# A Happy Birthday and a Sad Problem



## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

I just wanted to share with you that today is Chingy's 12th birthday! Although she isn't a Havanese, she is part of our family and very very loved. We adopted Chingy through rescue last year after fostering her only a short while. (a fostering failure lol) Her owner had passed on, but the love and care she put into this little dog is so obvious. She is wonderfully social. She is brave and loves very deeply.

A couple days ago Chingy quite suddenly lost what was left of her vision.  Her right eye is obscurred with a cataract but the left appears injured. After her initial check up the vet feels she more than likely had a trauma to the eye--fell or ran into something which is quite likely since she was fine up until I let her out of the bath and then off she ran while I towelled her sister. It was then I found her slowly circling and confused. She is getting some eye meds to keep any swelling down and give the eye some time to heal and we are praying she will get some vision back. The vet also ran a senior blood panel and a complete urinanylsis to make sure there aren't any underlying issues and I should get results back today. She has recently loss some weight and has had a little nighttime incontinence as well.

Please hold Chingy in your thoughts today. We are hoping for vision and a good result on her testing. Of course she will also be spoiled with treats and a stroller ride once it warms up today.  She is being very brave and is already carefully and thoughtfully finding her way around the house and yard. I am amazed at how well she is doing already. She isn't waiting to see again, she is just accepting where she is now and moving on with her life. I am so impressed by her positive attitude!

Happy Birthday my sweet sweet girl!


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Happy Birthday to such a brave little girl!!!


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Awww Poor Chingy. She is so lucky to have you in old age. She is in my thoughts. And Happy Birthday!


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## susieg (Aug 28, 2009)

Happy birthday sweet Chingy! Dogs are amazing creatures, they can just accept what comes their way and move on. Two of the dogs I had growing up went blind as they got older. They got around just fine and it never seemed to bother them. I hope Chingy regains some of her vision and all of the test results come back ok.


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Happy Birthady Chingy, We hope your issues are soon resolved.


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

:grouphug:Happy Birthday brave little girl!!!:grouphug:


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Chingy, have a wonderful birthday and Pixie hopes your eye gets better soon.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

My prayers go out for your sweet girl. It breaks my heart to hear this. Sending healing vibes for return of some sight.


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

Happy Birthday Chingy, sweet girl! arty: 
Enjoy your birthday treats and stroller ride and keep up the positive attitude. 
Christy, I hope you get good results from her tests.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Poor Chingy! What a way to spend her birthday! I know she's not a Hav, but because she's part of your family, she has become part of ours! I hope she recovers some sight, but I don know a couple of blind older dogs who do remarkably well once they adjust.


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

Happy Birthday Chingy! She sounds like an amazing dog.


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## hav2 (Feb 26, 2010)

Many blessings Chingy! Happy Birthday!


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

Happy Birthday brave girl! :hug:


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

Happy Birthday, sweet Chingy! Hope your eye heals completely.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Happy birthday Chingy!!!! My Lhasa went blind at 3 (PRA) still gets around great and has developed Bat ears he can hear a candy wrapper or chip bag opened anywhere in the house even upstairs. Dogs don't have the baggage we do.


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## leena365 (Sep 17, 2009)

Happy Birthday Chingy! We will all pray that everything goes well for you.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Happy Birthday sweet girl! Praying that the vision problem is just temporary and hope she has a wonderful stroller ride on her birthday.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Awww thank you all so much for the nice Birthday wishes! She is doing well today--better than I am, she is scaring the tar out of me! It's amazing to see how well she's already getting around. I can poke my fingers at her eyes and know she cannot see a thing. She has to be directed into her food dish but she can navigate the house very well already! She comes right up to the couch and raises her front legs to jump up. If she doesn't find the couch, she moves forward and tries again. I am watching her like a hawk and adjusting tables with sharp edges back and evaluating everything at her level to make sure she can't get hurt. I haven't got her test results back yet, but still hoping they will all look good!


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

***PHOTO***

I forgot to add a photo! Whatever was I thinking?


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## Posh's Mom (Dec 20, 2007)

happy birthday chingy. warm thoughts coming your way.


