Robin Wagner, from Burlington, Vermont, and her boyfriend had been on the lookout for the perfect dog but hadn’t had much luck. That changed when Robin stumbled upon Blaze’s adoption profile online. Right away, she felt a connection. It wasn’t until Blaze arrived at their home that they discovered something unique about him. “We didn’t even know about the teeth before he came home. That was a glorious surprise,” Robin shared with GeoBeats Animals. Yet, Blaze’s distinctive teeth were just the tip of the iceberg in terms of surprises. It appears his teeth are growing another set of toofers. We’ve never seen anything like it before!
Upon adopting Blaze, a German Shepherd/Greyhound mix, they were informed that although his eyes seemed a bit recessed, he didn’t seem to have any vision problems. However, a visit to a veterinary ophthalmologist revealed that Blaze was completely blind in his right eye, and surgery was needed to attempt to save the vision in his left eye.
This revelation was disheartening, but Robin and her boyfriend were committed to supporting Blaze. “About two weeks post-surgery, I was on a walk with Blaze, and he just started to walk into everything. I rushed him back to the ophthalmologist only to find surgery was not successful, and Blaze was now also blind in his left eye,” Robin recounted. Despite his complete loss of sight, Blaze adapted remarkably well, learning to navigate his surroundings with minimal trouble.
“We had his right eye surgically removed due to repeated infections. And I think I was more put off by the change than he was,” said Robin. Addressing Blaze’s health issues took considerable time and effort. When Blaze was first adopted, he weighed only 50 pounds. With care and proper nutrition, they helped him reach a healthy 80 pounds.
Once Blaze’s physical health stabilized, the focus shifted to improving his behavior. “We’re working very closely with a trainer to help Blaze feel a little less apprehensive about the world,” Robin explained. The loss of his sight caused a significant setback in his confidence, making him anxious and reactive.
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To help him cope with his blindness, Robin and her boyfriend began communicating more explicitly with Blaze to alleviate his anxiety. The training process proved challenging but ultimately rewarding.
“Obviously, we didn’t anticipate the number of challenges we would face after we adopted Blaze. But given the chance to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing. He’s my very best friend and I count my lucky stars every single day for him,” Robin expressed.
Their cat, Satin, unexpectedly took on the role of Blaze’s guide. She uses meows and chirps to alert Blaze, helping him avoid obstacles. “Every time he’d be walking towards her, she would meow. She would meow, and he would stop and redirect himself,” Robin told People.
Although Satin isn’t the most affectionate cat, her actions demonstrate her care for Blaze. Their daily life and interactions can be followed on Blaze’s Instagram profile, capturing their shared moments and Satin’s guiding efforts.
Toledo, United States.
