A heartwarming video has captured the emotional moment a blind and deaf 14-year-old Dachshund realizes his owner has come home.
The dog, named Charlie and known on TikTok as @charcharbinksdachshund, is initially seen wandering and whining, unaware that his owner has already entered the room. After sniffing behind the sofa, he picks up her scent—his tail begins to wag, and he eagerly makes his way to her.
Overlay text on the clip reads, “He gets so excited and a little confused.” Since being posted on April 22, the video has been viewed more than 4.9 million times.
One viewer asked, “Wait, so he just wanders around crying while you’re gone?” to which the owner replied, “Mostly he just sleeps.”
Another commenter wrote: “This actually hurts my heart,” while someone else added: “I don’t want my pet to get old.”
Newsweek reached out to @charcharbinksdachshund for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
Like humans, dogs can deteriorate with age. The American Kennel Club says that identifying the cause of visual and hearing impairments is key to determining appropriate care or treatment.
TikTok/@charcharbinksdachshund
Hearing loss in dogs typically results from damage or deterioration of the hair cells within the inner ear. These specialized cells are responsible for detecting sound vibrations, converting them into nerve signals, and sending those signals to the brain for interpretation.
While exposure to loud noises is a common cause of hair cell damage in humans, hearing loss in dogs is usually attributed to genetics or the natural aging process. It is a gradual decline, often unfolding subtly over several years.
Signs of Vision Loss in Dogs
Dogs experiencing vision loss may begin bumping into objects, hesitating on stairs, or struggling with uneven surfaces. You can test their vision at home by dimming the lights and placing cardboard boxes in a hallway—if the dog walks into the boxes, vision issues may be present.
Common Causes of Canine Vision Loss
- Glaucoma: Sudden vision loss with red, painful eyes—requires emergency treatment.
- Cataracts: Cloudy white spots in the lens, possibly linked to genetics or diabetes, that block vision.
- Nuclear Sclerosis: A normal age-related lens change in older dogs; doesn’t cause blindness but may affect near-vision.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): A gradual, irreversible retinal degeneration that eventually leads to blindness over time.
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