I've been suspecting that Sundae's eyesight has been declining for awhile now, but I'm now thinking that she has very little vision left. She copes very well generally, I only suspect because she has a hard time finding the cage door and figuring out if it's open or shut. In the evenings, I block off an area for them and leave the ramp down so they can come and go as they please. I also put food out for them. I've noticed that Sundae will sometimes stand up on the bars next to the door with her little nose sniffing away- she obviously smells the treats but doesn't seem to realize that the door is open right next to her for her to go out and get them. I've seen her do the same in front of the open door, and also have seen her stand in front of the door and tentatively put a paw out to find the step up to the ramp. Once she finds the door, she is fine to go out and find the food and eat it, and never seems to have a hard time going back in, just finding her way out! A lot of the time I will push everything out of the way of the door, as they seem to push the pigloo and food bowls around a lot and she seems to have a hard time navigating around those things to find the door.
One sweet thing I've noticed is that if Sundae doesn't come out, Hadley will often go back in and check on her, and she often will then be able to piggy-train out behind Hadley. I guess Hadley is acting as her seeing-eye-pig!
Sundae will be 6 in April, so she is getting on in age. She's had health issues over her life (bladder issues and dental/abscess issues) and she has already far exceeded any hopes we had for her for quality of life and longevity when she began having issues around age 2. We're really quite proud of her, she is a tough little pig! I suspect her eyesight is just age-related, though she does have her annual checkup and antibiotic-renewal appointment coming up in April and I will ask the vet then. Her eyes still look completely normal. I don't see any blue tinge or cloudiness there. Is there anything I can do to make things easier for her to adjust? Like I said, she seems to do very well except for finding the door!
One sweet thing I've noticed is that if Sundae doesn't come out, Hadley will often go back in and check on her, and she often will then be able to piggy-train out behind Hadley. I guess Hadley is acting as her seeing-eye-pig!
Sundae will be 6 in April, so she is getting on in age. She's had health issues over her life (bladder issues and dental/abscess issues) and she has already far exceeded any hopes we had for her for quality of life and longevity when she began having issues around age 2. We're really quite proud of her, she is a tough little pig! I suspect her eyesight is just age-related, though she does have her annual checkup and antibiotic-renewal appointment coming up in April and I will ask the vet then. Her eyes still look completely normal. I don't see any blue tinge or cloudiness there. Is there anything I can do to make things easier for her to adjust? Like I said, she seems to do very well except for finding the door!
