My Pet World: Family lovingly helps dog adjust to hearing loss

Dear Cathy,

I wanted to share our story in response to the Shih Tzu who suffered hearing loss after dental surgery. At the time, we had a Border Collie named Tanner, who was 15. He lost his hearing suddenly. We noticed him becoming depressed, sleepy, and unresponsive.

We addressed this by using common sense and new rules. We flicked the lights on and off every time we entered the house. He quickly realized this was our unique way of lovingly communicating with him. We sought him out from wherever he was to let him know we were leaving each time we left the apartment. He loved this. We gave him extra love, and started incorporating many hand signals. He ate it all up gleefully.

Tanner eventually overcame his depression and returned to his happy self. He loved until he was 19 and we don't feel he missed out on anything in his final year, and that he actually got more attention and bonded with us on another level. I am sure there are other tricks we learned and incorporated with him, but these are the ones I remember the most off the top of my head.

The most important thing is that he wasn't lost in a time haze by losing track of whether we were home or not. Letting him know each time we came or left so that he could do his "job" and greet or depart us was essential. He was never baffled. In fact, he thrived. Thank you for letting me share my story. I hope it helps other readers.

— Mary, Baltimore, Maryland

Dear Mary,

I love how you incorporated hand signals, used lights as departure and arrival greetings, and always let him know when you left so he wasn't “baffled” over your absence. I bet you also used the outside light to signal him back into the house after spending time in the yard.

Hand signals are a must for any dog who has lost his hearing. While they can learn hand signals at almost any age – even after losing their hearing, I often suggest that people train their dogs with hand signals from the very start since this would speed things along if they were ever to lose their hearing.

For deaf dogs and cats, you use visual cues. For dogs and cats who have lost their sight, you would use scent and sound. I once had a cat who was blind, but she could always find her food and litter box because she could smell them. While all of us likely have a unique body scent that our pets recognize, I always wore the same scent (same perfume, same deodorant, same laundry detergent, etc.) so she could always locate me (in addition to the call of my voice) in the house. You also can train a blind dog to find the door he needs to use to go outside by dabbing a scent on the door or by hanging the same scented car air freshener on the knob.

Thank you for sharing your story. I love how you taught Tanner other ways to communicate, so he could adjust to his new normal.

Dear Cathy,

My six-year-old dog, Leonard, is a mix of Chihuahua, Corgi, and herding dog. My poor guy is a small dog in a “big dog” body. When he gets up after lying down, he screams like it hurts for him to stand up. He does this every time. Once standing, he shakes his head as if to shake off the pain, and then he's fine. He runs and jumps and plays just fine. Do you have any idea what causes his screaming? I live in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and it's too far to get to a vet, so I have to home remedy this problem.

— Yvonne, North Fork, California

Dear Yvonne,

I am not a vet, and unsure if you can resolve whatever pain he might be feeling without a visit to the doctor. While he is a bit young for joint pain or arthritis, the way you describe his unusual body frame makes me think he could have achy joints.

You could try over-the-counter glucosamine and joint pain supplements to see if that helps. They are available in different strengths. If it helps, then it is likely joint pain. If it doesn't help, I recommend a trip to the vet. I located two clinics within 30 minutes of North Fork. I know that you likely live further outside of town, but call these vet clinics to see if they offer telehealth appointments.

_____

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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.)