Should I be concerned about adopting a dog with a cataract in one eye?

It sounds like your dog may have cataracts, which can occur as dog’s age or with diseases like Diabetes. If this change has occurred suddenly I would recommend having Coco checked out as soon as possible. If it has been a gradual change it is probably less concerning. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Quintino! I have had patients have successful cataract surgery after being diagnosed with diabetes. The owners have been very happy and feel that their dog's quality of life was improved. Success rates are about 90-95% per eye 6 months after surgery. Complications (the 5-10%) can be imperfect but improved vision, or inflammation that requires long-term medication, glaucoma and/or retinal detachment. Complications can lead to loss of the eye in about 1% of cases. I hope this helps. Good luck!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is a little difficult to see due to the flash, but if the area is in the eye itself, it may be the beginning of a cataract. If you are referring to the area in the corner of the eye, closes to the nose, it is normal for the skin around the eye to have a little less hair. Cataracts are very common in dogs, especially as they get older but may be a sign of an underlying health condition such as diabetes. I recommend d having Cooper seen by a vet if you believe there is something abnormal about his eye. I hope this helps and am happy to look at any additional photos or answer any other questions you may have!

June is such a cutie! Unfortunately without seeing it, I cannot say what it is. If it is cataracts then it is possible that the congenital cataracts could get worse and could eventually lead to blindness. There isn't any good treatment to help prevent it from progressing. If it becomes mature and is causing blindness, you can have an ophthalmologist do surgery to repair it. If the recheck is still seeing the white speck, you could always request to have an ophthalmology consult done as well. The breeder may or may not be willing to do that. It could also be a cholesterol deposit which is benign and won't cause any issues. I hope this helps!

Oh my goodness, he is the cutest boy! I can see why you say he's the best boy. It could be that he does have microphthalmia, that one eye is much smaller than the other. The condition itself isn't painful, but it can lead to things such as glaucoma, which is painful. Cataracts can also be another complication of this genetic condition. I would recommend having him seen by a vet yearly to make sure there aren't any complications developing such as cataracts or glaucoma, but that shouldn't stop you from adopting him. He would be very lucky to have you! I hope this helps!

It is hard to evaluate eyes based on a photo. If your vet has told you your dog has cataracts, whether or not surgery is an option depends on a few factors. These include your pets overall health (a physical exam and bloodwork can help determine this), whether or not your pet will tolerate the aftercare (including frequent eye drops at first), and if your dog can still be visual once the cataract is removed (you may need to see an ophthalmologist for special testing to determine this). I would start with a general wellness exam and blood screening at your vet. If all looks good the next step would be a consultation with an ophthalmologist. More info can be found at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=659

Hello, sorry to hear about Yorkie. There are some complications associated with cataracts formation in dogs. The biggest concern is that as the cataracts progresses they may become blind or have blurred vision. However, more importantly, cataracts formation is often secondary to diabetes in dogs and thus, you should ensure Yorkie does not have diabetes. Unfortunately the cataracts is not reversible and there are procedures (phacoemulsification) were the lens (affected part of the eye) is removed and replaced. This generally restores their vision. Please contact your veterinarian about checking Yorkie for diabetes and discussing a referral to an ophthalmologist to evaluate his cataracts. Hope this helps and best of luck.