A veterinarian last month said that cataracts in dogs arise for some of the same reasons that they do in people: hereditary conditions, diabetes or aging.
Vision Eyecare Center for Animals veterinarian Chang Ya-fei (張雅斐) said that the No. 1 reason for the eyesight-affecting condition in dogs is hereditary factors.
While some causes for cataracts are shared among dogs and people, dogs do not develop them due to excessive screen time, smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, she said.
Photo: Wu Pei-hua, Taipei Times
“In our experience at the clinic, more than 70 percent of cases in dogs are hereditary, roughly 20 percent from diabetes and about 10 percent due to aging or other causes,” Chang said.
In most cases involving hereditary preconditions, a dog will develop cataracts at about seven years old, she said, adding that her youngest case was a six-month-old puppy.
Dogs that tend to be at greatest risk are poodles, Maltese, miniature Schnauzers and Boston terriers, she said.
Dogs with diabetes often develop cataracts, because the lenses receive more glucose than normal, she said, adding that an enzyme in the lens converts glucose into sorbitol, which affects cells and makes the lens opaque.
“More than 80 percent of dogs that develop diabetes get cataracts within half a year,” she said.
Advanced age in a dog is above 10 years, and as they get older, their lenses grow increasingly turbid, she said.
However, in many cases, even if a dog’s eyes appear grayish in color — a condition known as nuclear sclerosis — their vision is unaffected, and they do not need treatment, she said.
Unfortunately, in many dogs with hereditary factors leading to cataracts there are no signs before the condition develops, meaning owners could easily miss the chance to treat the condition in its early stages, Chang said.
Pet owners — particularly those with higher-risk breeds — should have their dog checked by a vet once every six months, she said.
Treated early, most dogs recover fully from cataracts, she said, adding that surgery could be completed in an hour.
However, with older dogs, medicated eye drops to treat cataracts over a longer period is safer than surgery, she added.
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