One of the most common eye conditions in dogs is cataracts. If they are detected and treated in time, they will not cause any inconvenience. Quickly appreciating any symptoms that may reveal that they have a vision problem, will be key to their well-being.
What are cataracts
Cataracts can be defined as the loss of transparency of the lens that helps to see better , the crystalline. When it suffers a break in its tissue, it causes opacity and, as a consequence, causes blurred vision. Normally, the main cause of the appearance of cataracts in dogs is the passage of age. However, there are also other factors such as bumps, wounds, inflammation of the eye, diabetes or some hereditary disorder that can determine its origin.
In the case of hereditary cataracts, age is not a determining factor, but they can appear when the animal is young. It should also be borne in mind that there are breeds more prone to them such as the poodle, schnauzer, golden and labrador retriever and Pekingese.
Regardless of the cause that has motivated them, it is essential to treat them as soon as possible , since the more time passes, the more density they acquire and, consequently, the more likely that the dogs will lose their vision completely without turning back.
Your symptoms
The symptoms to detect that hairy ones suffer from cataracts, in most cases, are usually difficult to appreciate . As already mentioned, sight is not the main sense of dogs. Therefore, contrary to what can happen in humans, when their eyesight is damaged, it is not so detrimental to their day-to-day development.
However, there are physical and behavioral signs that can attract attention. The most obvious and most recognized symptom by all is that the pupil, as the lens loses transparency, acquires a whitish bluish color and is no longer black. The whitish spot can also be caused by age. In this case, it may not be cataracts but the so-called nuclear sclerosis (when the nucleus of the lens becomes rigid and hardens), which does not pose any danger to your vision. However, in the face of anything strange that you observe in its sight (and in general in any part of its anatomy or its behavior) it is always advisable to take the pet to the vet so that it is he who determines what it is and can act quickly if that is the case.
Another symptom that can be observed is that the animal collides with objects that are part of its daily life , that it is difficult for it to perceive objects that are far away and that its night vision worsens. In the case that the cataracts have been caused by diabetes, other signs will appear that will create alert, such as that you drink more water, have more desire to urinate and lose weight, in addition to the symptoms already mentioned above.
How to treat them
Normally, after performing a physical examination, the vet determines whether it is cataracts or nuclear sclerosis. In addition, he may also perform other tests to confirm the diagnosis. An eye ultrasound , which will examine the back of the eye; an electroretinography (measures the functionality of the retina) or a chromatic lights test are usually some of the tests. These, accompanied by a complete blood test, will be able to determine the cause of the condition.
Once the specialist has confirmed the existence of cataracts, we proceed to the treatment that is the same as that given in people and that goes through surgery. The operation consists of removing the damaged part, that is, the lens, and replacing it with an intraocular lens. In this sense, when the lens is removed they will not be able to appear again. This surgical intervention is performed under general anesthesia and does not usually present complications.
There are also other non-surgical treatments that, although they do not manage to treat cataracts, they do slow their progress and avoid retinal detachment and the risks of infection. One of them is to increase the amount of vitamins A, C and E in the pet’s diet, since they have antioxidant properties.
