Dogs And Cataracts

[Old Man River]

My vet says my 2 year old golden retriever is developing a cataract. The vet says to wait 3 or 4 years until the cataract is fully developed and cross that bridge when we get there. Is it really better to wait? Are there specialists in this sort of thing in Bangkok I can take my golden to?

Thanks

[Nienke]

My vet says my 2 year old golden retriever is developing a cataract. The vet says to wait 3 or 4 years until the cataract is fully developed and cross that bridge when we get there. Is it really better to wait? Are there specialists in this sort of thing in Bangkok I can take my golden to?

Thanks

I'm so sorry to read this OMR. That must be a huge shock to you and your family.

Cataracts can be hereditary and non-hereditary. "Hereditary cataracts are most commonly found in Poodles, Cockers, Boston terriers, Wire Fox terriers, Siberian Huskys, Golden Retrievers, Labrador retrievers and Old English Sheepdogs." This is a sentence from my 'Dog owner's Home veterinary handbook, written by two Americans. With the way of 'breeding' they do here I fear with big fears it IS hereditary.

However, cataract can also develop as a result of diabetes, or due to a lack of vitamin B-2, certain amino acids and/or vitamin C.

So, before saying this problem it's hereditary, you need to check with the vet if your dog isn't diabetes and you have to have a good look at what kind of diet your dog is eating. If the diet consist of any kind of kibble bought in a supermarket, than I strongly recommend to change it to a high quality diet.

Well ... to be perfectly honest I strongly recommend you to change to a raw diet.

Then, supplement:

* everyday a 1 tablet of Vitamin C (and not the cheap ones, but the sodium ascorbate ones. Brandname is HI-Cee and you can buy it in any pharmacy; 1 tab is 500 mg).

*for two weeks give daily 400 I.U. Vitamin E , then go back to a maintenance dose of 200 I.U. a day.

* daily vitamin B pill with B2 in it.

* daily in the eyes you can put olive oil or cod liver oil (one drop each, once a day). There has been great success in treating early stage cataract, when putting 1 drop of Eucalyptus honey in each eye daily. However, I have no clue where you can get that in Thailand. You might have to import it.

There are also homeopathic remedies that can be used with cataract in young dogs. However, this treatment takes a long times, several months, and good results can only be expected when treatment has started in the early stage of the disease.

But first of all, most important you need to check whether your dog is diabetic or not. I assume a good place to go is Kasetsart University in Bangkok.

Hope this can be of some help to your dog,

Nienke

[Old Man River]

My vet says my 2 year old golden retriever is developing a cataract. The vet says to wait 3 or 4 years until the cataract is fully developed and cross that bridge when we get there. Is it really better to wait? Are there specialists in this sort of thing in Bangkok I can take my golden to?

Thanks

I'm so sorry to read this OMR. That must be a huge shock to you and your family.

Cataracts can be hereditary and non-hereditary. "Hereditary cataracts are most commonly found in Poodles, Cockers, Boston terriers, Wire Fox terriers, Siberian Huskys, Golden Retrievers, Labrador retrievers and Old English Sheepdogs." This is a sentence from my 'Dog owner's Home veterinary handbook, written by two Americans. With the way of 'breeding' they do here I fear with big fears it IS hereditary.

However, cataract can also develop as a result of diabetes, or due to a lack of vitamin B-2, certain amino acids and/or vitamin C.

So, before saying this problem it's hereditary, you need to check with the vet if your dog isn't diabetes and you have to have a good look at what kind of diet your dog is eating. If the diet consist of any kind of kibble bought in a supermarket, than I strongly recommend to change it to a high quality diet.

Well ... to be perfectly honest I strongly recommend you to change to a raw diet.

Then, supplement:

* everyday a 1 tablet of Vitamin C (and not the cheap ones, but the sodium ascorbate ones. Brandname is HI-Cee and you can buy it in any pharmacy; 1 tab is 500 mg).

*for two weeks give daily 400 I.U. Vitamin E , then go back to a maintenance dose of 200 I.U. a day.

* daily vitamin B pill with B2 in it.

* daily in the eyes you can put olive oil or cod liver oil (one drop each, once a day). There has been great success in treating early stage cataract, when putting 1 drop of Eucalyptus honey in each eye daily. However, I have no clue where you can get that in Thailand. You might have to import it.

There are also homeopathic remedies that can be used with cataract in young dogs. However, this treatment takes a long times, several months, and good results can only be expected when treatment has started in the early stage of the disease.

But first of all, most important you need to check whether your dog is diabetic or not. I assume a good place to go is Kasetsart University in Bangkok.

Hope this can be of some help to your dog,

Nienke

Thanks Nienke.

I guess whether it is hereditary or not is kind of water under the bridge, as we are where we are. It is our intent to do whatever we can. The vet gave her a full exam this week (and caught the eye problem). Blood tests were done and the vet said she is fine otherwise. We are feeding the dog Eukanuba and haven't changed this diet since we got her at 2 months (she is two years old now).

I think what you are saying (but not sure) is that a change of diet may cure the cataract so that it never forms. Is this correct? Can a potential cataract condition be reversed?

The vet said there wasn't anything that could be done and to wait for the cataract to develop (it takes several years) and then decide whether to operate, but she wasn't optimistic saying that the results of cataract operations on dogs were not favorable. Is this true?

Thanks.

[Old Man River]

With the way of 'breeding' they do here I fear with big fears it IS hereditary.

Just an after thought from my previous question, but one of the reasons we bought a pedigreed golden is to ensure we knew that there wasn't inbreeding. Our dog's papers (registered with the Thai Kennel Club) clearly show no inbreeding going back many years (most are from the US and half have Am.Ch. designations). From this, I would think that it isn't hereditary. Do you agree or am I missing something?

