My BT named Keith developed cataracts a couple years ago when he was 7. They came on fast, and while I knew he was mostly blind, I couldn’t leave his eyes as is since glaucoma would likely result with pain etc.
I took a chance on saving at least one, and had both lenses replaced. He did so well, and has had vision for 2 years. My how things can change though…….a few months ago he was playing with my other BT and scratched his cornea. It wouldn’t heal regardless of drops and serum and ended up after 3 weeks needing a pedicel graft to prevent rupture. I needed to try, and it went well with good healing. However, his pressures started to creep up and he had an acute glaucoma attack that drugs successfully brought under control. The inflammation from the ulcer messed up his drainage and so things weren’t working so well in his eye.
Now he’s medded up and I’m making ANOTHER decision. He’s still visual so I can’t bring myself to remove the eye yet. I’m going to try non invasive laser to reduce fluid production. If that doesn’t work, I guess he will need to part with that eye.
Being in this position of deciding is making me lose my mind! If he was blind or in pain, easy decision, removal. But it’s not there yet and there can be complications with putting the laser off and also with laser itself. Argh!!!!!!!
My 11 year old had a glaucoma attack back 8 months ago in his left eye. With glaucoma you don’t know they have it until it’s too late most times. He lost vision in his left eye but still had vision in his right eye. We were using drops ever since for both eyes but 10 days ago I came home and he was completely blind. His pressure had risen to 56 in his right eye. We got it down fairly quickly but he will most likely never see again. My vet is giving me the option of an antibiotic injection into both eyes which stops the fluid flow therefore eliminates any chance of pressure building up and having the surgical procedure of removing the eyes. We are waiting another week just to be sure he doesn’t regain even the slightest bit of vision to be sure. The shot does destroy the retina.
My Terrier mix recently had a double inoculation. I chose to have her eyes sewn shut instead of fake eyes. I was told the fake eyes may cause problems down the line. It is tuff making a decision for these awesome creatures. I wish my vet would have recommended the book “Living with a blind dog” ,available at library,and also blinddogs.net. before she went blind . I have added carpet runners, rugs in front of dog door, and strips on the steps. Transition would have been easier for her if this was done before blindness. It’s been a couple of months since surgery and she is back to her very fearless, happy self
I am in the process of deciding if I should go ahead with surgery to remove his cataracts. The vet said he would be blind in about a year but also caveated that with the high risk that BT have for detached retina and glaucoma. It’s a 38% chance he will get these complications but there is also a 62% chance he won’t. He is the joy of our lives and he is only 4 years old so I don’t want to deprive him of so many years of seeing those darn squirrels in our back yard! He’s name is Benny.
My dog was three years old and diagnosed with a cataract. He was at risk for gluacoma and so the success rate was 60%. Everything was great for 6 months and then things declined quickly and he developed gluacoma in the eye. It is so painful and now he is completely blind in the eye. If i could go back i would have never done the surgery!