Sudden cloudy eye
 

My 3 yr old girl all of a sudden appears to have one cloudy eye. Her right eye was fine the other day, now it's cloudy looking. I'm so worried. What could it be? Isn't she young for cataracts or glaucoma? Help please anyone! I'm so worrie d.

I have no idea what it could be, she seems extremely young for cataracts. I had a Maltese that had cataracts, but he was 13 when his started showing. I think I would try to get up with a vet tonight, I would be scared of some sort of damage that could cause her to go blind. Sorry I have no better answers, hopefully someone else will be able to. Hope things get well quick!

I would take her to the vet. Hopefully it isn't serious.

Calling vet
 

I'll be calling vet in the am!

One possibility: a corneal ulcer (scratch or hole in the thin outer layer of the eye) can cause a cloudy look. Max has experience with that.

Get her into the vet first thing this morning.

Best wishes for your baby.

Could be a juvenile cataract. The vet may want to check her for diabetes if it's that...

Cloudy eye results
 

Ok, I'm so worried now. My vet said zooeys right eye has cataracts. Shell be seeing a optamologist next Tuesday for check up and my options which may include surgery. I'm so sad and mad at the same time. Being she was from a puppy mill broker that I didn't know of at the time. She has suffered so much already. She came with a skin disease, LP on back leg grade 1, and having throat problems which maybe a collapse trachea, and now this. Cataracts, really? If a N yone has had experienced this with there baby, plz let me know. I was told surgery could be anywhere from 2-3 thousand dolars! I'm torn, and confused. Financially, I can't afford this.

I am very sorry that it is a cataract and that your baby girl has already been through so much.

I'm glad you got her into the vet today and that you will be seeing the specialist next week. From posts I've read here, cataract surgery has a high success rate and is definitely worth it. The downside is that the other eye will likely eventually develop cataracts too.

Care Credit is a great option for financing an expensive procedure with zero interest. Some vet offices allow up to 2 years to repay in total.

Care credit
 

Yay, got care credit. Now will see if I have enough to cover it!

Oh I hope you do!!!!! I just had cataract surgery on my left eye and I can't tell you how much it has improved my life after just two weeks. I'm looking forward to surgery on my other eye.

I watched a cataract surgery on tv this past weekend on a english bulldog. The program was at a vet school back east, amazing.

Cataracts
 

So sorry that your young girl has this diagnosis. I know how you feel as I adopted my boy at one year old and at one and a half years old he developed a cataract in one eye. I was shocked as I too did not know it could happen so young. He had uveitis too and that had to be cured first. He saw the eye specialist and had tests to see if he was suitable for surgery and he was. He did not have diabetes and at 7 years old now the other eye is still ok. The surgery is expensive and the pre and post OP care is tedious and takes some patience and effort on our part with the eye meds etc. They have to wear a cone for a while to protect the eye, but my dog did well with that. The good news is that when the healing was over he can see like a hawk now and is doing fine.
It is important to get an experienced eye specialist vet and really take all the care instructions seriously. The eye meds have to be administered at frequent intervals so someone needs to be there to do this. Cataract surgery in dogs is not the relative walk in the park that it is with most humans. Keeping the dog still and quiet post OP is also important. The reason the surgery is usually advised is the danger of developing glaucoma which can be very painful if not controlled. But your eye vet will explain all that. So all in all, the outcome is well worth it, especially in a young dog.
I also feel for your poor baby who has other health issues too, and for you who is caring so well for her. We do take on a big risk when we adopt pets with unknown ancestry, but knowing we have saved a pet and made them well and happy is so worth it:).
So hang in there, and good luck with the eye doc visit. Please keep in touch about how you both are doing.

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement. I'll keep you all posted!

I am sorry your baby has cataracts on her eye. A tip on care credit - since you already have it you can call and ask for an increase, they more than likely will, they are good about that. The best of luck to you and your sweet baby, prayers for you both!

Great news!

That is wonderful and very encouraging!

Ok, the optamologist saw zooey yesterday. She definitely has cataracts in her right eye. He ad vices sugary to be done soon. He gave her eye drops to be given 2 times a day for the next 2 weeks to help with discomfort and inflammation in that right eye. I just can't believe at her age of 3 this happend. I'm so sad for her. Has anyone ever experienced this and what did you do? I have to make a decision by 2 weeks when she goes back for recheck. Specialist said it is needed, or her eye will get worse, as in damage in the eye that's not operable.