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Happy Birthday Chingy girl. We are sending good healing vibes for your eye and great results back on your test. Tell mom we said to give you extra belly rubs for us.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Happy birthday, Chingy!


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## Cosmosmom (Jan 12, 2007)

Happy Birthday .
Dogs are amazing resilient and overcome many obstacles . She still has her sense of smell and her hearing so all is well . 
Take care - she is lucky to have you as a mom.


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

Happy birthday to one brave girl.


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## Janet Zee (Mar 16, 2007)

Happy Birthday Chingy!!!......Praying for you little girl.


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Hope you have good reports for your birthday, Chingy! Sounds like you are adjusting and have a wonderful family.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Happy Birthday and good thoughts. I have known a few dogs go blind to cataracts and glaucoma and each of the adjusted very well. Hope you get good results and hope Chingy is still living in the moment


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

It took awhile to get those test results back but the vet says everything looks great! :cheer2: Her bloodwork was great and the urinanylsis showed she was slightly dehydrated which makes sense. She prebably didn't drink as much right after going blind because she was confused/stressing out. After the vet visit and coming home she was drinking ALOT of water so I'm sure she is back to normal now. She's eating and drinking well. She is aleady doing so much better getting around and is comfortable NOT being on my lap all the time now. I'm still hoping she regains some vision as her eye heals but so far there hasn't been any change.

The peeing problem is most likely old age or spay incontinence. I didn't know it could happen this late after the spay but the vet said yes it can. We decided not to start any meds for that right now seeing as it's not very often and mostly contained in her crate since it's during sleep. 

I'm increasing her food intake to see if she will put some weight back on. If not, I'll have to get back in to the vets. Hopefully the weight loss is from all the digging and fussing and refusing her nighttime bisquits while I was crate training. She is doing better about being in the crate now. She takes her bisquits and she will quiet down and sleep until 5 or 5:30. That's a little early for me but oh well she's doing the best she can! :hug:


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## boo2352 (Dec 18, 2006)

Glad to hear about the good report. I hope Chingy's vision starts coming back.


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## Evye's Mom (Dec 16, 2008)

Happy Birthday Chingy arty:. I was very fortunate to have one of my feline family live to a ripe old age where her geriatric state resulted in blindness. They do REMARKABLY well. They compensate in ways we never could. God bless Chingy....you will be okay in the safe and loving hands you are in.


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Wonderful news Christy, will continue to send good vibes for her sight to come back but it's nice to know everything else is good.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Thank you!



Leeann said:


> Wonderful news Christy, will continue to send good vibes for her sight to come back but it's nice to know everything else is good.


Yes it is nice to hear the vet say her test results are great!


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Happy to hear that everything else is good for your sweet girl.


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

good buddy said:


> It took awhile to get those test results back but the vet says everything looks great! :cheer2: Her bloodwork was great and the urinanylsis showed she was slightly dehydrated which makes sense. She prebably didn't drink as much right after going blind because she was confused/stressing out. After the vet visit and coming home she was drinking ALOT of water so I'm sure she is back to normal now. She's eating and drinking well. She is aleady doing so much better getting around and is comfortable NOT being on my lap all the time now. I'm still hoping she regains some vision as her eye heals but so far there hasn't been any change.
> 
> The peeing problem is most likely old age or spay incontinence. I didn't know it could happen this late after the spay but the vet said yes it can. We decided not to start any meds for that right now seeing as it's not very often and mostly contained in her crate since it's during sleep.
> 
> I'm increasing her food intake to see if she will put some weight back on. If not, I'll have to get back in to the vets. Hopefully the weight loss is from all the digging and fussing and refusing her nighttime bisquits while I was crate training. She is doing better about being in the crate now. She takes her bisquits and she will quiet down and sleep until 5 or 5:30. That's a little early for me but oh well she's doing the best she can! :hug:


YEAH!!!! :grouphug:


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## marb42 (Oct 19, 2008)

Happy Belated Bday Chingy, and I'm glad her report came back with such positive results. I hope her eye heals


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## Cosmosmom (Jan 12, 2007)

You go girl !
It sounds like your vet has common sense something definitely needed when she is going through a major adjustment such as losing her vision.
it will all work out it just takes a little time for everyone to figure things out and to get on thee same page .
She will learn to sleep a little later eventually I am sure . ? Have you considered some Bach Flowers to help her with her frustration , anxiety and transition ..


