We have an 8 year old Border Terrier. He suffered from lens luxation (a genetic condition) and lost an eye at 3 years old. The other eye was kept going on medication until a month ago when it too had to be enucleated (removed). With one exception he is doing remarkably well and is fast learning to cope, perhaps because he had already adapted to failing sight. He remains basically a very happy little chap by day.
The exception is that he has developed some sort of night-time insecurity. He has comfortable familiar night time accommodation (a very spacious, warm - not hot - rear lobby and his favourite bed and toys) but when we put him to bed he shakes and refuses to settle. One night last week he literally smashed his way out through the cat flap in the middle of the night (he is from a rather small strain of Borders) and barked until he woke us to be let back in. He repeated this the next night so we screwed a sheet of plywood into the cat flap (the cat passed on a while ago). So the next night he ripped the cat flap off the door. Now he has turned his attention to the door that leads into the rest of the house.
Does anyone have any advice? We understand that the collective wisdom is not to 'reward' him by getting up in the night to comfort him as this will re-enforce the behaviour. Getting another cat for company (he was great pals with the old one) means re-opening the flap. Getting another dog means he will be bottom of the pack which could add to his anxiety.
Curious that the problem should be at night when he is not supposed to see much anyway, presumably it is the fear of being without the company and guidance that he has from us during the day.