Cataracts in a rescue yorkie - YorkieTalk.com Forums

redwolf41 · 04-25-2012, 03:57 PM

I have a female yorkie that will be 9 in October. I rescued her from a puppy mill last year. I noticed the other day that she has a small white cloudy spot in her right eye. Is it common for yorkies to get cataracts? She has not shown any signs of not being able to see in that eye, but I have had people ask if she is blind. Aside from not changing her surroundings, what can I do to make things easier for her and what signs could she show of it progressing? Any advice would be helpful....Wasnt sure where to post this.

jencar98 · 04-25-2012, 04:10 PM

I've not had a yorkie with cataracts but it's certainly possible,, no reason to think they wouldn't get them.

She might be a candidate for surgery to remove the cataracts, check with your vet. I know the surgery is done at Okla State Vet School, so it's done other places too I'm sure.

Yorkiedaze · 04-25-2012, 04:11 PM

I got a 10 year old Papillon that was totally blind with catarac and we had her eyes operated on so she could spend her remaining years being able to see everything again. You can tell when they are going blind by the color. It's always an opaque color getting whiter all the time. You won't be able to see the pupil.
If having her operated on isn't an option do you think you could find her a wonderful home that would have the operation done? If it's just one eye it shouldn't be as expensive, and if caught soon, then the new lens should work really well.

yorkieusa · 04-25-2012, 05:10 PM

She will need more light as it progresses if you do not plan to have the cataracts removed.

Donnainohio63 · 04-26-2012, 02:53 AM

Molly came to me with cataracts. She can see but only shadows. They will not pay to have the cataracts removed. I was told when I got her that she is between 5 and 6 but I think she is older because I never heard of a younger Yorkie having cataracts and so progressed. If I were a rich woman Molly would have her sight back. They told me it was anywhere from 1200 to 2500 per eye

CouversMom · 04-26-2012, 07:55 AM

My foster yorkie had cataracts. There is a surgery where they can be removed. If it is affecting her vision, I would speak to your vet about it.

btytler83 · 04-26-2012, 09:32 AM

I have a terrier mix that is about 15 years old (maybe older) and she has cataracts. The surgery was way more that we could afford (we were told 2500 to 3000 for each eye). She can see shadows but doesn't really know who is in front of her. She still likes to jump around and play some but not very often and not for very long (I think that is because of her advanced age).

Hers started in one eye and you could see it getting larger then we started to notice it in the other eye.

We try not to make drastic changes to the rooms she is aloud in and when she gets up to move around she tends to move on the same "trail" through the house so I make sure there isn't anything left on her "trail". We also have to watch for her when we walk because she doesn't always smell us in time to move (her hearing is going also). We also have her food bowl in the same spot and we fenced in our back yard so she could spend time without wondering off.

Hope this helps.

redwolf41 · 04-27-2012, 05:24 AM

Thank you all for your advice it has helped. I have already called her vet and it would cost too much to get the surgery for her. But she is doing good other than that.

ladyjane · 04-27-2012, 05:31 AM

You really should have her checked out anyway....just to make sure that it is indeed cataracts.

redwolf41 · 04-28-2012, 08:14 PM

She is due for a visit soon and we will talk to her regular vet it and what it is.

lillymae · 04-28-2012, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redwolf41

She is due for a visit soon and we will talk to her regular vet it and what it is.

I would get her in ASAP as it may be an infection or an ulcer that can be treated with meds but if you wait & it is 1 of those things it could cause vision loss.

My Sophia · 04-28-2012, 09:57 PM

My Sophia has a little white cloud on her eye also. it's not a cataract, though, it's from her jumping off our bed and landing on a sleeping cat. Sleeping cat came up swinging and caught Soph across the face. Definitely have it checked out because as has been said previously, it could be an easily treated ulcer or scratch.

04-25-2012, 03:57 PM	#1
redwolf41 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Lampasas, Tx Posts: 74	Cataracts in a rescue yorkie I have a female yorkie that will be 9 in October. I rescued her from a puppy mill last year. I noticed the other day that she has a small white cloudy spot in her right eye. Is it common for yorkies to get cataracts? She has not shown any signs of not being able to see in that eye, but I have had people ask if she is blind. Aside from not changing her surroundings, what can I do to make things easier for her and what signs could she show of it progressing? Any advice would be helpful....Wasnt sure where to post this.

