The other common cause of cataracts is diabetes. Almost all diabetic dogs develop cataracts within a year of diagnosis. High blood sugar levels change the balance of water in the lens and cataracts form. Often, diabetic cataracts appear very rapidly, with a dog losing her sight within a day or two of having any trouble at all.
Delaying or preventing diabetic cataracts has been a topic of great veterinary research. Oral antioxidants may delay formation, so talk with your veterinarian about what she recommends.
In addition, there is a promising new eye drop awaiting FDA approval that may delay or prevent diabetic cataracts from forming. Unfortunately, no eye drop or pill can reverse changes in the lens. Luckily, there is highly effective surgical treatment. As with people, animals — including dogs, cats, horses and even goldfish — can have cataract surgery to remove the cloudy lens and restore sight.
A veterinary ophthalmologist can determine if your dog is a good candidate. Surgery is not a good option for all dogs, however. Occasionally, a dog will have inflammation in the eyes, glaucoma or damaged retinas, making it unlikely that surgery will be successful. In addition, sometimes a dog will have another illness e. The most common issue is eye bulging, which can happen in an accident or in a fight with another dog.
However, because cataracts in dogs are brought on by excessive inflammation and infection, this breed is also at a higher risk of developing cataracts. The Boxer — This very proud and attractive dog breed is at a high risk for developing lymphoma, which is a type of cancer that involves the growth of tumors on the skin and in the lymph nodes.
Although this type of cancer is typically treatable with radiation and surgery, one of the most common side effects of radiation for cancer therapy is cataracts in dogs. The Poodle — This pretty pup is susceptible to eye problems, specifically Glaucoma.
As we explored above, severe cases of cataracts in dogs—especially those left untreated—can cause Glaucoma. One of the most common illnesses that arise from diabetes in dogs is cataracts. Some dogs live their whole lives with this condition and never suffer from blindness, whereas other cases can leave some dogs blind. All in all, this particular breed is at a higher risk for also developing cataracts.
Insulin can also be used to help treat a diabetic dog, helping to convert glucose into fuel. Untreated diabetes can lead to damaged kidneys, blood vessels, nerves, the heart and eyes, such as cataracts. Now that you have a better understanding of cataracts, their causes, and which breeds are at a higher risk for developing cataracts, can cataracts be treated? If so, what are the treatment options? The good news is YES, cataracts can be treated.
However, no treatment can guarantee percent restored vision. Surgery — Surgery is the most immediate, effective treatment for cataracts. However, it is also the most expensive. Oral Supplements — As modern veterinary medicine improves, there are some new, cost-effective treatment options for cataracts, such as oral supplements. These oral supplements act as antioxidants to reduce inflammation in the eyes caused by cataracts in dogs.
Eye Drops — In addition, these eye drops may be a viable and effective treatment option for cataracts. These eye drops have proven to help treat common conditions and issues that cause cataracts in dogs. Furthermore, some emerging eye drop solutions have already proven to be very effective. For example, eye drops that contain crystallin proteins help to maintain a healthy eye structure. Some research and studies involving using a lanosterol solution in the eye drops have shown major improvements in treating cataracts in dogs.
In some studies, the cloudiness and opacity caused by cataracts in dogs were almost completely reversed. All in all, if your dog is one of the breeds that is at a higher risk for cataracts, then you may want to consider purchasing pet health insurance to help cover the cost of surgery or whatever treatment option your dog may need that is recommended by a veterinary ophthalmologist.
We threw a lot of information at you in this article, but you still likely have a number of questions about cataracts in dogs. Maybe…This product has done wonders for many pets. The reviews on Amazon seem to back up the thought that it works for some, although others have seen no results.
Yes, surgery is the most immediate and effective option for treating cataracts in dogs, and it is likely the primary treatment recommended by your vet, but it is not percent necessary.
Like we mentioned above, eye drops and oral supplements might do the trick, but that is a big might. Most veterinarians and dog ophthalmologists will be able to perform an exam to see if your dog has cataracts. Dogs can also live with cataracts. However, over time their vision will become impaired. Although the results and success rates are high, no, vision is not percent guaranteed after cataract surgery. Again, cataract surgery is the most immediate and successful treatment option for cataracts in dogs.
However, cataract surgery is not recommended for dogs with non-hereditary forms of cataracts. Although most cataract surgeries are successful, regaining up to 90 to 95 percent of vision, like any type of surgery, cataract surgery certainly has its risks.
So, if your dog is about to have cataract surgery, here are some things you can expect as well as the potential risks:. Because different dog breeds react to cataract surgery differently, and because the severity of the infection and inflammation differ, sometimes cataract surgery is unsuccessful. Like the lens of a camera, Fife says, the lens of the eye focuses light and should be crystal clear. When a dog has a cataract, it obscures the vision.
Learn more about how canine cataracts develop and what you can do to help your dog if he has them. Diabetes in dogs can cause cataracts to develop, says Fife. The most common reason cataracts develop in humans is damage from exposure to ultraviolet light. Gwen Sila, a veterinary opthamologist for BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Michigan, categorizes canine cataracts in three ways. On the other hand, mature cataracts are those that cover the entire lens.
Sila says dogs with mature cataracts can only see changes in light. She recommends that dogs with mature cataracts undergo cataract surgery to remove them. In between these two—from 15 percent all the way to 99 percent—are immature cataracts, which Sila says can be something of a gray area. Gila says a dog might experience disorientation or confusion if a cataract develops quickly, but generally speaking, the cataract itself does not hurt.
That said, inflammation typically accompanies cataracts, which can be painful or at least uncomfortable. For that reason, Gila recommends that pet owners looking to treat immature cataracts in dogs start their pet on a regimen of anti-inflammatory dog cataract eye drops.
There is currently no eye drop on the market that will resolve a mature cataract, notes Dr.
0コメント