The initial eye specialist said that there was nothing at all that we could do but since then our Vet has put us onto some supplements that may help prolong her sight (its not proven and its not going to reverse it but if its not got any side effects then I’d at least want to give it a go).

We have started on the treatment of the suplements they are called OCUGLO - just wondered if any of you have come across them before or have had any experience of using them?

Also we are going to try to start to teach Poppy anything we can while she still has her sight that will help so if anyone has got any advice we would be very grateful.

[bluegirl]

I'm so sorry, but the plus side is its not a painful condition and Poppy is likely to just adapt to her deteriorating eyesight very well. We had a poodle when we were growing up and she developed PRA, she was completely blind by the age of 9 but she coped really well. We had to be careful about moving furniture around and she wasn't good in snowy weather but she lived to the ripe old age of 15yrs. I've also had a cocker who had cataracts who's eye sight became progressively bad to the point she had hardly any vision. She was fine too.
Have you let the breeder know she may be interested to know and may be worth getting her sister checked out early too so you may all be prepared.
Thinking of you.

[amanda9586]

Thanks for the response.  Yes we have got an appointment to get Chloe (Poppy's Sister who is owned by my in-laws checked out) - hopefully it will not affect Chloe - she seems like such a different dog in so many ways so we are keeping our fingers crossed. 

[bluegirl]

Forgot to mention. The whistle is really useful, if you haven't got one get her introduced to the gundog whistle, when you shout her name also use the whistle and so eventually she will respond to both. Windy days can make it harder for them to orientate when you use your voice alone but the whistle seems to help locate you a little easier if she goes too far.

[amanda9586]

Forgot to add that we are too trying to think that its not painful for her and at least in all other ways (fingers crossed) she seems to be very healthy.  I think she is going to get spoilt even more than ever though now.....

Thanks for the whistle advice - I'm going to go and get one at the weekend!!  Thankfully she does not stray too far even now which is good.

[spanielcrazy]

Sorry to hear this   No experience with Ocuglo but I've had a couple of blind dogs. I would teach "step up" or "step down" when they come to a step or obstacle.(unfortunately mine went deaf before they lost their sight) I also teach steering by neck touch: a gentle pressure on the right side of the neck or shoulder to turn left and vice versa.

That's really all I teach, they adapt very well and get around quite well in areas they are familiar with. Just don't move the furniture anymore or put a lot of obstacles down

[aliceandlouis]

I am so sorry to read about Poppy - our first Cocker developed PRA and eventually lost all but the blurriest of vision (could just about tell light from dark). I am afraid I cannot comment on Ocuglo but   the advice above, about not moving furniture or putting obstacles down is really good, as is 'neck' steering - it only takes the gentlest of touches and they soon learn.

The other piece of advice that I was given by my vet is to remember that the blink reflex is often slowed or even lost, depending on the level of vision - so if you are walking anywhere where there are low-lying brambles/flicky pieces of branch etc and/or if Poppy is behind you as you are walking through undergrowth, do be careful to ensure that she is not inadvertently swiped across the face with bits of vegetation.

[Poppsie]

I'am so sorry to hear about your Poppy going blind no advise really but sending you and poppy buckets of these  's and lots of love  x x x

[VickyG]

I'm so sorry to hear about Poppy, is it worth getting a second opinion?  I think I'm right in thinking that your in the NW?  Henry has dry eye and a cataract (he is also 4) and we go to see an excellent ophthalmologist up in Penrith Cumbria called Gary Lewin who works at Paragon Veterinary Group.

