Dog cataracts, can they do anything for the old boy?

[Wcross]

I don't know how old he is, I am his second or third human. His eyes are getting cloudy and he can't catch treats in his mouth anymore. He also enjoys hunting and is frustrated that he can't see as well as he used to. Is there anything the vet could do to help my old buddy "Buddy"?

[ulysses]

1. I think they can operate

but it's not always easy on the dog. How old is Buddy?

[Wcross]

6. I don't know how old he is, my best guess is over 10 years. n/t

[ulysses]

9. you did say that you didn't know, didn't you?

Sorry. :freak:

I guess I would just balance the dog's happiness - cataracts aren't necessarily the end of quality of life, but it depends on the dog. IMHO.

[Wcross]

You brought up a good point ulysses.

Since I do not know, I can only go by how the dog handles the condition. When he moved in I made a promise, I will be his friend until the day he dies.

[Wcross]

12. delete-dupe

[xchrom]

2. you know -- i don't know.

all i can say is i love senior dogs -- they are such wonderful beings.

when i was young -- dogs simply didn't live long enough to get cataracts.

my big ol boy sport lived to be over 15 -- he even had a little dementia.

i've never loved anyone as much as i loved that old boy -- i miss you sport.

[Wcross]

16. Old dogs :)

I wouldn't trade buddy for anything. Period. He's my friend and I enjoy his company.

[achtung_circus]

3. If you are asking us

then you haven't seen a vet. That's what you need to do. You don't even have a diagnosis, as far as I can tell, cloudiness MAY be cataracts, but I'm not a vet and I'm not going to diagnose. Take Buddy to a vet.

[KitchenWitch]

4. A Kick for Buddy!

Sorry I do not have an answer for you. But Buddy deserves a good kick.

[NMDemDist2]

27. how DARE you kick old Buddy???

:spank:























:rofl: :loveya:

[JanMichael]

5. There sure is. Cataract surgery has improved quite a bit

for doggies. I see from your profile that you are in TN--home of one of the greatest veterinary colleges in the US. It's a simple matter of you contacting Buddy's doc, and getting a referral to a poochie opthamalogist (spelling, sorry)---

Buddy is a good looking dog!

Good luck with that!

[LostinVA]

7. Well, I do know that dogs can get around really well without their sight

The fiance had a German Shepherd that gradually lost her sight and the dog adapted great.

[malta blue]

8. Buddy looks like a great dog!

I'm not sure what they can do...check out the eyes on my Luna (part of it is the flash, but mostly it is cataracts)


She can't catch treats either but she can still see well enough to navigate the house at night. She has recently started to lose her hearing too-she's 14. She is in very good shape otherwise, so I am not too concerned.

You said he is frustrated by the loss of vision for hunting. Perhaps finding another outlet for him would be a good thing. I don't know how well the dogs react to surgery at this age.

I hope you can get to a vet to investigate the options you have for Buddy - he looks like a big sweetie.

[Wcross]

14. He still gets his "share" +/- of the kills.

These are his pups and they usually share when he starts growling. He hooked up with an American Eskimo and this is what happened.

BTW- have you ever figured out what Luna's predominant breed is?

[malta blue]

17. They look like a happy pack.

I have no clue whatsoever what Luna is - I think she may have some beagle and some labrador - but she has that stocky build of a bull terrier too - so I am completely confounded....

I rescued her at 9 months old. She had been beaten, electrocuted, tortured, you name it. It was a long, arduous process but she recovered completely and was voted friendliest pet in town a year later.

[Wcross]

19. I am thinking a beagle mix for buddy too.

I don't have a clue about the mixed in breeds though!

I love happy endings and Luna sure has one! I don't understand people who mistreat, abuse or torture animals. There has to be a special place in hell for them.

