Some dogs will develop a canine cataract that can affect their eyesight so much that they will need to undergo canine cataract surgery. Any kind of dog breed can develop cataracts so this is something that all dog owners should know about. This is a problem that occurs when the fibers in a dog’s eye begins to break down. The lens in the eye becomes cloudy and will reduce the dog’s ability to see clearly. There are actually different kinds of cataracts that can develop in dogs.
Each kind will have a specific cause. For instance, diabetes will cause cataracts to develop. The dog may have one when it is born. This kind can be caused by an infection in womb or it may be an inherited type of cataract. The dog owner will have to take their dog to the vet for an eye examination so the exact kind of canine cataract can be discovered and the proper treatment plan can be discussed. A lot of the time canine cataract eye surgery will have to be performed to remove the cataract from the eye.
Dog owners that have a dog that has an inherited type of canine cataract should not breed that dog as it can pass on the inheritance. A dog that develops a cataract after the age of six is said to have a late onset or senile canine cataract. When a dog owner has a dog that develops a canine cataract they can take them in for treatment or for surgery. Certain kinds of drops can be prescribed for certain kinds of canine cataracts that will help dogs that have diabetes.
Canine cataract eye surgery has a 95% success rate. However, some dogs may not be a good candidate for such a surgery, such as ones that are really aggressive, have uncontrolled diabetes or who are in poor health. Once, canine cataract surgery is done the owner should be prepared to spend a lot of time on post operative care for their animal. This is because eye drops must be administered several times a day for several weeks after the surgery.