[ebony girl]

im so sorry to hear about poppy....its always been one of my biggest fears that one of my dogs would go blind, i think its because i have an eye disease which at one stage was theatening my eyesight and it was the scariest time ever, so i hated the thought of it happening to one of my dogs......HOWEVER, because it scared my so much i started researching PRA, cateracts etc and other eye conditions in dogs, and also how dogs cope. I was amazed how well dogs adapt (much better than us mere humans  )...take comfort in the fact that you have spotted the signs and have an early diagnosis so that you can prepare poppy, adapt her surroundings and teach her new techniques and skills......

sending you all a massive hug 

[Danni and Freya]

No advice i'm afraid but just wanted to say i'm so sorry to hear about this  Like others have said they adapt really well and I think more so at a younger age  for you both x

[wendyt]

Can't give advice but I'm so sorry to hear about Poppy going blind. Sending you both lots of 

[amanda9586]

Hi All,  Thanks for your kind thoughts.  Its just nice to know other people care and can understand what you are going through when something like this happens.  We appreciate your thoughts and comments.

I'm kind of keeping an open mind on getting a second opinion as the eye specialist said that he is almost 100% certain that she has PRA - he offered us the test to confirm it but he said that all that it would confirm is that she had the genetic version - she may not she may have a mutated version which the test would not pick up on but he said that its not going to offer us any form of options or treatment etiher way.  He said that at the moment her retina is showing signs of deterioration which is outside the "normal" scale which means she has some vision at the moment. She has very slow blink reflexes already though and she has very dilated pupils.....

The place that we have been referred to regarding the Ocuglo is this place in Frodsham http://www.eye-vet.co.uk/contact.html  so I think we will try her on the supplement for a couple of months and then go in and see if they have gotten any worse. Lets hope this is something that can be slowed a little if nothing else.

I've already ordered a couple of books on living with blind dogs but it also might explain some of Poppys more recent behaviour where she has got more nervous about meeting new people (she was always the bravest of little dogs!).   

To be fair I'm holding my hopes on the fact that she has always liked sniffing more than anything else (she does not like to chase balls) so I'm hoping she will be happy sniffing away just as much. 

The vet said to us that she does not know that anything is wrong and that not all other dogs can see either.  Thankfully its not a sudden lights off situation and as everyone has said she will have time to adapt.  You know cockers though they can put on that sad face and then we get all upset and they get sad becuase your upset and round and round it goes so we just have to treat her like normal otherwise she is going to pick up on us changing the way we treat her.

[Pudding]

are it such a shame.... Erica's Dylan is blind, and she has bells on her ankles and hand
so he hears the bells as she walks, with each step he can here the bells

[ebony girl]

Hi All,  Thanks for your kind thoughts.  Its just nice to know other people care and can understand what you are going through when something like this happens.  We appreciate your thoughts and comments.

I'm kind of keeping an open mind on getting a second opinion as the eye specialist said that he is almost 100% certain that she has PRA - he offered us the test to confirm it but he said that all that it would confirm is that she had the genetic version - she may not she may have a mutated version which the test would not pick up on but he said that its not going to offer us any form of options or treatment etiher way.  He said that at the moment her retina is showing signs of deterioration which is outside the "normal" scale which means she has some vision at the moment. She has very slow blink reflexes already though and she has very dilated pupils.....

The place that we have been referred to regarding the Ocuglo is this place in Frodsham http://www.eye-vet.co.uk/contact.html  so I think we will try her on the supplement for a couple of months and then go in and see if they have gotten any worse. Lets hope this is something that can be slowed a little if nothing else.

I've already ordered a couple of books on living with blind dogs but it also might explain some of Poppys more recent behaviour where she has got more nervous about meeting new people (she was always the bravest of little dogs!).   

To be fair I'm holding my hopes on the fact that she has always liked sniffing more than anything else (she does not like to chase balls) so I'm hoping she will be happy sniffing away just as much. 

The vet said to us that she does not know that anything is wrong and that not all other dogs can see either.  Thankfully its not a sudden lights off situation and as everyone has said she will have time to adapt.  You know cockers though they can put on that sad face and then we get all upset and they get sad becuase your upset and round and round it goes so we just have to treat her like normal otherwise she is going to pick up on us changing the way we treat her.

poppy is lucky to have an owner who cares so much.....your posts, although obviously a heartbreaking subject for you, have been very positive, and i know that you will do your very best for poppy and she'll adapt very well with all your help and love...