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I have a almost eleven year old that is starting to show some cataracts. His vision is still, good, spots ducks in the sky before I do. If they get bad there is the surgery, but is there a supplement or eye drop that can slow the progression. Still a fair amount of tread on the tires to have a bad set of eyes.....
One of our schnauzers developed cataracts he went totally blind in about 6 months. I had talked to an eye surgeon about surgery, it would cost around 5K for both eyes, Because of health issues they didnt know if he would make it through, so now he is getting around the best he can.
Your 11 year old probably has nuclear sclerosis, a nutritional change in the lens of the eye which causes the lens to refract light making the once invisible lens visible. Fortunately for our old friends nuclear sclerosis does not impair vision whereas cataracts do impair vision often leading to near blindness, the dog seeing the difference between light and dark but without details.Quote:
Originally Posted by limiman12
Our dog is having a hard time because my daughter recently moved and he doesn't know the layout of the apartent, so there is a lot of wall bumping. He also has tried to attack my lab a couple times, this is a dog he grew up with and loves. Is this common with blind dogs?
Changes in surroundings, rearranging the furniture, being suddenly surprised are upsetting. It is always advisable to speak to a blind dog before entering their space. This link is to a very good book, Living With Blind Dogs by Caroline Levin.Quote:
Originally Posted by gmhr1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/096722..._iv_books?is=l
Thank you,I will pick up a copy
I cannot speak for the dogs with bad vision, but have had catarac surgery in both eyes. It has improved my vision, but not my disposition and I feel it is the same way with dogs as they get older. I don't like my place at the table moved or the routine I have followed for the last 30 years changed by someones young whem. At nearly 83 I get pissed off more easily and am slower to get over it. I am fortunate to have a wife a few years younger than I and in the 58 years we've been married she has tasken good care of me. My hearing is going too, as is my old dog Dee Dee. She may just have what Cleo calls selective hearing (is that my trouble too?)
With the older dogs, treat them better, exercise them less vigerously, talk kindly to them and rub their ears when they are in reach. I have a bunch of them too, they've been good to me and they desirve it! Bill
My understanding is that surgery is the only option. If your boy can still spot ducks in the sky before you do, it sounds like he is doing pretty darned good for an 11 year old.Quote:
Originally Posted by limiman12
My lab was diagnosed at 6 months with a cataract. He lived to be 13 and could still catch a fly out of the air.