How to Tell If Your Dog Is Going Blind: 8 Signs to Watch Out For
Key takeaways:
Dogs can go blind for a variety of reasons, including old age and diseases such as diabetes and glaucoma.
Signs a dog may be losing their vision include bumping into furniture, hesitating at the top or bottom of a staircase, and startling easily.
Dogs often adapt well to vision loss by relying more on their sense of smell, hearing, and touch.
Many dogs lose their vision because of getting older or developing a condition like diabetes. Most pups adapt by using their nose to sniff things out and relying on their ears to listen for cues.
While your pet can’t tell you something’s wrong, changes in their behavior can show you they’re losing their sight.
How do you know if your dog is starting to go blind?
Symptoms of vision loss can vary from one dog to the next. You will likely be able to tell something is wrong, though, because your dog will start doing things they haven’t done in the past. Below are eight common signs of vision loss in dogs.
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1. Bumping into objects
If your dog is losing their vision, they may start running into things like walls and furniture and tripping over objects left on the floor.
2. Not wanting to walk up or down stairs
If your dog can no longer see steps clearly, they may get skittish at the top and bottom of a staircase. They may also pause after taking a few steps up or down and not want to keep going.
3. Hesitating to jump on or off sofas and chairs
Your pooch may find it hard to hop on or off your lap or sofa if they can’t see. This may look like they’re searching for a place to land but can’t find it.
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Cloudy eyes: Do your pup’s peepers look hazy? They may have cataracts, a condition that affects dogs and people.
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4. Sniffing out treats or tossed toys
Instead of looking for treats or toys, they may start relying on their nose to sniff them out.
5. Acting clingy or aggressively out of fear
Going blind can be scary for our canine companions. If your dog is having trouble seeing, they may act like they don’t want to leave your side or become aggressive. This is most likely because they’re feeling anxious and vulnerable.
6. Startling easily
You may notice your pet gets jumpy when you approach them. This is likely because they can’t see you until you’re very close to them.
7. Having cloudy or puffy eyes
Changes in your pet’s eyes could mean they have a condition like cataracts or glaucoma. These eye diseases can lead to vision loss and blindness.
8. Having irritated eyes
Your dog may feel pain and discomfort in their eyes. This may cause them to squint or rub their eyes and paw at their face.
Causes and risk factors for dog blindness
There are many things that can cause vision loss in dogs. Depending on the cause, vision loss may develop suddenly or gradually.
Some of the more common causes of vision loss in dogs are:
Aging
Conditions such as cataracts, diabetes, and glaucoma
Injury
Genetic diseases like progressive retinal atrophy
Eye infections
Chronic dry eye
Cancer
At what age do dogs most often lose their eyesight?
Dogs typically start losing their vision as they enter their senior years. When dogs are considered seniors depends on their breed. For larger breeds, that could be around 5 years old. For small or medium breeds, old age may begin around 7 or 8 years old.
How do you check your dog’s vision at home?
There are several things you can do to test your dog’s eyesight at home. Below are some things you can consider trying.
Obstacle course
Create an obstacle course by moving furniture around and placing objects in unexpected places. Call out your dog’s name one time and see if they’re able to navigate the space. Do this in bright and dimmed settings. If they have trouble, it may be a sign they are losing their vision.
Cotton ball test
Drop a cotton ball about a foot away from your pet and see if their eyes follow it. You can also cover one of their eyes with your hand and drop the cotton ball near the exposed eye. If their eye(s) don’t follow the cotton ball, it may be a sign they’re having trouble seeing.
Menace response
Try moving your hand toward your pet’s eyes in a quick motion. If your dog can see normally, they should react with what is called the menace response. This means they will blink or move their head away.
How can you help your blind dog?
If your dog is going blind or can no longer see, they may need your help adjusting to life with vision loss. These care tips for living with a blind dog can help:
Keep paths throughout your house clear of clutter.
Teach your dog verbal directions like “left” and “right,” “up” and “down.”
Place carpet runners on slick floors.
Get textured mats for the tops and bottoms of staircases.
Remove or cover sharp edges that are within your dog’s reach.
Use baby gates to block access to unsafe areas like fireplaces.
Crate your dog when you can’t be with them.
Be sure that people interacting with your dog know they have limited vision. You could do this by having your dog wear a vest or collar that says they’re blind.
Use bells or chimes on doors.
Don’t rearrange or get new furniture.
Don’t leave things like shopping bags or backpacks on the floor.
Remove outdoor hazards like fallen branches.
Add fencing or barriers around pools and ponds.
Make sure family members work together to support your blind dog and are consistent with their approaches.
Frequently asked questions
When a dog starts to go blind, their eyes will look cloudy or opaque. Healthy eyes are clear and transparent.
Yes, you can leave your blind dog home alone if you take precautions. This means keeping them in a familiar room or in their crate and using baby gates to block off unsafe areas like stairs. You also shouldn’t move furniture or their food and water bowls around.
Blindness in dogs is typically permanent. But dogs often adapt well to vision loss.
The bottom line
Vision loss is common for many pups as they get up there in doggie years. You may be able to tell your dog is losing their vision due to changes in their behavior, like running into things or startling easily because they don’t see you coming.
Certain conditions, like diabetes and glaucoma, can also cause blindness, as can an injury or eye infection. If you suspect your pet is losing their sight, talk to your veterinarian. And spend some time making things easier for your dog by setting up baby gates, placing chimes on your doors, and teaching them verbal commands.
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References
American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. (2020). Signs of ocular discomfort in your pet.
American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. (2013). Canine eye health.
Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center. (n.d.). Canine cataracts.
Freitas, H. M., et al. (2021). Retrospective and prospective study of progressive retinal atrophy in dogs presented to the veterinary hospital of the Federal University of Parana, Brazil. Open Veterinary Journal.
Harvey, N. D. (2021). How old is my dog? Identification of rational age groupings in pet dogs based upon normative age-linked processes. Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Many Tears Animal Rescue. (n.d.). Advice if you are adopting a blind and deaf dog.
People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals. (2023). Blindness in dogs.
Plummer, C. E. (2016). Diagnosing acute blindness in dogs. Today’s Veterinary Practice.
Riley, E. (2020). Causes of blindness in dogs and cats. Veterinary Partner.
The Humane Society of the United States. (n.d.). How to care for blind pets: Tips for helping blind dogs and cats flourish.
