My dog has cataracts

glenjamin

Just found out my 12 year old Jack Russell has got catarcats in both eyes and it will cost €3,600 to remove them.

Does anyone know if there's anywhere else to get the operation done cheaper or any advice to offer me. Putting the dog down or not getting the op done are not options.

TooManyDogs

glenjamin wrote: »

Putting the dog down or not getting the op done are not options.

I'm just wondering why not getting the op done isn't an option? Most elderly dogs manage very well with limited sight and need very little adjustment in their surroundings. Also as far as I'm aware cataracts can grow back, sometimes rapidly so you may need to have the op done again.

glenjamin

The vet said it would only be a matter of time before she would go completely blind starting with her night vision. I'd rather risk €3,600 to get it done regardless over the odds of it coming back than to watch her go blind. I know a lot of people will say well she's an old dog whos days are numbered anyway but when you've spent 12 years with your dog by your side it doesn't matter what it costs to keep her as healthy as possible.

TooManyDogs

glenjamin wrote: »

I know a lot of people will say well she's an old dog whos days are numbered anyway

No, not suggesting that cos she's old she doesn't deserve treatment, for me it'd be a case of weighing up the risk of an elderly dog having an operation/full anesthetic versus the cataracts. Personally, I wouldn't want to risk the anesthetic. I've seen a good few blind dogs, both young and old dogs, and they seem to get around so well that no-one one even realises they are blind until they are told.

There's a few vet clinics run by charities around the country that may do the op for a cheaper price, would be no harm asking anyway.

54kroc

Glenjamin my Alsatian had Cataracts for the last 2 years of her life (She was 15 when she died) yet she never went blind and had no problem finding her way about the place.
I'd hold off if I were you,I know it's hard but like TooManyDogs said there's a lot of risk involved as well.

theghost

My 11 year lab/collie cross has just been diagnosed at her annual check-up with cataracts, although luckily they are slight at the moment. I had already decided that if the vet said she had anything seriously wrong with her there would be no question of an operation. I wouldn't put a dog of that age through the risks of a general anaesthetic.

Cataracts don't mean the end for your dog. Remember a dog relies more on his sense of smell that on sight.

CreedonsDogDayc

good on you for putting your dogs health and wellbeing ahead of costs. Jack russells can live very long lives, so your little one probably has years left yet.

Perhaps go through the golden pages and phone as many clinics as suits and explain the situation and get quotes.

It mightn't be a bad idea to get a second opinion though to find out if the vets think that the cataracts will definitely blind your dog.

Chatterboxmoira

One of my dogs has cataracts. You wouldn't notice she had a problem until the light catches her eyes. I would be extremely loathe to put her through a general anaesthetic for this condition when it doesn't bother her. Humans stay awake for this op (I know- I'm a theatre nurse) because of the GA risk, so why put your beloved dogs life at risk.

Money should never be an issue, but you have to weigh up all the pro's and cons. And a GA is a major con.

Discodog

Phone here:
http://www.barnavetclinic.ie

Have a chat with Leanne, the Vet, who is an eye specialist & really nice. She will give you honest advice.

lorebringer

I had a Springer who was next to blind with cataracts at the end and he managed fine. According to the vet he could make out shapes but nothing better than that. His eyes were very milky but he knew his way around the house and recognised people (used to dance around when the OH came in). He was also deaf and had bad arthritis but was still full of life, and enjoyed life to the full. The only problems he had with regards to sight was when something "appeared" that he didn't know what it was - things like a washing basket on the kitchen table - which he used to bark at like a lunatic. Also, when we brought other dogs into the house he used to attack them on first meeting because he didn't know them but once he got used to them he was fine.

We didn't operate on them because his quality of life was not changed by the fact that he couldn't see - he didn't live in fear or stress (with exceptional situations) and was full of life up until the day he left us.

I currently have a dog with cataracts, not particularly severe, and unless they cause him any stress (due to the lack of sight) I won't get them operated on. It really is a personal choice.

opinion guy

The folks doggie has cataracts - he can still see apparently but they are bad enough you can see them even in low light.

Apparently the vet said there was nothing you could do about the but I find that hard to believe. Whats the story on doggie cataracts then ? Hes about 14 or 15 - no clue what breed he is - mixed anyhow.

cocker5

glenjamin wrote: »

Just found out my 12 year old Jack Russell has got catarcats in both eyes and it will cost €3,600 to remove them.

Does anyone know if there's anywhere else to get the operation done cheaper or any advice to offer me. Putting the dog down or not getting the op done are not options.

do you have pet insurance?? They will cover it :P

Wisco

Cataract surgery is VERY specialized and therefore only eye specialists will do it (only a couple in the country) so since it's a referral job it is expensive.
So long as your pet is a good candidate for anaesthetic (ie, no heart problems, not overweight, no other health conditions) the anaesthetic risk shouldn't be too major although it's obviously higher the older your pet gets.
I suppose you have to weigh quality of life vs price vs surgery and recovery time and pain for the dog. Many dogs will cope quite well even if they are partly or wholly blind as they use their other senses, especially smell, to compensate.

opinion guy

Wisco wrote: »

Cataract surgery is VERY specialized and therefore only eye specialists will do it (only a couple in the country) so since it's a referral job it is expensive.
So long as your pet is a good candidate for anaesthetic (ie, no heart problems, not overweight, no other health conditions) the anaesthetic risk shouldn't be too major although it's obviously higher the older your pet gets.
I suppose you have to weigh quality of life vs price vs surgery and recovery time and pain for the dog. Many dogs will cope quite well even if they are partly or wholly blind as they use their other senses, especially smell, to compensate.

Ah the poor chap has a ticker problem - unusual one too i think - right heart failure which is apparently rare in dogs. Also is deaf. Ok he seems happy enough at the moment - i just would hate to see him blind altogether and bumping into stuff.

Strange thou - cataracts such a minor op for humans - pity it a big deal for doggies

MonkieSocks

I know this is an old thread but I want to post some info of a procedure that one of my dogs got recently.

My 6yr old Westie was diagnosed with Cataracts in both eyes by out vet.
He recommended Surgery by a specialist vet in Dun Laoghaire.

We went to the specialist and he wanted to do both eyes.
He told us there was minor risk that it would not be successful and complications rarely occur, maybe in about 1% of the time.
We decided to only do one at a time and it was done on the 23rd August this year.
We were given drops to put in the dogs eyes following the procedure.


A few days later we brought the dog back for a check-up.
The specialist said the pressure in the eye was very high (50) and he gave us some more drops to put in the dog eye.

A couple of days later he said the pressure hadn’t gone down and he wanted to take the dogs eye out. We asked him if there was anything else he could do.
He did some procedure by giving the dog an injection in the front of the eye to reduce the pressure and gave us more eye drops and pain killers for him.

On our way out of the vets office there were 3 other Dogs with an eye removed.
I asked one of them what happened and they told that the dog had to have the eye removed after Cataract Surgery. This seemed scary to me to see 3 dogs sitting there after we were told there was a minor chance of any complications.

We have been told the the Dog has lost the sight in the eye and will never see again.
The vet now wants to do the other eye.

We brought the Dog back to the Surgery today again as we have no other option.
He is today getting another injection today in the back of the eye to try relieve the pressure.

The vet now wants to do the other eye, we have said NO.

I would not recommend anyone to have this procedure done on their pet as to me it is still hit and miss, with a very high percentage of it NOT working.