There are eye problems that are very diverse in canids, but perhaps one of the ones that most attracts our attention is the cataract, since we will observe that the dog's eye turns whitish with a bluish tone and that the dog, losing vision, suffers some insecurities. In addition, cataracts are the most common cause of blindness in dogs.
If you think or know your dog has cataracts, don't be discouraged, as there are several ways to improve them and even remove them through surgery. We encourage you to read this article on our site, where you will find information about cataracts in dogs and their treatment
What are cataracts in dogs?
A cataract can be defined as a opacity of the lens, which is a small structure found in the eye that acts as a of intraocular lens. These opacities are formed due to a break in the lens tissue, its fibers become misaligned and this causes the opacity. We will see that the dog's eye shows spots or a large white and bluish spot In addition, we will see that the dog becomes more sensitive to light, showing notable discomfort when the light hits your eyes directly.
Today, the treatment to remove cataracts in dogs is surgery. But there are also non-surgical treatments that, although they do not cure them definitively, can help improve them. Both surgery and alternative treatments will be discussed later in this article.
Causes of Cataracts in Dogs
The causes of cataracts in dogs, that is, what can cause a break in the fibers of the lens of the eye, can be of a varied nature. When cataracts turn out to be secondary, caused by another problem, we find that they may be due to trauma, inflammation that has not been adequately treated, or systemic diseases such as diabetes. As it turns out, however, most of the time, cataracts are hereditary, appearing in young dogs and not older or elderly ones as we might think. What we often see in elderly dogs is called lens nuclear sclerosis. As they age, dogs' lens hardens, something that is natural, but that gives their eyes a grayish hue that reminds us of cataracts but, on the other hand, does not affect their vision as it does. do the falls.
It is important that we think that sight is not a main sense in canids, it is not as developed as in other animals. Dogs use other senses much more, such as hearing and smell, so as they lose sight they may not show it right away and it is difficult for us to realize that the cataract process has begun. Normally, cataract formation is slow, it begins with small whitish spots until it progresses and becomes a spot the size of the eye that will end up causing blindness in the dog.
Cataract symptoms in dogs
Main symptom of the presence of cataracts is look like a cloud in the dog's eye, a whitish or bluish spot that can be more or less big. In addition, the following signs are common:
- Light intolerance.
- Bumping against furniture or walls due to loss of vision.
- Increased water intake if the cause is diabetes.
- Conjunctivitis and/or scratching if caused by trauma.
- Uveitis in the most serious cases.
- Eye pain.
As you can see, the symptoms are non-specific, since they can perfectly coincide with other eye problems such as the aforementioned nuclear sclerosis of the lens, glaucoma or interstitial keratitis, especially if the dog's eye is blue color swatch.
At what age do dogs get cataracts?
When cataracts are produced as something secondary, that is, due to other main problems such as accidents with trauma to the area, diabetes, etc., they can occur at any age in dogs and in any breed. In the case of hereditary cataracts can occur from the moment of birth, which are known as congenital cataracts, and until approximately 5 or 7 years of age, which are called juvenile cataracts. The latter are the most frequent.
Are some dogs more prone to cataracts than others?
Leaving aside the age of the dog, it turns out that there are breeds more prone than others to suffer from this eye problem. Some of the breeds that are more likely to present this eye condition, mostly in hereditary cases, are the following:
- Cocker spaniel
- Poodle
- Schnauzer
- Smooth Fox Terrier
- Wire-haired fox terrier
- Bichon frize
- Siberian Husky
- Golden retriever
- Labrador retriever
- Pekingese
- Shih Tzu
- Lhasa apso
- Old English Sheepdog or Bobtail
How to cure cataracts in dogs? - Veterinary treatment
If the vet has confirmed that the cloud in the dog's eye corresponds to a cataract, he will determine the treatment himself. So, if you are wondering how to cure the cloud in the dog's eye, you should know that, in general, the treatment of choice is surgery, since it is the only one that can remove the cataract completely, regardless of its size. After performing it, it is common to have to administer drops for cataracts in dogs, which are nothing more than antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops.
