Pink Fairy Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 I know someone (not well) who runs a pet rescue, and today on fb this popped up--"Taking donations for this sweet puppy that had to have her eyes removed today." With a pic. :crying: This lady has had a huge heart for animals her entire life, and I admire the compassion and care she gives them. Still, I have to wonder if it's normal for pet rescues to take veterinary care this far. Recognizing that I don't know the circumstances, it seems like the kinder thing would have been to put the dog down. Any insight, hive mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Recognizing that I don't know the circumstances, it seems like the kinder thing would have been to put the dog down. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted September 26, 2012 Author Share Posted September 26, 2012 Why would they put it down? Just because it's blind?? Well, to me it just feels different than an older dog losing its sight. To have its eyes REMOVED, and being just a puppy, seems so much worse. :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 My mom once had our cocker spaniel put to sleep because it was going to need its second eye removed. She now has another cocker who the same thing happened to, only this time she kept the dog, and she's been getting along very well with no eyes for several years now. My mom regrets putting the other dog down and says she wouldn't have done it had she realized how well dogs can adapt to blindness. I guess I'd need to know more about the circumstances....if the rescue took in a dog knowing it was going to wind up blind then it seems like probably not the most practical decision--given how hard it could be to find a home for such a dog, how long it would tie up a space in a foster home that could be used to rescue more dogs, and, of course, the medical expenses. But if they already had the dog in their care and found out about its needs, that's a much tougher call. I don't think its kinder to the dog to put it down because the alternative is blindness. Is it a good call on the rescue's part to devote so many resources to THIS dog when the reality is it means they can save fewer healthy dogs? Well....it's really awful that we live in a society where people have to make those kinds of decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 I know someone (not well) who runs a pet rescue, and today on fb this popped up--"Taking donations for this sweet puppy that had to have her eyes removed today." With a pic. :crying: This lady has had a huge heart for animals her entire life, and I admire the compassion and care she gives them. Still, I have to wonder if it's normal for pet rescues to take veterinary care this far. Recognizing that I don't know the circumstances, it seems like the kinder thing would have been to put the dog down. Any insight, hive mind? :iagree: I love animals. We have several and love each of them dearly. I personally believe that people have become confused with the importance of animals. It seems to me that in many cases animals have become more important and humans. I see the push to save this animal or that animal, sometimes thousands of $$ being spent on one animal. At the same time I have see people struggle to get a piece of equipment that is very needful for their well being. The cost is prohibitive and for some strange arbitrary reason the insurance won't cover. It isn't necessary to sustain life or what ever. It is just my humble opinion but I do believe that it is out of balance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaJ & BabyK Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 How sad! Do you have the name of the rescue group? I would like to send a donation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellers Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 My mom's neighbor has a blind diabetic chihuahua. The dog gets around like a normal dog. I didn't even realize it was blind. :001_huh: ETA: When I was picking up one of my dogs from the groomer, we met the cutest, nicest dog. The owner told me the dog was blind. I really had no idea, the dog was so friendly and happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abigail4476 Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 The only reason I can imagine to put an animal down is when it can't thrive otherwise, especially without pain and suffering. An animal doesn't have to be perfectly whole in order to thrive, particularly as a pet. What would be the reason to put the puppy down, other than some human projection of emotional suffering he will probably never feel? If the puppy has good owners and is well cared for, assuming the surgery cured whatever ailed him, he'll probably lead as good a life as the next well-cared-for dog. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 A couple I know recently had their older dog's eyes removed. She had some form of degenerative disease which was causing her a tremendous amount of pain in her eyes and making her unable to see much anyway. She is getting around very well, adapting to being totally blind but also adapting to being pain-free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Since it's a puppy, I'm sure it will adjust. I remember caring for a kitten, and later the very cool cat that she became, that was born without eyes when I worked as a veterinary assistant. She was definitely using all of her other senses to compensate. I took in a kitten back then that was brought in to be euthanized. He had been dragged around a neighborhood on a piece of yarn and had his head slammed in a door "accidentally". His jaw was broken. At that time, we didn't know, irreparably. The force of the door also left his hard palate with a hole. Soooo, I ended up with a cat, after *many* surgeries, that had a jaw that fused nearly shut and hole in his hard palate. He shoved and smeared his food (we fed him in the bathtub) and sneezed it everywhere. I don't miss the mess, but I miss him. I cleaned up that mess for 9 years, until he got cancer, in of ALL places, his tongue. The one thing that moved in his mouth. All this to say, yeah, there's someone out there that will take a broken animal. In a heartbeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&NMom Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Well, my oldest dd and her husband found 3 kittens 3 years ago. Two of them had severe eye infections and one was okay. She found a home for the one that was okay. She kept one and we took one. Her cat has eyes that never formed and ours had to have one eye removed and he has glaucoma in the other. We believe he may be able to see little bits of light. He bumps into things from time to time, but that's about the extent of it. Both of these cats are doing extremely well. Having our cat's eye removed was not very expensive either. I can't imagine putting an animal down because it is blind. If you want to see some precious blind cats, google Blind Cat Rescue of NC :). Tina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 As a puppy, it will likely adjust very quickly. As humans we tend to rely by far on our sense of sight the most. But dogs rely most heavily on their sense of smell. A dog who lost that sense would be in trouble. But sight? Not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 The only reason I can imagine to put an animal down is when it can't thrive otherwise, especially without pain and suffering. An animal doesn't have to be perfectly whole in order to thrive, particularly as a pet. What would be the reason to put the puppy down, other than some human projection of emotional suffering he will probably never feel? If the puppy has good owners and is well cared for, assuming the surgery cured whatever ailed him, he'll probably lead as good a life as the next well-cared-for dog. :001_huh: :iagree: Animals are amazingly resilient. They learn to adapt to things far quicker than humans out of sheer necessity. Dogs who are blind can and do live perfectly normal lives. This is a puppy and this will be its new normal for many, many years to come. Typically, a blind dog will live with another "guide" dog to help it navigate its space, play etc. After a severe genetic heart disease FORCED me to put down my 5 yr. old soul-cat 2 1/2 yrs. ago, I would NEVER make that decision lightly just because a dog was blind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 If you want to see some precious blind cats, google Blind Cat Rescue of NC :). Tina Oh I've seen that!!!!! Those are some truly amazing people. And the cats, they. are. awesome. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Having worked in animal rescue my only theory could be that they have an absolute no-kill policy. Normally, the organizations I worked for would have, indeed, had the pup put down. Not because it would have been seen as a limitation in regards to it's life, but because in generally, people won't adopt a pup with such huge needs & limitations. It often comes down to just that: will this animal get adopted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwickimom Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 I had a cat that was born with no eyes and he got on just fine and lived a nice long happy life. He learned to navigate the house and his hearing was amazing. He would chase our feet when we walked by and chased bells and things like that. Never really seemed to bother him. We named him Bumper :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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