Home Animals 4 Signs That Indicate Your Dog Might Have Cataracts – Opinion

4 Signs That Indicate Your Dog Might Have Cataracts – Opinion

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It was during one of the dog walks that I noticed something unusual about our pet Sanito and it set alarm bells ringing in my mind. I found him a little disoriented — his steps were not natural, he seemed to be limping, and finally, he crashed into the plants on the edge of the jogger’s tracks in the sports ground. I kept a watch and feared he might have dog cataracts.

Well, back home I examined him carefully. His eyes were not looking the same as they would even a fortnight back. I administered a general eye drop for dogs I had bought from a pet’s clinic. It did offer my dog some relief but I decided to take him to a vet.

Can cataract develop so quickly?

I had heard that dog cataracts are quite common among old dogs but had never thought someday it could be my dog down with this serious problem. I took Sanito to my veterinarian friend, and after some examination, he gave his verdict.

My fears were true. Sanito was suffering from dog cataracts and needed surgery to be able to fight the disease and be able to preserve his vision.

The veterinarian also told me that the eye complication of my dog is linked to his diabetes. I was sad for my Sanito but was happy that I could detect the problem in time and now we are in the right place. Things will only become better from now on.

For sure, I did not want to leave my dog alone in this crisis. He has always kept our home buzzing with life and activity. Now, he is not able to see things properly. I must do what I can to get him back to his usual self.

While my veterinarian friend gave me a date when he would like to perform the surgery, I took the time to do some research about dog cataracts.

Here is what I can share with you about dog cataracts:

Symptoms of cataract in dogs may not be clear or pronounced in the early stages. But it is important that cataract tests should be regularly conducted. Early interventions often give good results and patient dogs are able to recover their full vision. 

Cataract in dogs is mostly painless. So, there is no apparent discomfort to your dog until it advances in severity and your dog is having difficulty in seeing and recognizing. If not treated well in time, your dog might even lose his vision forever.

What are cataracts and what causes them?

Cataracts is a condition in which the dog’s eyes experience opacity in their lenses. This blocks and disrupts normal vision, starting with blurry vision and gradually moving towards complete blindness.

Dog cataracts can be caused by old age, eye trauma, and diabetes. But the most common cause for cataracts is genetic, as it seems to continue from the previous generation to the next.

Which dog breeds are more prone to cataracts?

Dogs of any breed and any age can develop cataracts, but the following breeds have shown more susceptibility to cataract:

  • Smooth Fox Terriers
  • Havanese
  • Bichon Frise
  • American Cocker Spaniels
  • Silky Terriers
  • Miniature
  • Miniature Schnauzers
  • Standard Poodles
  • Boston Terriers

Just to make sure this does not happen to your dog, here I go about detailing the signs and symptoms that point to the presence of cataract in your dog’s eyes.

Watch out for the following symptoms:

1. Changes in the eyes

 Since dogs’ eyes are perhaps the first thing you notice about them, it is hard to not notice the changes that cataract introduces to the bare eyes. Yes, it looks cloudy, hazy, and colored rather than looking transparent. A look at the eyes is enough for an experienced veterinarian to tell if your dog is indeed suffering from cataracts. The eyes have a strange white, blue, or grey haze covering its outer surface. This change may sometimes take many months to show up fully. But it can also happen overnight.

2. Swelling, redness in the eyes

Sometimes, the onset of cataract is accompanied by other symptoms such as swelling and redness in the eyes. A cataract can bring more changes to the eyes such as an uneven and crackled look. If you see your dog exhibiting these symptoms, you have a reason to be alarmed. The cloudiness of the eyes is also associated with a more serious condition called glaucoma or age-related eye disease called nuclear sclerosis. If you see cloudiness in the eyes accompanied by swelling and redness, you should take your dog to a veterinarian without losing any more time.

3. Signs of vision loss

As a cataract develops, it will disrupt and block your dog’s vision. If you try to take note of it, there would be plenty of signs of vision loss. Your dog is having problems navigating his path, bumps into people and things, trips over for no apparent reason, loathes walking, makes inaccurate steps, sometimes hitting into the wall. The worst can be he is not able to recognize some people.

4. Other changes

Severe cataracts may induce more changes in your dog’s behavior. Your dog may have bouts of dizziness and vomiting. He may drink more water and urinate more often. This shows he may be suffering from diabetes, which is a major underlying cause of cataract in dogs. A cataract may make your dog either less active or even restless.

How to treat your dog’s cataract?

Typically, it is not possible to prevent cataracts. But it is possible to restore and preserve vision by early diagnosis and intervention. Here is what you should do to help your dog with cataract:

  • Check your dog’s eyes regularly
  • If his eyes look cloudy, hazy or unnaturally colored, take him to a vet
  • Take him to a vet if he is showing signs of vision loss
  • Try to find and check the medical history of your canine’s parents. A cataract is often hereditary
  • Check for diabetes and eye trauma. They are often linked to cataracts.

Treatment

Cataract surgery is an effective method to treat vision loss caused by this disease. The procedure involves removing the lens and replacing it with an acrylic or plastic lens. Cataract surgery is a minor procedure and it’s known to be effective in treating cataract related symptoms.

Final thoughts

Dog cataracts can be caused by many factors. But the two most common factors are hereditary and diabetes. Among other reasons include old age and eye trauma. Loss of vision due to cataract caused by diabetes is successfully restored in most cases by minor cataract surgery.


Roland Jakob