Cateracts

[Trish Murphy]

Hi to everyone, I'm new here. I have a five year old CKC. Last week, I noticed a white dot in the middle of both eyes, I think it may be cateracts. I'm wondering has anyone had experience of this? I am looking into insurance now, before I bring her to the vet, as I wonder if it would be a pre-existing condition, if he first diagnosed it before I get insurance. I hope I am wrong, I would hate the thought of an operation, but to lose her sight so young would be awful as well.

Thanks in advance,
Trish

[Zippy]

They don't necessarily lose their sight from a cataract, if you can see through it, so can the doggie.

Is it like a thickening over the whole eye or a spot??

I have no idea what it is.....only what's posted.

Hope it's nothing too serious.

[Trish Murphy]

Thanks, it is a small white dot in both eyes.

[Karlin]

That's probably a lipid deposit, not cataracts. Cataracts tend to be large milky disks that cover the eye. Point it out to your vet next visit but usually it is nothing to worry about. If your cavalier is overweight it would be good idea to get her well down to a slim state as being fat can cause these to worsen and sometimes they are associated with being overweight.

You cannot get insurance now to cover something that already exists -- if a vet sees them on a visit they will be described as pre-existing and likely would be considered pre-existing anyway -- they don't suddenly appear but develop over time. If you buy insurance then take the dog for a vet visit and medical conditions are then picked up they generally are not covered because they are presumed to be pre-existing, especially if you haven't been to the vet for a while.

One of my dogs has one lipid deposit and it isn't anything that needs treatment anyway -- so there's no point in not pointing it out to your vet.

[WoodHaven]

That's probably a lipid deposit, not cataracts. Cataracts tend to be large milky disks that cover the eye. Point it out to your vet next visit but usually it is nothing to worry about. If your cavalier is overweight it would be good idea to get her well down to a slim state as being fat can cause these to worsen and sometimes they are associated with being overweight.

You cannot get insurance now to cover something that already exists -- if a vet sees them on a visit they will be described as pre-existing and likely would be considered pre-existing anyway -- they don't suddenly appear but develop over time. If you buy insurance then take the dog for a vet visit and medical conditions are then picked up they generally are not covered because they are presumed to be pre-existing, especially if you haven't been to the vet for a while.

One of my dogs has one lipid deposit and it isn't anything that needs treatment anyway -- so there's no point in not pointing it out to your vet.

If the spot is on the pupil area (cornea)-- the surface of the eyes-- it is likely corneal dystrophy -- as Karlin has stated a lipid or calcium deposit on the eye. This is usually not a big deal. If inside the eye looks like a "moon" that is the lens clouding and that is cataracts.

[Charleen]

Trish - my dog Pippin had cataract surgery on both eyes before he was 3 years old. Merry, his half-sister also has cataracts. I go back this coming may to my eye veterinarian to see if her cataracts have grown or not. Pippin is doing great after surgery. In fact, he is more outgoing now, probably because he can see!

As Sandy (Woodhaven) mentioned, cataracts look like very cloudy eyes. So if you are seeing a white spot, that is probably not a cataract.