04-25-2012, 04:10 PM	#2
jencar98 Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 6,435 Blog Entries: 3	I've not had a yorkie with cataracts but it's certainly possible,, no reason to think they wouldn't get them. She might be a candidate for surgery to remove the cataracts, check with your vet. I know the surgery is done at Okla State Vet School, so it's done other places too I'm sure. __________________ ~Ruby, Reno, Razz, & Jack~

04-25-2012, 04:11 PM	#3
Yorkiedaze My hairy-legged girls Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: lompoc, ca. Posts: 12,228	I got a 10 year old Papillon that was totally blind with catarac and we had her eyes operated on so she could spend her remaining years being able to see everything again. You can tell when they are going blind by the color. It's always an opaque color getting whiter all the time. You won't be able to see the pupil. If having her operated on isn't an option do you think you could find her a wonderful home that would have the operation done? If it's just one eye it shouldn't be as expensive, and if caught soon, then the new lens should work really well. __________________ AZRAEL RAZAEL JILLI ANN

04-25-2012, 05:10 PM	#4
yorkieusa Crazy about Kacee! Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 21,173	She will need more light as it progresses if you do not plan to have the cataracts removed. __________________ Karen Kacee Muffin 1991-2005 Rest in Peace My Little Angel

04-26-2012, 02:53 AM	#5
Donnainohio63 Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Lorain Ohio Posts: 1,882	Molly came to me with cataracts. She can see but only shadows. They will not pay to have the cataracts removed. I was told when I got her that she is between 5 and 6 but I think she is older because I never heard of a younger Yorkie having cataracts and so progressed. If I were a rich woman Molly would have her sight back. They told me it was anywhere from 1200 to 2500 per eye __________________ http://thelittleyorkierescue.weebly.com/

04-26-2012, 07:55 AM	#6
CouversMom and Khloe Mae's too! Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Eastern Washington Posts: 14,732	My foster yorkie had cataracts. There is a surgery where they can be removed. If it is affecting her vision, I would speak to your vet about it. __________________ Michelle- mommy to Couver and Khloe Mae! http://yorkiehavenrescue.com/

04-26-2012, 09:32 AM	#7
btytler83 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Hayden, Alabama, United States Posts: 33	I have a terrier mix that is about 15 years old (maybe older) and she has cataracts. The surgery was way more that we could afford (we were told 2500 to 3000 for each eye). She can see shadows but doesn't really know who is in front of her. She still likes to jump around and play some but not very often and not for very long (I think that is because of her advanced age). Hers started in one eye and you could see it getting larger then we started to notice it in the other eye. We try not to make drastic changes to the rooms she is aloud in and when she gets up to move around she tends to move on the same "trail" through the house so I make sure there isn't anything left on her "trail". We also have to watch for her when we walk because she doesn't always smell us in time to move (her hearing is going also). We also have her food bowl in the same spot and we fenced in our back yard so she could spend time without wondering off. Hope this helps.

04-27-2012, 05:24 AM	#8
redwolf41 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Lampasas, Tx Posts: 74	Thank you all for your advice it has helped. I have already called her vet and it would cost too much to get the surgery for her. But she is doing good other than that.

04-27-2012, 05:31 AM	#9
ladyjane Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 27,470	You really should have her checked out anyway....just to make sure that it is indeed cataracts. __________________ CLOUD NINE BEDS--YORKIE HAVEN RESCUE MY ETSY SHOP

04-28-2012, 08:14 PM	#10
redwolf41 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Lampasas, Tx Posts: 74	She is due for a visit soon and we will talk to her regular vet it and what it is.

04-28-2012, 09:57 PM	#12
My Sophia YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA Posts: 467	My Sophia has a little white cloud on her eye also. it's not a cataract, though, it's from her jumping off our bed and landing on a sleeping cat. Sleeping cat came up swinging and caught Soph across the face. Definitely have it checked out because as has been said previously, it could be an easily treated ulcer or scratch.