Help Recognize Pet Eye Diseases Affecting Geriatric Dogs and Cats

Pet Eye Diseases is not about age but rather a manifestation of the body’s diminish ability to repair itself. The eye is not immune to these effects. As today’s pet pets live to increasingly older ages, pet owners regularly encounter the problems of the geriatric eyesight. A few ophthalmologist diseases are not unique to this older age group, the relative frequency of certain problems does increase in the senior canine and feline populations. As with other body symptoms, cancerous and degenerative disorders are common in the older pet, with the potential for discomfort, blindness, and even loss of life. We also must consider that eye diseases simply reflect accumulation of a lifetime of poor eye health.

Present here are some of the more common ocular ailments in the geriatric pet population. All diseases that involve the eye, whether cat or dog, should be considered urgent and a visit to your veterinarian is recommended as immediately as possible to prevent further damage, permanent loss of vision, and discomfort.

Iris athrophy is a common aging change in pets and occasionally, atrophy will cause large holes within the iris, the colored part of the eye, resembling multiple pupil openings. Lens opacification, begins at six years of age and is often confused with cataracts. The lens becomes increasingly dense as newer fibers accumulate within it. When the pupil is dilated, the nucleus will appear gray and pearl-like. This age-related lens density rarely influences vision beyond poor focus relative to near objects and the need for a better lighting. The average age of dogs with orbital cancer is eight years, and 90% of orbital tumors in dogs are malignant. Gradual, painless bulging of the eye is accompanied by swelling around the eye, exposure of the third eyelid, and deviation of the eye globe. Compression of the globe of the expanding tumor can cause retinal detachment. Tumors of the eyelid are routinely noted in aging pets. The majority of these masses are benign.

Cataracs are particularly common in dogs and are generally considered to be inherited. Today, surgery has proven to be the only means of restoring sight. Patient should be referred to an experience veterinarian ophthalmologist surgeon for best results. Acute hypertension, either primary or a secondary to renal or cardiac disease, can result in retinal detachment. If retinal detachment affects both eyes at once, the animal has acute blindness. If therapy is initiate it within a few days of detachment, prognosis is favorable, but the treatment of hypertension does not always restore vision. There are many more diseases affecting the eyes of geriatric pets not covered here. The most important thing is to schedule visits promptly with your veterinarian if you notice any changes so they can be diagnosed and treated earlier.

About PetArt.us Artwork

PetArt.us celebrates the special features that make our pets unique. The history, description and personality of each pet breed is researched and included int the art I create. By creating these one-of-a-kind artworks, a pet lover can showcase the distinctive words that make each breed different from another. Adding the pet’s name makes the art more personal and meaningful for the pet owner. Each artwork is meant to honor the pet while serving as a way for viewers to appreciate the specialness of the breed and why the owner chose that particular breed to add to his family. Our four-paws family members deserve a special place in our home that shows our love.