Doggie Cataracts?

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Ok all you doggie people. My first dog is 12. She has had a cataract in one eye for some time. Vet didn't think it was anything to worry about initially but I forgot to mention it when I was in last month since we were in for something else. Now it looks to me like she's got another in her other eye, too. I can tell when we play fetch that her sight isn't what it used to be (or her brain isn't as sharp, or both), but that's the only time it's noticeable.

Anyone had success with the canine cataract drops? It's early for surgery, but I would appreciate hearing any experience with that, too.


Thx.

[Presley Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Presley]

I adopted a senior with cataracts. One eye is full cataract. The other has a white dot in the middle. I opted to try the drops, partially because he is so old and partially because he had other expensive issues that were causing him pain that I needed to deal with first.

The drops do help. His full cataract got some spiderweb looking things in them. His vision does seem better. He navigates around stuff pretty well. I am thinking the spiderwebbing is breaks in the cataract. I know the drops claim to shrink the cataract, and I have not seen that, but they do help. If his eye wasn't completely covered in a cataract when I got him, maybe the shrinking would have happened.

[StressCadet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StressCadet]

Glitter,

I don't have any experience with cataracts...just a whole host of other problems. I like Presley's answer. Hope more people will respond with their experiences. It's hard to watch them age. Most compensate very well with sight deterioration.

I adopted a senior with cataracts.

And this explains a lot about why I like you.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Do a search on Tuffy on the site, there was a drop that is suppose to help that was hard to find and I never got to use them. BTW Did they check your dogs Sugar? That is what caused my dog to go blind

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Do a search on Tuffy on the site, there was a drop that is suppose to help that was hard to find and I never got to use them. BTW Did they check your dogs Sugar? That is what caused my dog to go blind

Yes, it was checked this year, was ok.

[Heathpack Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Heathpack]

Ok all you doggie people. My first dog is 12. She has had a cataract in one eye for some time. Vet didn't think it was anything to worry about initially but I forgot to mention it when I was in last month since we were in for something else. Now it looks to me like she's got another in her other eye, too. I can tell when we play fetch that her sight isn't what it used to be (or her brain isn't as sharp, or both), but that's the only time it's noticeable.

Anyone had success with the canine cataract drops? It's early for surgery, but I would appreciate hearing any experience with that, too.


Thx.

Have you taken her to see the ophthalmologist yet? That is the next step to get the most complete info.

Not sure what drops you are referring to. Sometimes ophthalmologists put dogs on anti-inflammatory eye drops, but this is to combat secondary inflammation in the eye as the lens continues to deteriorate. There is nothing to make a lens go clear again other than surgery. Well, sometimes some clear spots will develop in hypermature cataracts, but this is usually not desirable as it is accompanied by uveitis.

Cataract SX for dogs is now routine. Extremely important that it is performed by a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist- look for the words "board-certified" or DCVO (Diplomate College of Veterinary Ophthalmology). If your dog is blind at the time of surgery and an ERG test is not performed/offered, look for another ophthalmogist- an ERG is a test of retinal function, used to ensure the retina is still functional (cataract sx is of no benefit if the retina does not work). Cataract SX is expensive, as it requires a very expensive operating microscope and other specialized equipment and highly trained personnel. Because blindness is not life-threatening, cataract SX is considered an elective procedure to improve quality of life. You don't want to wait too long: 1. Secondary changes may occur in the eyes (lens-induced uveitis, glaucoma, and lens luxation) and 2. As your dog gets older, she develops more anesthetic risk.

Good luck, if you are on LI, there should be quite a few options of vet ophthalmologists to see. Seeing one now does not commit you to SX, just an exam and info.

H

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Thanks Heathpack. When I next take her to the vet I will ask for an opth referral.
I've seen the drops advertised on the internet, not sure exactly what they are supposed to do but Presley seems to have had some results with them.
I'm not there yet, but trying to learn what I can in the meantime.