Ellie Girl

We learned some sad news about Ellie last week. She has had some difficulty seeing as of late, so we took her to see a veterinary ophthalmologist. We were hoping to find out she had cataracts or some other malady where she could regain her sight if we only knew what it was.

Instead we found out she has progressive retinal atrophy and is going blind. She is eleven years old, and her breed is genetically predisposed to this sort of illness. There is nothing that can be done to stop the degeneration. The good thing is it is not painful to her in a physical way, so if we can keep her safe in her environment, she should continue to adapt well to the continued loss of her eyesight.

But, of course, this is not news you want to hear. Ellie is our first "baby" and she is aging and it is hard to absorb. Getting old is not for sissies if you're a person or a dog - or someone who is attached to said person or dog! We will be working to make sure Ellie stays safe here at home - we'll put bells on the other animals and teach Little Man to approach her with care. We'll purchase balls that beep so she can still chase a ball the way she loves to do and whatever else it is she needs. And we'll love her through this transition. Because she's still our baby, too.

See you soon.