My old girl is getting anxious now she's deaf.

[Ebony]

Just wondering if any of you lovely Cocker owners have any advice they could give me.  The vet and I are fairly sure that my dear girl who is 12 is now deaf. I am wondering if she is finding this stressful as she has got a lot more anxious lately and if I am at home continually follows me around. I find it so upsetting as if I nip upstairs she sits on the bottom step and sometimes cries. . Any advice would be gratefully received. Thank you.

[sodpot2000]

I have not had a deaf dog but have had several who became blind/partially sighted in their ancient years. They are remarkably adaptable and although it takes them time they will generally adapt to their problem with a bit of help from us. They seem to pick up quite a lot of low frequency noise through their paws. Perhaps put some music on and see how that goes? Otherwise it will be a matter of sign language perhaps? See if she can hear higher frequencies such a s a whistle?

I am sure there will be others with more direct experience.

[zenon_bass]

Millie, at rising 14, is almost certainly deaf.  Eyesight is poor too, but she can see large movement and contrast, eg my white summer hat and me windmilling my arms as a 'Come!' signal.
Regarding her deafness, she doesnt seem to notice any of the usual cues, but today seemed to hear the timer bell on the cooker, which really surprised me.  Generally she is fairly good at responding to hand signals and is beginning to learn new ones too.
How about teaching your girl that a particular sign, eg a rug/towel put on the floor means you will go upstairs and come down again?
I'm sure there will be other colers who will be able to give you better advice...

[Finvarra]

My Milo, who died in January aged 15,went deaf at around ten, totally deaf. I found that he watched me all the time, and followed me everywhere. We developed hand signals, made them quite exagerrated, and he soon picked them up. I think he found life quite boring, so it,s a good idea to try and make things interesting with toys that make them think.  And keep a close eye if they are off the lead - we only let him off in safe places like the beach, or where there were no cars, and kept a close eye, though he never wandered off. I'm sure your girl will adapt.

Maybe a comfort blanket that smells of you on the step would help? Good luck

Lesley

[MIN]

my staffie (13) is now deaf. hears nothing, you have to go and poke her if you want her attention.  I have noticed that she no longer barks but makes horrible screeching noises especially if she thinks she is alone . She is always coming to search us out. I also think she is losing her mind, just little things you notice.

[PennyB]

One thing that might help is melatonin as I know it has helped with some dogs - you can't get it in the UK but you can get it via UK websites who send it from abroad

[elaine.e]

William, who's 11, has become almost completely deaf over the last few months. He can still hear me if I call his name in a particular high pitch and loudly. He hears Louis if he barks, typically in response to next door's Beagles baying and growling along the fenceline , the doorbell and post coming through the letterbox, and joins in. Louis is away for a few days at the moment while William recovers from surgery and William hasn't heard the Beagles, doorbell or post coming through the letterbox.

I think going deaf has affected William's confidence, which surprised me because he's an outgoing, confident dog normally, and has left him feeling confused and isolated. He already understands hand signals because I taught them as well as verbal signals when he was a puppy. He's sleeping more than he used to and I think that's just because being deaf means he has less mental stimulation because he's aware of less. So I'm making sure I spend some time playing games with him for a few minutes several times a day to help keep him mentally stimulated and less isolated. I also wake him up and include him in things like going in the garden to fill the bird feeder or hang washing out. Before he was deaf he'd be alert and follow me into the garden. Now I have to make sure he knows I'm going out there!

[Ben's mum]

I think going deaf has affected William's confidence, which surprised me because he's an outgoing, confident dog normally, and has left him feeling confused and isolated.

This sums Ben (12) as well.  He hears loud noises but not quieter ones, but whereas he was always bombproof to noise now he is really frightened and panicky, the other night I dropped my ipad and it landed on the floor near to where he was asleep with a huge bang, he got up and started running round the room crying it was just so upsetting to see, his heart was pumping and it took ages for him to calm down   
I also notice Ben has become more needy and follows us round the house for reassurance to see where we are.  Its hard to know if the anxiety is due to age or deafness or possibly both but the plus side for me is he is even more cuddly than ever   

[Helen]

It is really hard this aging dog ownership thing

I'm glad we have this support board for us owners of special vintage dogs 

[elaine.e]

It is really hard this aging dog ownership thing

I'm glad we have this support board for us owners of special vintage dogs 

So am I

[Ben's mum]

Me too and loving the term 'vintage' dogs 

[revis]

Maggie who is 12 has started to go deaf. If I talk behind her she can't make out where the voice is coming from. If I go upstairs she lies in the hall and cries . She has also started to bark at 5.30am I leave it for a short time but worried about the neighbours she is desperate for her breakfast then. She only learnt to bark 6 moths ago after being with us for 4half years  she came from a puppy farm.

[elaine.e]

Maggie who is 12 has started to go deaf. If I talk behind her she can't make out where the voice is coming from. If I go upstairs she lies in the hall and cries . She has also started to bark at 5.30am I leave it for a short time but worried about the neighbours she is desperate for her breakfast then. She only learnt to bark 6 moths ago after being with us for 4half years  she came from a puppy farm.

My friend's Golden Retriever, Ruby, who will be 14 later this month, isn't completely deaf but has started early morning barking and whining. My friend has found that if she feeds Ruby about 2/3 of her tea at the normal time of around 5.00pm and then the other 1/3 about 4 hours later, plus a couple of bedtime biscuits or a tripe stick, it helps Ruby to be more settled during the night.