[Rhiannon12866]

23. I'd have to see more of Luna, but I wouldn't rule out Golden, either...

She was extremely fortunate the day that she found you, and her adoring little companion...:hug:

Ask your vet about what he/she thinks. They can tell both by looks and personality. My little Sara was found as a stray on the streets of a big city in Ohio, so I knew nothing except that she was the sweetest dog, ever. I listed her as a terrier mix, but my vet told me that there was definitely some basset in there, both because of her rather short legs and because she had a very deep bark... She sounded like a much larger and forbidding kind of dog...:D

My Sara:loveya:

[Rhiannon12866]

22. Check out my post #21. My vet prescribed eye drops to reduce Meneken's cataracts

And was pleased with the improvement that he saw. Certainly less traumatic and inexpensive than surgery. I don't know where you take Luna to the vet, but mine can't be far from you...:hi:

Luna looks like a sweetie, as well, and the little girl is pretty cute, too...:hug:

[LoveMyCali]

10. A Friend of mine

had drops that she put in her dogs eyes for cataracts and she thought they were helping. I don't know what it was but I'm sure your vet could tell you. It seems so much less traumatic than putting poor Buddy through surgery.

[malta blue]

18. Hi there....

:hi:

Thanks again for the email about my Kobe cat passing away - it really meant so much to know that people cared.

[LoveMyCali]

20. Unfortunately

I've been there too. Hope your family is able to remember the happier times with Kobe now.

[Dangerously Amused]

11. My sweet boy had cataracts, too.

Our vet (a brilliant man and the kindest, most compassionate and generous vet on the planet) put it this way: As long as he won't miss reading the paper, can still get around and is enjoying life in other ways, he'll be fine. Just keep loving him and don't worry about the cataracts. So I did. And he was.

[lizziegrace]

13. Perfectly put

:hug:

[Dangerously Amused]

15. Hey you.

:hug:



:loveya:

[Rhiannon12866]

21. The eye drops to reduce canine cataracts that LoveMyCali was referring to are called

N Acetyl Carnosine. I got them from my vet. They are supposed to reduce cataracts in dogs without resorting to the trauma of surgery. He said that his former partner tried them with her patients and saw enough success that he ordered some as well. He prescribed them for both of my dogs, my little guy, whose cataracts were fairly advanced, and my younger dog, whose cataracts were just starting to be evident.

I was told that they work better with less advanced cataracts, but after several months of giving my dog with advanced cataracts one drop in each eye twice a day for several months, his vet was very impressed with the improvement that he saw when he examined my dog's eyes.:-)

They're fairly expensive, cost me $45 for a very small bottle, but sure is less expensive than surgery, only requires one drop in each eye twice a day, and much less traumatic for the dog, especially mine, who already has separation anxiety. If your vet doesn't carry them, call around and find one who does. BTW, the little dog I'm referring to is the little guy making faces in my sig. Good luck and your beautiful boy was so very fortunate when he found you. My guys are rescue, too, and I adopt the older ones, as well....:hug:

[Wcross]

24. We will be going to the vet to see about the eye drops.

Hopefully Buddy won't have to pee on the front door and the reception counter AGAIN! He already marked them once.

[Rhiannon12866]

25. Great! Please let me know how this turns out...

And the best of luck with this. I'd call and inquire beforehand, since my local vet doesn't carry them, but knows about them and has discussed them with me, but he's the one who didn't they would be effective for advanced cataracts, like Meneken's. But my other vet, who I've come to rely on because he's more "cutting edge" and up on things, wanted to give them a try and said that he saw a very noticeable improvement. I wish you and your sweet boy the same...:hug:

And marking in front of the reception desk is nothing! My sweet little Sara hated going to the vet, even though she was one of their favorites and they always made a fuss over her. She loved going for car rides, but would start shaking as soon as we pulled in and wanted to leave so desperately... *sigh* She would usually piddle in the parking lot and sometimes in the exam room, and would usually poop in front of the desk...:-(

[Critters2]

26. Most vet schools offer surgery, and some private clinics do

My vet told me it's as effective as for humans. Don't know the cost, though.

[Rhiannon12866]

28. I did discuss surgery with my vet, but said that I'd have to go to a specialist.

I was talked out of it by my friend, even though my mother offered to pay for it (and surgery can be very expensive, I know, anything that requires a general anesthetic and is more dangerous for an older dog, as well...), since my little guy already has separation anxiety and I didn't want to put him through the trauma. For a younger dog that has premature cataracts, this would definitely be worth it. But I'd try the drops with an older dog, like mine. Thanks for the information!:-)