What is cataract in dogs?
Cataract is the change in the appearance of the lens of the eye, which is normally clear and transparent. Cataract causes a “cloudy” appearance of the lens, making the lens appear white or milky.
It can be tricky to tell if your dog has cataract without assessing his eyes by a vet or an ophthalmologist as while dogs grow older, the lens undergoes a normal aging process which is called nuclear sclerosis and can also cause clouding of the eye.
However, in contrast to nuclear sclerosis which does not affect vision in most dogs, cataract will cause problems to your pet’s vision. If you are worried that your dog’s eyes are turning white, it would be beneficial to schedule an examination at your local vets in the first instance.
Types of cataracts in dogs
Cataracts in dogs develop due to a variety of reasons and can affect dogs early in life, even puppies, adult or middle-aged dogs or can be associated with underlying conditions. The most common types we encounter are:
- Congenital: a puppy is born with cataract and usually both eyes are affected.
- Hereditary: a dog has a predisposition to develop cataract and this can slowly develop during the first years of life or when they are adults.
- Trauma: following injuries to the eye, cataract can develop.
- Associated with underlying conditions: The most common condition leading to cataract is diabetes. If your dog is drinking a lot, urinating a lot and has suddenly lost its sight, they might be suffering from diabetes and cataracts.
Can cataracts be prevented in dogs?
Unfortunately, development of cataracts cannot be prevented. In addition, once a cataract develops, we cannot slow down its progress or reverse the cataract. However, cataract in dogs can be treated!
Treatment options for dogs with cataracts
In most cases, if cataract is not treated, it will lead to complications and, in the worst case scenario, even loss of vision or loss of the eye that is affected. Therefore, treatment for cataracts in dogs is very important. The only available treatment option is cataract surgery, where the cataract is removed and the lens is replaced with an artificial one.
Dogs can have cataract surgery and the success rate of the surgery is very high. As this is procedure that can be performed by highly trained veterinary ophthalmologists and specialists, if your dog is affected by cataract and you would like to learn more about cataract treatment for dogs, you will need to ask your vets to refer your dog to an ophthalmologist to discuss the surgical treatment and plan.
Cataract is a very common condition in dogs and a leading cause of visual impairment or blindness. Dogs can have cataract surgery and this can significantly improve their quality of life!
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How can I tell if my dog’s cloudy eye is a cataract or just a sign of old age?
If your dog’s vision is not affected, it’s probably a sign of old age. Any changes in your dog’s eyesight would point more towards a problem, like cataract.
2. Is surgery the only way to treat cataracts in dogs?
Yes, cataract can only be treated surgically in dogs and humans.
3. Can I do anything to prevent my dog from developing cataracts?
Unfortunately, no.
4. My dog was just diagnosed with diabetes. How likely is he to get cataracts?
Up to 80% of the dogs suffering from diabetes will eventually (in a matter of weeks, months or years) will develop cataract.