The canine cataract is one of the most prevalent eye problems in dogs. These cataracts can show up in dogs of all breeds. They can happen in dogs no matter what the age. The canine cataract results of a breakdown in the fibers in the eyes of a dog. This is quite common and usually happens in any breed. They cause the lens to become cloudy and the vision to become obscured. A canine cataract can eventually cause the dog to go blind.
There are different kinds of cataracts. One of the symptoms is a white cloudiness over the dogs eye that will be very visible to you. If you ever notice that your dog has something on their eye lens that looks like a white film you should immediately take them to a vet for proper diagnosis. The only treatment is surgery that needs to be done by a qualified veterinarian that specializes in this type of eye surgery for dogs.
Sometimes a newborn puppy can be born with a cataract. These types of cataracts are known as congenital cataracts. This means that the canine cataract began to develop before the puppy was even born. Congenital canine cataracts are rare but they do happen occasionally in other type of canine cataract is kind that develops in early life of an adult dog. This type of canine cataract may be inherited or it may be caused by an infection, injury to the eye, or certain kinds of diseases like diabetes in younger dogs.
Sometimes certain breeds of dogs are more susceptible to developing a canine cataract. An older dog can develop what is called a senile canine cataract. This type of cataract in an older dog usually results in a gray film over the lens of the eye. Senile canine cataracts may not affect your dog’s vision at all. However you should always take your dog to the vet to have their eyes checked you see such discoloration of the lens of their eyes. When a canine cataract requires surgical removal the surgery will be successful 95% of the time. Only a veterinarian will be able to determine what kind of cataract your dog has and whether or not they are a good candidate for cataract eye surgery.