We must bear in mind that not all dogs are operable of cataracts. A general check-up and analysis should be carried out to check the patient's he alth, as in any other intervention that requires general anesthesia. In addition, a complete eye examination will be necessary for the veterinarian to decide and check if they are in a position to be operated on. It will also be necessary to carry out some specific tests such as an electroretinogram and an ocular ultrasound. We will see below how the operation is and what to do if it cannot be carried out.
Cataract surgery in dogs - Price and process
Veterinary ophthalmology has evolved a lot in recent years and precisely the field of cataract surgery is one of the aspects that has improved the most. This surgery is the only treatment that works to remove cataracts. This is the extraction of the lens, so once the cataract has been operated it cannot develop again. In the place previously occupied by the lens, an intraocular lens is placed. The intervention is carried out with an ultrasound technique. This surgery is the best option to solve our dog's problem, with 90-95 % of successful cases A high degree of vision is returned to the dog, but it will never be the complete vision that it had before the appearance of the cataracts, although it must be remembered that the vision of dogs is not one of their main senses. Thus, we will be able to get our faithful friend to recover quality of life and lead a completely normal life again.
Postoperative care
This surgery takes about an hour for each eye. Although, in principle, hospitalization of the dog is not necessary, it is vital that the first postoperative check-up is carried out the next morning. The first weeks after the operation, we must ensure that our furry friend has a very quiet lifeHe must wear an Elizabethan collar, at least during the first two or three weeks, we will have to walk him with a chest harness and not with a collar, we will make sure that he does not exercise excessively, because he must rest, we will not be able to bathe him and we will have to make sure that other animals do not get close to the face to avoid possible problems in the recently operated eyes.
After surgery, regular check-ups should continue to ensure that there are no complications that prevent full recovery of the dog's eyes. It is vital to follow all the postoperative treatment, which surely involves antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops that the veterinarian recommends, and to go to visits in order to be able to detect irregularities in time in recovery and fix them. Even so, really, most of the operated dogs will begin to notice an improvement in vision a few days after the intervention and with a recovery with hardly any pain, as long as the postoperative instructions are followed to the letter.
How much does a cataract operation cost in dogs?
The price of this operation varies in each country and even in each city within the same state. In general, it is usually around 800-2000 €, however, we repeat, it totally depends on each country, each center, the size of the dog, whether it is need to operate one or both eyes, if complications arise, etc. Sometimes, the medication indicated for the postoperative period is included in the price and other times it is not, a fact that makes the final cost increase.
Can a dog live with cataracts?
Although it may seem like a long process, it is highly recommended that if our dog affected by cataracts turns out to be an operable candidate, surgery is carried out. In this way we will be restoring a lot of quality of life and we will prevent the cataract from evolving into secondary problems, which can range from a simple permanent inflammation, which is obviously very annoying and painful for the dog, to the loss of the affected eye.
So, can a dog live with cataracts? Yes, he can, but if there is the possibility of operating on him, it must be doneto prevent his he alth from getting worse. However, if the veterinarian does not recommend surgery for whatever reason, in the next section we will see other alternative treatments.
Cataracts in dogs - Natural treatment
Although we have already clarified that the only effective treatment for the removal of cataracts is surgery, we must also comment on the alternative treatments to this, always remembering that none of them definitively cure cataracts. If it turns out that our furry companion is not an operable candidate, these treatments and tips will give you some relief and help slow down the cataract process. With these non-surgical treatments we can avoid glaucoma, infection risks, retinal detachment, among other conditions.
Dog Cataract Drops
Among the most recognized non-surgical treatments, there is a treatment with 2% antioxidant carnosine drops, which must be prescribed by a veterinarian and must be applied for at least 8 weeks, thus significantly improving cataracts that are still immature.
Other home remedies for cataracts in dogs
Other treatments are based on adding vitamins A, C and E to the dog's food to delay the progress of cataracts, since These vitamins contain antioxidant properties. A balanced diet with natural ingredients is also vital, as well as reducing the hours that our partner spends in the sun. Some vegetables that should be added to our dog's diet to slow the progression of cataracts are carrots, kale, broccoli, cranberry extract and other green leafy vegetables. In addition, powdered wheat sprouts is also recommended and it is good to use the dietary supplement methylsulfonylmethane.
Finally, we can also use herbs such as burdock, rosemary and meadowsweet. In addition, celandine and eyebright teas are highly recommended for washing our dog's eyes and slowing down the progression of cataracts.