[Nienke]

Thanks Nienke.

I guess whether it is hereditary or not is kind of water under the bridge, as we are where we are. It is our intent to do whatever we can. The vet gave her a full exam this week (and caught the eye problem). Blood tests were done and the vet said she is fine otherwise. No sure if there has to be done special tests for diabetes. You've got to verify this with your vet.

We are feeding the dog Eukanuba and haven't changed this diet since we got her at 2 months (she is two years old now). That's almost two years everyday exactly the same nutrients. My logical way of thinking is that this is not a various diet, and then, 'Yes' it's possible the dog can develop some sort of lack in nutrients.

I think what you are saying (but not sure) is that a change of diet may cure the cataract so that it never forms. Is this correct? Can a potential cataract condition be reversed? I'm not a vet, but from what i've read and heard, IF the problem is diet related and not advanced, it can be reversed.

The vet said there wasn't anything that could be done and to wait for the cataract to develop (it takes several years) and then decide whether to operate, but she wasn't optimistic saying that the results of cataract operations on dogs were not favorable. Is this true? Again, I think it depends on the underlaying cause of the problem. I do know that homeopathy can cure many health problems in people and animals, that have been diagnosed as untreatable by the allopathic curative methods. However, the history taking (a huge questionnaire that goes into every aspect of your animal: metal and physical, diet, vaccine and medical history etc. etc) and diagnose is lenghty and treatment can take a while. On the other hand, succes rates are very high and often long-lasting/life time. Although, I do have a certificate in homeopathy for small pet animals, I do not feel knowledgeable enough (yet) to take a case as yours. But if you are interested, I'm very willing to give you contact numbers/email addresses of highly skilled homeopaths in The States. But be prepared, they are very good, but their fees are American prices and that's not cheap AT ALL. Please, pm me if you would like their details. One thing I'm very sure of, ALL of them will tell you to change your dog's diet to a raw fed one.

Nienke

[Nienke]

With the way of 'breeding' they do here I fear with big fears it IS hereditary.

Just an after thought from my previous question, but one of the reasons we bought a pedigreed golden is to ensure we knew that there wasn't inbreeding. Our dog's papers (registered with the Thai Kennel Club) clearly show no inbreeding going back many years (most are from the US and half have Am.Ch. designations). From this, I would think that it isn't hereditary. Do you agree or am I missing something?

That a dog is regitered with the Thai kennel Club, doesn't tell me that it is healthy and free of disease, and even that it is a dog of which the structure is according the breed standards. I've seen many pedigreed dogs, where I really wonder how on earth they can have a pedigree.

Then, hereditary defects are not only a result of inbreeding. It depends if in a line there are occurences of a defect or not. If there is the animal should be excluded from breeding. And that is often not the case.

So, I've seen once a rottweiler becoming Thai Champ. This dog had clearly hip displasia in one of his hips. For sure, it will give this disease to its off-spring.

My rottweiler has an, oh so cute, undershot and a pedigree, and my GSD bitch has two missing pre-molars and a pedigree. Both defects are no-no's in shows and in breeding, but people would still breed with these kind of dogs.

Nienke

[Old Man River]

Thanks Nienke.

The vet said there wasn't anything that could be done and to wait for the cataract to develop (it takes several years) and then decide whether to operate, but she wasn't optimistic saying that the results of cataract operations on dogs were not favorable. Is this true? Again, I think it depends on the underlaying cause of the problem. I do know that homeopathy can cure many health problems in people and animals, that have been diagnosed as untreatable by the allopathic curative methods. However, the history taking (a huge questionnaire that goes into every aspect of your animal: metal and physical, diet, vaccine and medical history etc. etc) and diagnose is lenghty and treatment can take a while. On the other hand, succes rates are very high and often long-lasting/life time. Although, I do have a certificate in homeopathy for small pet animals, I do not feel knowledgeable enough (yet) to take a case as yours. But if you are interested, I'm very willing to give you contact numbers/email addresses of highly skilled homeopaths in The States. But be prepared, they are very good, but their fees are American prices and that's not cheap AT ALL. Please, pm me if you would like their details. One thing I'm very sure of, ALL of them will tell you to change your dog's diet to a raw fed one.

Nienke

I think I will go the diet change and vitamin route first.

Again, many thanks for taking your time out to help.

Best regards,

OMR

[chubbly]

Hi there,

Not sure whether this will be of help, but it seems to disagree with the concept of waiting for the cataracts to develop.

http://www.vin.com/WebLink.plx?URL=http://...m-cataracts.htm

[Old Man River]

Hi there,

Not sure whether this will be of help, but it seems to disagree with the concept of waiting for the cataracts to develop.

http://www.vin.com/WebLink.plx?URL=http://...m-cataracts.htm

Thanks Chubbly. It does show that eye surgery for dogs should be performed earlier than what was previously thought (which is what my vet had told me). I will seek out a Dr. who can perform this surgery. Perhaps at Kasetsart as Neinke suggested. In any event, that would be a good start.

If anyone else knows a good vet who can perform cataract surgery on dogs who is domiciled in Bangkok, please let me know.

Thanks again,

OMR

[MiG16]

Good luck and good recovery to your dog best wishes....all I can offer...neinke has given so much practical info already....and im sure once bambi sees the thread she will add her opinion too

[quiksilva]

Sorry to hear about this OMR You may also want to PM Bambina hopefully she can help.

[Old Man River]

Sorry to hear about this OMR You may also want to PM Bambina hopefully she can help.

Thanks. It was good advice. She has been helpful and has referred us to a specialist.

[Nienke]

Way to tired to something else than playing a bit on the computer, i came across the following link:

http://www.bionational.com/xcart/catalog/c...dYDwU5w#anchor3

It might be of interest to you and maybe discuss with the cataract specialist.

Nienke