Blind dog interested in others experiences

[poodlefan]

My 13 yr old dog has age related cataracts, he has no sight in one eye and little sight in the other in the dark the vet says he is basically blind.
He happy and exceedingly healthy he’s just had loads of blood tests because he went off his food, he runs around the house and off lead on walks he knows he walks about 1 1/2 - 2 hours a day. Now when out he’ll sniffs an interesting leaf/blade of grass 5-10 minutes if allowed too although he does come when called (he’s always had excellent recall) but he’s gone mad on any female dogs if he gets wind of one even 400m away he’ll run off he’s never done that before and won’t leave them alone and won’t come back. This is completely out of character, he used to be a polite meet and greet and move on type of dog.
He also won’t eat the food he’s eaten for years which doesn’t have a very strong smell and is currently only eating a wet food (the Christmas version) which has a very strong smell it’s sticking out my utility room.
I just wondered if anyone else with a blind dog had experienced this?

I walk and house-sit for a dog who is almost blind. Her appetite hasn't changed and she still eats as much as ever, but she does have to stay on lead on walks now as she obviously can't see very well and gets easily spooked when other dogs or people approach her.

I would pop back to the vet for a check over as not eating may be due to something else rather than eyesight.

Non of the blind dogs I have come into contact with have had an issue with eating food or sniffing it out.

The sniffing out of female dogs is an odd development if it has just started when the eye sight failed.

It doesnt really seem to add up that he can smell a bitch a long way off but can not smell his dinner right in front of him.

I would get him checked out

My dog lost his sight fairly rapidly due to diabetes. He was ten when it finally went. We didn't have any behavioural changes at all. I'd get him checked out. Depending on size / breed it could be doggy dementia kicking in.

He was extensively investigated by my vet she thought he was compensating for his failing sight. He looks amazing for his age most people thinks he’s a puppy! He was treated for a UTI and gastritis and apart from being reluctant to eat his usual dried food he’s eating normally now but he obviously prefers the strong smelling tinned stuff. He has had 6 teeth removed in the past and he obviously finds wet food easier. Vet said he’s an old dog indulge him with his favourite food.
I wondered about dementia I found an on line quiz he didn’t score highly. It’s the almost obsessive sniffing he finds something and I can hear him breathing in the smell as deeply as possible if I didn’t call him I think he’d just stand there forever, unless a female dog came within 400m! It’s like every female dog he meets is in season he can’t leave them alone. I met a friend with a spayed female he was so besotted he wouldn’t walk in front of her he just wanted to walk behind her sniffing her obsessively. He’s walked with female dogs all his life and shown no interest. This morning I was on the beach and he just went off to a see a female dog it didn’t matter what I did he wouldn’t come back and when I went to catch him and put him on his lead he wouldn’t let me catch him jumping around even though I had his favourite treat on me normally he rushes over and sits beautifully. I asked the owner if she was in season and again it’s a spayed dog. When I finally caught him he refused to leave! When I was about 1/2 a mile away I let him off and he turned to go back and find her normally he never goes more than 30m from me.

He doesn’t get spooked, he’s always been very confident when out and nothing has changed. I’m amazed by how well, he manages watching him sometimes it’s hard to believe he is nearly blind.

My old dog had one of his cataracts removed surgically and it improved his quality of life greatly. He was 10/11 when it was removed. He was otherwise moderately active.

My vet has advised against she feels its completely unnecessary, my house is on lots of different levels and he gallops up and down the steps better than my sighted dog. So apart from the obsessive sniffing and the adoration of female dogs all of which might be unrelated to his sight and his new found preference for wet Christmas dinner flavoured tinned food he’s very happy and coping well. Most people I meet when we’re out are stunned when a I tell them he’s virtually blind.