Progressive Retinal Atrophy PRA aka blindness

[emmyran]

My 3 lb. yorkie 'Greta' is 11 yrs. old and now has PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy).

My 11 yr. old baby Greta is almost completely blind now.

The beginning symptoms were: occasionally not wanting to jump up on the usual sofa or chair, etc. but lying in the floor instead. Occasionally not wanting to jump off the outdoor patio and run and chase squirrels. Sometimes running into walls, missing the steps or doorways completely.

We just thought she was being too hyper and too excited and got careless, but it got worse and worse, so we took her in and the vet said to take her to an eye specialist....we did, hoping we could get the cataract surgery and all would be fine, but instead we found out she had genetic PRA. No surgery, no cure.

So we're taking Ocu Glo vitamins and learning how to live and play and take walks, with a blind 3 lb baby. I now have a doggie stroller and we don't move ANY furniture around anymore.

We do however, believe in prayer and miracles....so we're praying, hoping and loving every day.

I've read so much about PRA, I'd love to help if any of your babies have it and you want to talk. I have to stay strong, or I'd just hug her and cry all day long. She doesn't understand...she wants me to help her, but mommy can't help her see. It breaks our hearts, but we try to keep her happy and we cleared out a huge room and finally got her to play 'fetch-the-ball' again. Her little tail wags and wags when she hears the little 'practice golf ball' rolling on the stone floor.

She still doesn't like to go for walks, she's just too unsure, but I think we can work through it, or maybe playing fetch is enough exercise?

[emmyran]

oops, my first 2 sentences above sorta repeat themselves. I was in a hurry and was trying to cut/paste and somehow pasted both. (sounds like I'm a drama queen)

Don't know how to edit post, I think I need to be registered to do so.

[Yorkiemom1]

Bless your heart and bless your little girl......we seem often times to go from day to day, encountering unfortunate events that completely break our hearts for these babies.....and yet, we have to "remain strong", when all I personally want to do sometimes, is just collapse and cry myself into oblivion. I am facing starting to loose all my aged, precious breeders over the next 2-3 years....2-3 a year.....I will be an inconsolable mess......mine are going from old age, unlike what additional heartbreak you are facing.....

I have no questions about the disease, as this is not something I have in my lines....but I was wondering if you got both your babies from the same lineage/breeder/parents/etc.....? There are many reputable breeders, when a disease or genetic malfunction occurs, they will enter the genetic issue into a breeding base, which contributes immensely to research into genetic issues in the different lines or combination of particular lines. Perhaps your breeder would appreciate learning of this issue with your babies. This is valuable infrmation for research into genetics, that these breeders so very unselfishly contribute information to ensure future litters from specific lines, can avoid the heartache, heartbreak of loosing puppies to genetic failures.....we owe these courageous breeders soooooo much for their contribution to the breed.

[emmyran]

@yorkiemom
Oh my goodness, you are having a hard time too!! I can't imagine losing the ones you've had for so long and grown to love so much. Yes, we have to be strong every day, no matter how much our hearts are hurting. I also have to be strong because I don't want Greta to know that I'm sad, or that she's making me sad... I want her to think HAPPY thoughts.

Am I allowed to say my breeders name on here??

I haven't told her yet, (because I was told that it wouldn't do any good), BUT...now after reading your post, I am definitely going to call and talk with her so she can start doing things to possibly prevent this from continuing in her line.

ETA - my two yorkies are from the same breeder, but not the same line (neither of the parents were the same). In my avatar you can see the 'prisoner' is Greta and the Police is Annie (Annie did not inherit the disease)

[Maximo]

I'm sorry Greta and you are going through this. You are a great mom for researching and doing all that you can to help your baby.

I'm glad she is enjoying fetch.

Stroller rides outdoors are good too. Although she doesn't get the physical exercise of a walk, the mental stimulation of being outdoors with different scents is good.

To help her overcome her fear of walks, maybe try to establish a route with the stroller first, and then slowly start to walk parts of the set route?

[Wylie's Mom]

Our Wylie is blind too. Like you, we don't move furniture around and are very careful not to have crap on the floor that doesn't belong there. He basically has the place memorized and gets around just awesome - we are amazed by him!

We too play fetch with him still; we just make sure we cause the ball to bounce hard so he can hear it and follow it. He won't do walks anymore, and we miss that -- but he doesn't feel safe doing that, understandably. He used to love his walks SO much!

[emmyran]

Originally Posted by Maximo

I'm sorry Greta and you are going through this. You are a great mom for researching and doing all that you can to help your baby.

I'm glad she is enjoying fetch.

Stroller rides outdoors are good too. Although she doesn't get the physical exercise of a walk, the mental stimulation of being outdoors with different scents is good.

To help her overcome her fear of walks, maybe try to establish a route with the stroller first, and then slowly start to walk parts of the set route?

Yes you're right!! Greta LOVES the stroller but doesn't yet want to get out of it to walk. If/when I set her out of it, onto the ground, she walks soooo slooooowly and pants so much that it scares me so I put her back in (it's really hot outside this Summer so far) Whereas Annie will ride until she wants to get out, then look up at me and that's my cue to let her out to walk. lol

They have me well trained.

[emmyran]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

Our Wylie is blind too. Like you, we don't move furniture around and are very careful not to have crap on the floor that doesn't belong there. He basically has the place memorized and gets around just awesome - we are amazed by him!

We too play fetch with him still; we just make sure we cause the ball to bounce hard so he can hear it and follow it. He won't do walks anymore, and we miss that -- but he doesn't feel safe doing that, understandably. He used to love his walks SO much!

I'm so sorry for Wylie and you (mommy/daddy). You have a fantastic attitude. So happy Wylie can still play ball. That is one of the most important things. That and TREATS!!! Greta even gets treats for being CUTE. lol

Yep, I think Greta, like Wylie, doesn't feel safe walking out on the street without seeing. We are taking it day by day. No hurries whatsoever.

Greta has this entire house memorized, but sometimes she thinks she's in one room, but she's in another, so she gets really disoriented. Especially if I pick her up and carry her to another room, she has no idea where I've set her down, so I try to put her in her 'Den cloud bed' every time now, so she knows where to start.

ETA - Greta used to be my best walker. She would walk further than her sister. She absolutely LOVED walking.

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by emmyran

I'm so sorry for Wylie and you (mommy/daddy). You have a fantastic attitude. So happy Wylie can still play ball. That is one of the most important things. That and TREATS!!! Greta even gets treats for being CUTE. lol

Yep, I think Greta, like Wylie, doesn't feel safe walking out on the street without seeing. We are taking it day by day. No hurries whatsoever.

Greta has this entire house memorized, but sometimes she thinks she's in one room, but she's in another, so she gets really disoriented. Especially if I pick her up and carry her to another room, she has no idea where I've set her down, so I try to put her in her 'Den cloud bed' every time now, so she knows where to start.

ETA - Greta used to be my best walker. She would walk further than her sister. She absolutely LOVED walking.

Awwww...our kiddos sound alike ! Wylie was our best walker too - he *loved* his walks and was ALL business...he was on a mission, it was so precious.

Once in a while Wylie gets disoriented too, so we do the same thing - we have to place him somewhere familiar to him so he can reorient himself.

Save