There is virtually no way to prevent cataracts from happening to your dog. They are normally a result of hereditary factors that are unavoidable. There is no set amount of time in which cataracts can develop. It may take a long period of years or it may take only a few weeks. A few medical issues that may speed up cataracts is diabetes. This disease can result in an almost definite form of blindness in less than a year from its onslaught.
Does this mean that dog cataract surgery is necessary for every dog? In most instances dog cataract surgery is only for the dog’s overall quality of life. Not all dog’s become blind when they have a cataract. There are no life-extending or life-saving components to your pet having the surgery. The important thing is to have an animal ophthalmologist properly examine your canine to determine if dog cataract surgery is something that is necessary. If the dog is completely blind because of the cataract then the vet may recommend the surgery to simply make your pet’s life better with regained site.
The procedure of dog cataract surgery is the same as it is in that performed on humans. Veterinarian surgeons make a tiny incision in the dog’s eye, remove the lens with the cataract on it and replace it with an artificial lens. Tiny absorbable stitches are used to close up the incision. The type of lens that is needed is determined by the veterinarian ophthalmologist before performing the procedure.
During the dog cataract surgery, your pet is under general anesthesia. The procedure is extremely delicate and must be performed under a highly magnified surgical microscope. If necessary, both eyes may be operated on at the same time. The price of dog cataract surgery may seem a bit high to some, however, it is a very delicate procedure that takes specific types of equipment to complete successfully.
