Considering cataract surgery for my diabetic dog: success & risks?

A well regulated diabetic dog should not have a higher risk for surgery. Of course, it depends on the surgery. Sometimes wounds tend to not heal so well in diabetic dogs, so there is always the risk of an incision not healing well. Your vet will evaluate and weigh up the risks vs the benefit of a needed surgery in your dog. If the benefit is greater than the risk, then surgery is feasible.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Unfortunately there is no treatment for cataracts other than cataract surgery to remove the diseased lens, and this costs thousands of dollars (around $7000 for both eyes). There are eye drops that you can try called Ocluvet, but there has been little research on these drops to suggest they actually "dissolve" the cataracts. For the hip arthritis, I would recommend the following below. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. 1. Dasuquin joint supplement for dogs 2. Adequan injections from your veterinarian 3. Anti-inflammatory medication such as Rimadyl or Galliprant 4. Cold laser therapy 5. Welactin omega 3 fish oil

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

Cataracts are fairly common in dogs. There are some potential complications of cataracts, but if it is only in one eye, it may just be something that needs to be monitored. I have attached a handout below with a lot of information on cataracts including treatment and potential complications. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=659 I hope that was helpful and answered your questions. Thanks for using PetCoach.

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diabetes can cause cataract formation so that would cause the blindness. I recommend talking to your vet about spaying Heather because there is a chance the diabetes could be resolved with the surgery. If she is still reading high, talk with your vet about different insulin options because not every option works well for every pet. Also discuss diet options. She may need something that digests a little slower to have more consistent glucose readings. Good luck and kisses to Heather!

Unfortunately there are no such drops effective for treating cataracts. Surgery is the only option to remove those cloudy spots. Differentials for cataracts are nuclear sclerosis and vitreal degeneration as well. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and discuss appropriate treatment. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!