Cataracts in Dogs: Types and Prevention

When dealing with cataracts in dogs, lots of pet owners are confused of what they should do. Well, cataracts symptoms in dogs are almost the same as in humans. Although owners need to consult the problems with the vet when they want to treat cataract in dog, it’s better if they’re able to understand and learn more about this disease.

This disease is curable and treatable, but once the symptoms appear to the surface, medical steps need to be taken immediately or everything will be too late. If the pet owners are late to find out about the cataract in dog issue, their pets may suffer from blindness.

 

Cataracts in Dogs: Understanding the Issue

Lots of people often mix and confuse the cataracts in dogs with nuclear sclerosis. Although these diseases look the same, they’re different in nature and traits. The cataract will influence the lens within the eyes whose function is to help the sight to be more focused.

The nuclear sclerosis in dogs, however, is the hardening of the lens. The hardening is often accompanied with the changing colors of the lens. The lenses usually become grayish, but often times, it doesn’t affect the dogs’ vision at all. The sclerosis usually happens because of aging – the lenses are compressed over time; while cataract is a disease.

Another difference of cataracts and sclerosis is that sclerosis usually affects both eyes simultaneously; while cataract may happen to only one eye. There’re three types of cataracts in dogs, such as:

*Incipient cataract, which is the mildest symptom. The dogs’ vision won’t be affected at all during this stage.

*Immature cataract, which is more severe that the incipient. Dogs will have blurred vision at this stage. Their eyes will be covered or clouded in small portion.

*Mature cataract, where the eyes are completely covered or clouded. This is the most severe stage. When dogs have reached this stage in cataract in dog, it’s likely that the cure won’t be easy to perform or done.

 

Cataracts in Dogs: How to Prevent the Disease

If pet owners don’t want to deal with cataracts in dogs, they should:

*give more vitamin C and E for their dogs. If their dogs start showing cataract in dogs symptoms, the owners can provide more powdered vitamin E and C.

*add more vegetables into their food, like kale or carrots.

*give bilberry.

*give cineraria if the cataract has formed. When owners give this extract, they don’t have to deal with cataracts and blindness in dogs. If they’re able to do these steps, they may be able to prevent cataracts in dogs.