Blind dog can 'see' again thanks to a set of extra-long plastic whiskers [Oct 2010]

Daily Mail ^ | Oct 11, 2010 | DAILY MAIL REPORTER

[expat1000]

blind dog can 'see' again after being fitted with a set of extra whiskers.

Dolly, a Staffordshire bull terrier, lost her sight after developing cataracts brought on by diabetes.

She was left completely blind and would regularly walk into things.

That was until her vet Joanne McCelland pioneered an innovative idea to fit extra long cable ties to the ten-year-old dog’s collar.

[Salamander]

Ping for interest

[expat1000]

Can someone ping Joe, the dog ping list owner? I can't find his screen handle.

[Salamander]

My hero!

:)

[Joe 6-pack]

WOOOF!

The Doggie Ping list is for FReepers who would like to be notified of threads relating to all things canid. If you would like to join the Doggie Ping Pack (or be unleashed from it), FReemail me.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Those aren’t whiskers, they’re doggy curb feelers.

[Daffynition]

You should *see* this.

[tumblindice]

I could tell her I'm an Irish setter ....

[freepertoo]

I did the same thing for my blind dog years ago.

[Ditter]

thanks sal.

Eaker, Hoot had his second eye removed on Monday. It was ready to explode and we had to get it out of there. The eye specialist didn't do it, I called Dr Mark Reiger.

[expat1000]

I’ve raised two blind dogs. One blind from birth - he could have used these feelers to advantage, but lived a contented life for the next 13 years anyway.

The other was a Shih Tzu. Like so many of that breed, she lost her eyesight in old age. It really didn’t affect her all that much as she mostly slept anyway, and soon got used to (and enjoyed) being carried about when necessary. She lived for about 3 years like that. Had to put her down for a completely unrelated problem. So Hoot might still have some quality time left.

[Ditter]

Hoot is only 5 years old and lost his first eye at about 4 years. We thought it was a injury due to a fight, he is a JRT. When the 2nd eye started to look white I took him to an eye specialist and she said he had glaucoma. She said it is fairly common in JRT’s. I have had 10 of the little buggers in the last 12 years an the is the first to have that I hope he is the last. He can do pretty much everything he could do with sight, he has even figured a new way to play ball. He's good!

[expat1000]

So he’s been blind for a while - from before the eye was removed?

I’ve noticed that dogs, unless they are in pain, adapt to being disabled better than people.

[Ditter]

He went blind in the first eye 2 years ago and the 2nd eye last summer. After he was blind in both eyes he got an infection in the first blind eye. We couldn't clear up the infection so it was removed. the 2nd eye was removed last Monday because it was filling up with blood and fluid and would rupture sooner or later.

The infected eye was terribly painful the second one did not seem to be quite as painful. He is doing remarkably well finding his way around. He has even found a new way to play with his ball.

[expat1000]

>>He has even found a new way to play with his ball.

That’s great! Like I said, dogs seem to adapt very well to disabilities like that, given a little bit of assistance.