Cataract removal for dog

[dualmeister]

So my woof has developed cataracts over both of his eyes now and is about 95% blind as a result

He gets around pretty well though, as long as you do not move the furniture around.

I've been told by various vets that we are looking at about R11K to R15K per eye for the surgery to have them removed. This is not an option though

Does anyone perhaps know of a place in Cape Town that might do this for free or even a small donation. For example UCT has a dental school where you can go and get treated my students for free as part of their training. Something like this?

Otherwise I have to get him a guide dog

 

[ScottulusMaximus]

We looked into this with our old lady, vet says it's extremely painful and difficult on the dog and should only be done if they are going to have a fairly significant lifespan after the op.

And yes it was going to be expensive AF.

 

[dualmeister]

We looked into this with our old lady, vet says it's extremely painful and difficult on the dog and should only be done if they are going to have a fairly significant lifespan after the op.

And yes it was going to be expensive AF.

Yeah he not a spring chicken anymore

 

[Lupus]

So my woof has developed cataracts over both of his eyes now and is about 95% blind as a result

He gets around pretty well though, as long as you do not move the furniture around.

I've been told by various vets that we are looking at about R11K to R15K per eye for the surgery to have them removed. This is not an option though

Does anyone perhaps know of a place in Cape Town that might do this for free or even a small donation. For example UCT has a dental school where you can go and get treated my students for free as part of their training. Something like this?

Otherwise I have to get him a guide dog

There are only 2 hospitals in SA that do the surgery, one in CT and one in JHB. It's a specialist field and costs a fortune,we looked at for our old girl and it was going to be 30k for the op, 4k for the visit and at 13 her chances of surviving the op aren't high, she has a heart murmur and last year she lost one eye and just barely made that op.

 

[Lupus]

We looked into this with our old lady, vet says it's extremely painful and difficult on the dog and should only be done if they are going to have a fairly significant lifespan after the op.

And yes it was going to be expensive AF.

Yeah that is if they survive the op

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

Doggo's get Cataracts? learn something new everyday.
maybe I'm the ignorant one, but I always thought its only Humans that get that.

 

[dualmeister]

Doggo's get Cataracts? learn something new everyday.
maybe I'm the ignorant one, but I always thought its only Humans that get that.

Apparently the operation is very similar to on a human. In fact I know of a eye surgeon (as in human) who performed the surgery on his friends dog to remove them. Did not charge him. Did it as a favour / test and all went well.

Unfortunately I do not have contacts like these

 

[Jam Sandwich]

Yeah he not a spring chicken anymore

Dogs (animals) can and will adapt....I have a frisky ass Collie who managed to become disabled a few years ago..she jumped for a ball, twisted herself in the air and that was that...no use of her back legs...Vet advised me to PTS....Anyway...Just over 2 years later she has a little bit of use in her rear legs but she gets around and lives life and has a good time.....I spent almost a month sleeping on the floor with her, carrying her outside for toilet time etc and slowly she adapted and adjusted and just moved forward...

So long as you adjust your lifestyle to help accommodate a disabled animal, it will be fine...

 

[dualmeister]

Doggo's get Cataracts? learn something new everyday.
maybe I'm the ignorant one, but I always thought its only Humans that get that.

Yes they can.

 

[Gordon_R]

Not sure if this is relevant, but in the park where I walk one of the guys uses a 'clicker'. This allows the dog to follow him, while still providing some autonomy.