Meet Billy, an 11-year-old Shih Tzu with a heart full of love and a spirit that hasn’t slowed down one bit. He came to our shelter from another facility, so we don’t know much about his past — but what we do know is that he is sweet, steady, and surprisingly spry for a little guy his age. Billy has that classic Shih Tzu charm: a gentle nature, a soft presence, and a quiet confidence that shines brighter the more time you spend with him.
Billy recently visited the eye specialist, and we now know exactly what he needs — and it’s all very manageable! He is blind in his left eye, but his right eye still has usable vision. He sees the world a bit like looking through a cloudy window, but once he knows his space, he moves around beautifully. He learns his environment quickly, remembers pathways, and navigates with zero trouble. Give him a day or two to map out his world, and he’ll trot around like he owns the place.
His left eye has an old dry-eye condition that caused scarring, so the vision in that eye is permanently gone — but it doesn’t hurt him, and simple daily drops keep it comfortable. His right eye does have a cataract, which makes things a little blurry, but here’s the exciting part: the specialist said he may be a candidate for cataract surgery in the future. If he passes a quick retina test, he could potentially regain excellent vision in that eye. This is completely optional, though — Billy is comfortable, confident, and fully functional just as he is.
For now, Billy only needs easy daily eye drops (Tacrolimus and Ketorolac) to keep everything healthy and feeling good. He handles them well and is very cooperative with care. Despite his limited vision, Billy: Moves around confidently, bonds deeply with his people, loves routine and settles in quickly, learns new environments with ease, is gentle, sweet, and incredibly resilient.
Billy is not a “special-needs” dog — he’s simply a dog who uses one eye more than the other. His personality is calm, loving, and quietly joyful, and he’s ready to share that with someone who appreciates a tender-hearted companion. With a soft bed, a steady routine, and a caring person to call his own, Billy will absolutely thrive. If you’re looking for a loyal, gentle senior who still has plenty of pep and a whole lot of love left to give, Billy might just be your perfect match.
Requirements: Martingale Collar; Vision Impaired / Eye Meds For Life