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Cosmosmom said:


> You go girl !
> It sounds like your vet has common sense something definitely needed when she is going through a major adjustment such as losing her vision.
> it will all work out it just takes a little time for everyone to figure things out and to get on thee same page .
> She will learn to sleep a little later eventually I am sure . ? Have you considered some Bach Flowers to help her with her frustration , anxiety and transition ..


I've never tried the Bach flowers. She's not even stressing at all! The first couple days she was scared and adjusting but she is already acting like it's everything normal. She stopped crying and will settle into a dog bed now. Then after about 20 minutes she will get up and come bump me to be sure I'm here and then back to what she was doing. She'sjumping up on chairs and couches and hasn't fallen once. I keep on eye on her to be sure she's safe and the floor is picked up so her path is clear. I didn't latch her crate well last night and she woke up at 3:30, let herself out, climbed the steps to our bed and was just stepping onto it when I woke up. I guess it doesn't really matter if it's dark in the room if you can't see anyway! I took her out to potty and then settled her back in her crate until morning.


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

So happy for your good new Chingy, and a belated Happy Birthday to the Birthday Girl!! hugs and prayers


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I'm so happy to hear she's doing better. I'm still praying for a return of some sight.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

I am so happy to hear the results!!! way to go Chingy.


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

I'm glad to hear Chingy is adjusting and doing better. Dogs keen sense of smell allow them to adjust their movements so much easier that we could.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

SMARTY said:


> I'm glad to hear Chingy is adjusting and doing better. Dogs keen sense of smell allow them to adjust their movements so much easier that we could.


I awfully glad too. I'm losing hope her sight will return as the days go by and so far nothing. Because she's adjusting well and with the added support of her test results I'm at least happy everything internally appears to be good. With her cataracts getting worse with advancing age, I had accepted she would more than likely be blind at some point anyway.

We're getting some really rough nights here lately as she wakes up in the middle of the night and won't go back to sleep! I guess if it's always dark for you, it must be harder to tell when to sleep and when to wake. I'll have to try and find out more about this and see if it's a problem with dogs. I know it can be a problem with blind people. Chingy was keeping us awake from 3:00 to 5:00. After that I finally got some sleep and when I woke at 6:30 she was really zonked out!


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

So happy to hear Chingy is adjusting. My blind dog has not really had issues with day and night for him its just like 5:30 is dinner time he just knows. Also I must keep his collar with tags on at all times he does this throwing his head down and clunking the tags on the steps when climbing stairs. If he does not have his tags on he has a lot of trouble and will not climb up stairs. Dogs are amazing they just go with things and make the best of what they have.


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## kudo2u (Mar 7, 2009)

I just saw this thread - poor Chingy!!! It sounds like she is adjusting well, though. I would imagine the best thing to do regarding the day/night issue is to put her on a SOLID routine and keep her on it. It will probably take several weeks, but this way she'll know exactly what to expect, and will start to behave accordingly.

We have a deaf dog who has severe separation anxiety (she was abandoned after a hurricane - so trauma, abandonment, hearing....adds up to a very insecure dog). We've had her just over a year now, and work very hard to keep her routine extremely predictable. She's slowly getting more stable and secure. It's slow....but there is definite progress.

Keep us posted!


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

kudo2u said:


> Keep us posted!


Keeping you posted: Chingy can see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whooo! :dance:

Check it out here, I posted a new thread! http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?p=332848#post332848


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Yay!


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Havtahava said:


> Yay!


LOL! :hug:


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

good buddy said:


> Keeping you posted: Chingy can see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whooo! :dance:
> 
> Check it out here, I posted a new thread! http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?p=332848#post332848


:grouphug: *YEAH* :grouphug:


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

mintchip said:


> :grouphug: *YEAH* :grouphug:


:whoo: :whoo: :whoo:


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

I add my Hoorays!!!


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