Puppy Helps Senior Golden Retriever Who Lost His Eyes To Glaucoma

• Ten-year-old Tao was diagnosed with glaucoma and both his eyes had to be removed. 
• Tao is blind now but he gets help from Oko, a new addition to the family.
• The younger Golden Retriever makes Tao’s life more meaningful even without sight.

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Many blind people around the world get help from service dogs to guide them and help them live active, and meaningful lives.

This story is about a blind dog who needs his own “service dog.” Surely that’s not a usual thing, but not impossible either. 

Meet Tao, a blind dog from Somerset England. He is a ten-year-old golden retriever who was diagnosed with glaucoma that caused him to lose his sight. 

His ordeal started in February 2019 when his mom, Mel Jackson, noticed he was in pain. He was whining and constantly scratching his face. So they had hime checked by a vet right away.

As it turned out, poor Tao had glaucoma. The fluid buildup in one of his eyes had nowhere to drain, causing him so much pain. 

“If you can imagine a migraine and times it by a hundred – that was the pain he was in,” Mel said. “The pressure was so high in his eye. We didn’t have any other choice but to have the eye removed.”

However, that was not the end of his troubles. Upon further checking, it was found out that he had also developed glaucoma in the other eye. It was supposed to be treatable should it had been caught early, but Tao’s case was discovered late and the second eye had to be removed as well. 

After his eyes were gone, Mel noticed he was no longer in pain and his old personality was resurfacing, only this time, he needed more assistance than his humans could handle. 

That’s when Oko came into their lives. Oko is a golden retriever puppy who became part of the family. His role was to be Tao’s eyes and guide him in his daily living. 

Oko proved to be more helpful than expected. He has changed Tao’s and Mel’s lives only after a few months! Even without thorough training, Oko knows what he is doing and he is just a wonderful dog guide. He seemed to understand that Tao is blind and he needs his help. 

Add to that, the two developed an inseparable friendship. They wrestle, sleep together, play, and go places side by side. 

Mel can see Tao is now having “a good, happy life” again, thanks to Oko! With this, she hopes that Tao’s story gets more attention to spread awareness about glaucoma in dogs. 

But not just in dogs. It is important also for humans to be aware of glaucoma. People should take care of themselves and see their doctors often before things get too late. Let’s learn it from Tao.

Source: Inspire More