My Pet World: Dog thin despite good appetite and playfulness

By Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Oct 17, 2018

If you want to solve the mystery, ask your vet what possible diseases could cause weight loss and how they are tested for and treated. Perhaps the very next test will reveal the problem. Otherwise, there is no way to know what's ailing your dog.

Dear Cathy,

You wrote recently about a dog who went blind from SARDS. My mixed breed dog, Maddie, got SARDS and went blind in one day when she was 5 years old. I had a wonderful eye specialist who gave me all of the tips you mentioned in your column. It took about a year for her to adapt totally. We had a new "normal," and she went on to live a happy, comfortable life until other ailments took her from me at 16. She had a wonderful life, even though she was blind. I miss her every day. Please encourage all of your readers that this is not a death sentence and my Maddie is proof of that. -- Bunnie, Coconut Creek, FL

Dear Bunnie,

Thank you for sharing your dog's story. Blindness is not a death sentence for any pet. Animals often adapt well to their new circumstances, and as you prove with your story, they can live happily and remain otherwise healthy for the remainder of their lives. As long as they are with the people they love and who love them back, these blind pets always find ways to adapt to their surroundings.

Seeing a veterinary eye specialist is a good idea since they may be able to provide additional suggestions on how to accommodate a blind pet.

Dear Readers,

Do you have an inventive way of keeping your dog or cat from knocking over the Christmas tree? Do you have a special tip for how to wrap presents pet friendly? If you have a funny story, helpful hint or cautionary tale related to pets and the holidays, please share it with me. I will share some of my holiday tips with some of the best reader tips for this column.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)