My dog is going blind PRA

3Roosters · Sep 18, 2015

So..my best friend(springer) of almost 10 yrs is going blind.

I had to put down my other buddy(English setter) last year just after pheasant opener..acute renal failure.

I now have a new buddy..7 month old springer to join my 10yr old.
Anyone on here have experience of hunting behind a blind or nearly blind dog? If it were my choice...and my dogs choice..he wants to go out doing what he loves to do..flush birds. I really really really want to hunt behind my 10 yr old buddy one last year..semi blind and all..teach the pup a thing or two and help me as well to watch him work one last year..but I am having mixed feelings..if he was deaf I do not think I would bring him out as he would not be able to hear me or the whistle..yet partial blindness he can hear where I am.
Anyone else out there dealt with a semiblind buddy and how did they work for you?
Thanks..this sucks by the way

svnmag · Sep 18, 2015

I'm sorry man. I guess it would be up to you to weigh benefit/risk.

tikkalover · Sep 18, 2015

Sorry about your hunting buddy. If it was me I would at least try to hunt the him, you know what the dog is capable of. Hunt places that are easy for the him to hunt, and keep him close to you so you can keep on eye on him. Keep the hunts short to give him breaks in between places you hunt, even if its only for a short time in the field at least you can say you gave it, and him, a shot at it. I have a friend that has a blind dog that does it this way and he tells me the dog still love to hunt even if they don't get to shoot anything, and if they do its a bonus. Remember to have lots of patient's with him!! Good luck in what ever you decide to do.

Kickemup · Sep 18, 2015

That is one shitty deal. I personally couldn't do just knowing that its a possibility to lose a dog.

Bed Wetter · Sep 18, 2015

I don't have much experience, but my initial inclination is to work easy fields with soft grass, solid ground, and little barbed wire. If you've got a whistle, you can be his eyes.

As a kid we lost our springer to a heart attack/stroke when dad gave him one last hunt after years out of the field. He jumped in the back of truck and wouldn't get out, even when we tried to physically remove him. It was worth it.

Feildhunter701 · Sep 18, 2015

Hell ya I would hunt that dog. That's what they love to do. Just get him a big nose full of that pheasant sent one more time. He will be the happiest dog in the world.

sourisshorebound · Sep 18, 2015

I feel for you, losing a best friend sucks. But if being out in the field with you is what makes him happy and hes able to get out and flush the field one last year I would say go for it for sure. Get that old guy out there where he's happy, just keep an eagle eye on him and be safe!

Ugly Dogs · Sep 18, 2015

I would hunt him, but take it slow. Maybe 5-10 minute walk through a small patch of CRP or a small slough. Take it slow and see how it goes, you will be the best judge of what he can handle and what he can't.

Sorry to hear about the dog, it totally sucks.

Hookin8easy · Sep 19, 2015

My deepest sympathies for ya, I had a male lab that went from healthy gone in 3 weeks at 7years young, had surgery to remove a third of his Small intestine due to illness and possibly cancer, a week later he was as sick as could be, was opening week of pheasant and I had a bad feeling of things to come. Took him out for one last hurrah and that ol boy was as happy as could be, passed the next weekend. Absolutely take him out on manageable walks, they deserve to do what makes them happy.

guywhofishes · Sep 19, 2015

So sorry to hear this. Hope it results in your dog still having fun snuffling to his heart's content! Take him to a mainly grassy open area clear of pokey twigs and such?

WormWiggler · Sep 19, 2015

I can't seem to find the words to express my condolences. Lots of good advice on here, time with you will make your buddy happy...

fricken dogs, why do they make my eyes water and lip quiver, feel like a darn toddler now

zoops · Sep 19, 2015

A friend of mine's lab went blind at age 10 due to glaucoma. While it's hard to see him run into stuff and I could certainly understand if someone put a dog down for it, he does alright and life doesn't seem to be a hassle for him. He did hunt him a bit last year (first year of being blind) and he did alright, even caught a hen. The lab takes it pretty slow and he just keeps him out of areas that would be more problematic - fences, cliffs, etc.

Sub_Elect · Sep 19, 2015

Damn right I would hunt behind that dog. I would just make it easy for him. Go into CRP without any fences or trees for him to run into. Let him go down swinging! As I write this post I have a tear in my eye because my 10 year old shorthair is failing. Im just going to make it easy on her by doing what I said, and only having me hunting behind her. It might hurt her to take her out a couple last times, but it would kill her to leave her home!

Shadrap65 · Sep 20, 2015

Sorry to hear about your hunting partner. I didn't know what PRA was so I googled it and found this article about a supplement (Ocu-GLO) you can give your dog to help maintain their eyesight, it won't stop the progress of PRA, but it may delay it. http://animaleyecare.net/diseases/pra/

wildeyes · Sep 21, 2015

hell yea hunt that dog. The only way u will know, mite not be that bad Hell you mite not even notice. Besides we always thought that pheasant hunting was about us (not) it about the dog.

johnr · Sep 21, 2015

Why is it that all of my dogs have done/ will do the most maddening things, tick me off, make me yell at them, sometimes ruin a hunt, but when they get sick or die its like my heart is split in two. Damn mans best friend.
I still get sad thinking of my last one and his last days with our family, and like a fool I get another one to put me through all of this emotion all over again. I was just yelling at him last night when he wouldn't jump up on the back of the ranger cause he wasn't done "hunting" for the scent of more birds.

I would take the dog out and let em hunt, worst case scenario is still better than not going with you.

3Roosters · Oct 5, 2015

Well, the decision has been made to retire my hunting buddy to house dog status. The last couple grouse outings sealed the decision. I may still take him out on a pheasant hunt here and there with the better half since I gave him to her when he was a pup but his hunting days are for the most part over. Just too dangerous for him..walking into a fence line/barbed wire..thickets, getting lost in cattails etc. I walked mostly level ground, alphalpa, plots,crp etc and he was struggling to find me...and when getting back to truck he would walk right into the bumper not seeing it. Lifting him in and out of the backseat because he can't see the ground or seat is a challenge. It is time to retire to house dog status. He was a real pain in the butt in his younger years, wearing my patience very thin a time or two or three..dang dog...but when he came into his own..turned out real well and now its time to turn the reins over to our new pup and retire him to the house. JOB WELL DONE MY FRIEND. TIME TO RELAX. YOU HAVE EARNED IT!

BDub · Oct 5, 2015

Last week I had to put down my 17 year old Brittany. Several years ago we found out that he had a bad heart. I took him out a few times after that but after five minutes he was laboring to breathe. So I decided it was time to retire him. He didn't like staying at home but I'm pretty sure heart attacks don't feel good either. Anyway the old warrior lived a long time and he was a great kennel mate for my other dog. His hips got real bad but he never whimpered or showed signs of suffering. Until last Monday. I heard him struggling to get up on his hind legs. That was his last day. Never a good time but it was finally his time to go.

My dog is going blind PRA

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Similar threads

Friends of NDA