Cataract Surgery
 

Thank you for the update on your baby. I am so sorry she has that diagnosis and that she has it so young. As I said earlier in my post here, my dog was even younger and I was shocked. Must be in the genes I suppose. It can happen with diabetes, so I hope the vet has checked for that.
As the dog is so young and the hazards of not doing the surgery are so scary, I would do it if the vet advises. But I must warn you that the aftercare does take some effort, or at least it did for my dog, and I would ask the vet to explain what is involved. My specialist vet said she will not do the surgery if the owner does not have the time for the correct aftercare.
Again I am so sorry you are going through this but pray all will go well. Please let us know how you and your baby are doing.

Yes the specialist has explained the aftercare. Apparently it's a in and out procedure in one day. I'm a stay at home mom, retired so I can attend to her recovery. They will run blood test before surgery and check everything, so I hope they don't find anything else wrong with her. I am worried about her being put under though. My baby is a puppy mill pup, so she's inherited a one to many defects already. I'm so sad for her:(

Cataracts
 

Thank you.
I really do feel for you having this happen to such a young dog, especially with her other health issues. I hope the trachea/throat problem does not make the intubation/anesthesia more complicated. You are an angel for rescuing this baby girl and caring for her health problems. I hope that the issues can be treated and that she will be a well girl again. My dog was a rescue and after the Cataract I wondered what would go wrong next! He had Pancreatitis, Acid reflux and UTIs but luckily these were treated and well managed.
I am glad that the vet explained the post op treatment regimen and that you are at home to tend to her. The care is not difficult but it was the number and frequency of the eye and oral meds that I had to give. My dog stayed overnight, but was not allowed another night as he barked and disturbed the other doggie patients! My eye vet was super cautious and I wonder if the post op treatment was overkill? Others here who had the surgery did not seem to have such a long and tedious recovery. We had to keep the hard cone on for weeks but luckily he did not seem to mind that, even for sleeping. But it was sad for me to see him having to wear it. I had to either take it off or put the food dish inside the cone for him to eat and drink. It is a clumsy thing!!!!
I don't know if one of those donut-shaped collars would do the job as well?
I hope the blood tests are good as you sure don't need any more health problems!
Thinking of you and praying all will go well with the surgery and her other medical problems.

I am so sorry that Zooey and you are facing this. If I were in your shoes, I would opt for the surgery. As Dottiesyrky wrote, post op care is very hands on, requires supervision.

My Max went through about 6 months off and on with corneal ulcer problems and he required a lot of supervision and holding. Eye drops every 4 hours, hard cone during the worst parts.

I've read many success stories here like Dottiesyrky's boy, so I believe there is plenty of reason to be optimistic.

Keep you and Zooey in my prayers.

Zooeys cataract
 

Going back for 2 week check up next week. Been putting eyedrop meds twice daily. Zooeys still being zooey. Running, fetching, eating, sleeping, and getting dirty in the backyard. She certainly seems like her eye does not bother her. But I'm still worried. I still have tons of questions. How long can I really put this surgery off till urgently needed without causing her any unnecessary pain. I've heard both sides of surgery. Yes, for repairing vision. No, and a 1 eye dog is much better then surgery complications with risk of death. ( trachea problems could worsen) I'm so unsure. Having 1 surgery of 3k to have another 3k surgery due from first surgery. OMG, I'M SO UNDECIDED! HELP ANYONE!

Cataract
 

You poor thing, it is such a hard decision to make and the cost is large I agree, especially so soon after the other big expenditure.
What stage is the cataract? If it is immature then you could put the surgery off for a time, but ultimately the surgery would have to be done. You could monitor the eye pressure as it would be the onset of glaucoma that would probably cause the pain. But now it seems she is not in pain.
Only you and your vets can weigh up all the pros and cons, as well as the trachea issue for anesthetic, as so many factors come into play.
If the worse came to the worst, I don't know how expensive eye removal would be, and anesthetic risks would be similar?
I do feel feel for you as I know how you want to do the best for your baby.
Praying you can come to the decision that is right for you and your girl.
Sorry I cannot help, but this is such a personal decision and what you can and cannot handle at this time.
Good luck. Hugs.

Personally, I would do the surgery. I know it is expensive, but she is so young to lose her vision. The surgery is very successful!

Good luck with this - haven't had this experience and glad you rescued this precious baby. In the paper work I got from my show breeder - it specific says - no pre-op shots. Just thought would pass this along.

:thumbup::thumbup: Without surgery, blindness, glaucoma, and potential eye removal would be my big concerns. I would discuss her trachea with the doctor who would do the cataract surgery.

Keeping you and Zooey in my prayers.