# Cataracts in a one year old?



## MeandBen (Aug 26, 2016)

Good morning everyone. My boy was to the vet yesterday for an ear infection....much to my surprise, upon routine exam, the vet discovered he has cataracts. (They must have just appeared because the vet saw him a few months ago and they were not there) The vet seemed not at all concerned about it. Just said that we would note on his chart that he has it and continue to monitor. He told me not to worry about it....but I am! Will it get worse? Will he lose his sight? He is going to be two in June. Anyone else out there have a pup with this? I need some reassurance. Thanks!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Sorry to hear this diagnosis, I would get a referral to see an Opthamologist specialist and have his eyes checked.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

It depends on the type of cataracts. I would recommend seeing a veterinary opthamalogist to determine what kind he has. Juvenile hereditary cataracts are an issue in Goldens, which is why annual visits to veterinary opthamalogists are recommended for breeding animals. In most cases, these cataracts do not progress and do not interfere with vision. 

There are other cataracts that are more serious, so always a good idea to check.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

When I purchased my girl 2 yrs ago I was shown "normal" eye exams on both parents but neither report had been submitted to OFA for verification. My bad 
A few months later the breeder had the dam re-examined and this time submitted the report to OFA. She had cataracts. I have to question the validity of the report I was shown but then maybe I just have trust issues.
The sire has not had a report submitted to OFA since 2015 with noted Distichiasis and uveal cyst.

I didn't do a very good job on my research and gratefully this forum has taught me a great deal about this. Looking back I would not have gotten a puppy from this pairing. These may not be serious problems alone but with both sire and dam having eye issues I would have passed. Lesson learned 

I had lots of odd, un puppy like behaviors I couldn't explain. Then one day during training I realized the poor pup had to look at the ground with each and every step. It's like she was afraid of walking off a ledge.

We had her eyes examined by an opthamologist and at 15 months it was confirmed she already had cataracts. I already knew about the Distichiasis as her eye watered for months after bringing her home. But I wasn't prepared for the diagnosis of retinal dysplasia, geographic. We failed the eye clearance.

We will be getting another eye exam later this month and would suggest you have your pups eyes examined yearly by an opthamologist. I have had visitor dogs in the past, usually cockers, with cataracts and as time goes by they will eventually blind the dog but surgery can help once it reaches this stage.

I thought I asked all the right questions, verified all the OFA information but didn't pay attention to the dates of the reports. According to the dates the breeding happened shortly before the 2nd birthday... oops litter?

Instead of lowering the price and selling the pups from parents without clearances the breeder choose to get hip/elbow clearances after the breeding and this exposed the puppies in utero to radiation. This can be a factor with the retinal dysplasia or it could be a genetic thing that happens between the two specific dogs. But leave it to me to pick the one pup that couldn't see very well.

So gratefully as my girl grew, the dysplasia (blind spot) did not. We have learned how to work around some of her challenges but will be monitoring the cataract status closely.

I'm sorry you are faced with this problem at such an early age but totally understand what you are feeling.


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

Puddles everywhere *OFA does not verify eye exams *they only post results for your exam done on a specified form by a certified ophthalmologist. Used to be called Cerf test now its something else. Its not required to turn them in but its recommended so there is a public record. It used to be you only did one and done with eyes at 2 by a certified ophthalmologist now they get done every year for breeding dogs. So your dam probably was clear at the time the first test was done but it developed in that following year. It does happen and the reason for the yearly tests. For some types of eye problems you can now do a genetic test for them. That really helps with those eye problems that do not often show up in young dogs.

For the original poster I always suggest going to a certified ophthalmologist for any eye problem such as this they can give a much more comprehensive eye test.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

It was my understanding the Dr that does the exam sends OFA a copy to match up with my copy to verify the report has not been altered. That's what I meant by verify.

After Sipsy's failed clearance I have noticed the breeder has started doing Paw Print Genetics but she hasn't shared info with me to say both sire and dam carried the genetics to cause the retinal dysplasia. But glad to see she is doing the testing.

I'm still quite the rookie when it comes to all this and maybe the breeder saw a reason to retest the dam's eyes after 3 months. Sharing information isn't her best asset.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Just chipping in...

Our first golden either had juvenile cataracts because it was hereditary or it was caused by the kidney defect that he probably had. 

Those cataracts were dx at his 1 year booster visit by our regular vet. The regular vet recommended that we think about getting him in with an eye specialist, but basically told us that typically the only probable impact to our dog's vision was depth perception and lighting issues (dim rooms or walking after dusk). 

Our dog's cataracts did not worsen. And to be honest, there's old dogs out there with nuclear sclerosis which looks worse than our dog's cataracts did. 

As Linda (Tahnee) said above - the breed is one of those where cataracts are likely and it's a hereditary condition. It used to be a lot more prevalent in the breed BEFORE people really cracked down on not breeding dogs who had cataracts.

It's also something to keep in mind whenever you have breeders who deliberately breed dogs with cataracts or take the condition lightly....  

I'd get an eye specialist to take a look at the eyes. Eye cert will cost you about $50, regular visit with eye specialist will be closer to $200 (at least with the place I take my guys for their ofa's), probably worth it doing the regular exam right now and maybe every couple years doing an OFA cert visit just to make sure the cataracts are not progressing. *Eye clearances are done on the spot NOT by OFA. OFA only registers the results and makes them publicly available. You don't have to wait 1/2 a month to find out whether your dog passed his clearance or not. 

Most cataracts will not lead to blindness. It probably bothers the owners more than it bothers the dogs.

If your dog's cataracts progress rapidly and cause vision problems - there is a surgery to correct them in that case. An eye specialist is somebody to discuss all this stuff with.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

That is really great to know, thank you both. We will be having her 2nd exam this month (it's been almost a year since 1st exam) and hope there is no change but what you said was encouraging.
The only dogs that I have seen with cataract problems that progressed were spaniels and did not know there were different strains of cataracts. I love what you can learn from this forum, you guys rock!

I didn't realize they could cause the depth perception or night vision problems, I actually thought this was because of the retinal dysplasia. Sipsy looses sight of balls when you throw them, she listens for the thump to know where to start looking. She tends to stumble into the jumps, does ok with the broad jump though. She clearly sees "ghost" when the lights are dim, shadows come alive for her. I obviously need to ask more questions at this eye exam visit.


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## MeandBen (Aug 26, 2016)

Thank you all SO much. I am calling the specialist now. Will get him in and go from there. I am feeling MUCH better having read your replies! Can't thank you enough!


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Sorry to hear this diagnosis, I would get a referral to see an Opthamologist specialist and have his eyes checked.


Yes, this.


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