Just like people, as Pets age their eyesight and hearing diminish. Some Pets may even become blind or deaf in their elder years.
Since Pets do not drive cars, read words, or generally have a job to go to, they are often able to transition more easily to some of these changes that come with older age. To learn more about the basic anatomy of the eye and ear here are the links to Wikipedia.
Safer and generally better living conditions like fenced back yards, walking on leashes, and living in our houses provide an environment for aging Pets to continue to thrive, have good quality of life and be a part of a loving family. If you have a deaf dog (dogs can be born deaf) here is information about training them with hand signals.
Since Pets adapt so well, it may take time to notice or suspect that your Pet’s hearing or eyesight have diminished. Once you do notice changes, mention them to your veterinarian, so they can check out your Pet and monitor the progression. Some cases related to hearing or eyesight may be medical and not age related. In that case there maybe, treatments available to improve the problem and increase you Pet’s comfort.
If you are noticing changes now you might want to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to check on your Pet’s overall health and discuss the range of changes that can occur as part of the aging process.
