A pet losing their sight can be traumatic, both for them and their owners, yet with some adaptation blind pets can often continue to lead normal, happy lives.

PDSA Vet Olivia Anderson-Nathan said: “Conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma can lead to sight-loss in pets, but these illnesses usually affect older pets. In younger dogs, sight-loss might be the result of an injury. Luckily, our pets have an extremely well-developed sense of smell and hearing which they use to help compensate for blindness.”

In some cases pets can develop eye conditions if they’re suffering from other diseases, such as cataracts, which can occur in patients suffering from diabetes. Other diseases, such as glaucoma, can be extremely painful and require immediate treatment.

The progression of certain conditions could also be slowed with treatment, so early diagnosis and treatment is very important.

How pets react to sight-loss depends on several factors. If they learn new skills quickly, then they will often adjust more easily to any impact on their vision. Older pets may already have a reduced sense of hearing or smell, so they may find it harder to adapt, though because their loss of sight is usually more gradual they often learn to compensate well.

Olivia added: “Confident pets may adapt better than more anxious ones, but the amount of support an owner provides is also a big factor in helping pets adjust to sight loss.”

There are multiple steps owners can take to care for a pet suffering from impaired vision:

· It’s important that access to hazards such as fireplaces, balconies and open staircases should be blocked off.

·Keep their bed, food and water bowls in the same place to avoid confusion.

·When taking them out, tread well-known routes until they get used to things.

·Take any walks slowly, letting your dog have plenty on time to sniff.