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Dog Cataract Surgery

A cataract refers to the opaqueness in the lens of the eye, which prevents the eye from receiving an adequate amount of light.

If the cataract is small, it can cause minor problems in vision. However, if it is too large, or if it covers the entire lens, it can lead to complete dog blindness. A cataract can occur for several reasons, which include old age, heredity and diabetes.

Cataracts develop quickly and can either mature rapidly (in a few weeks) or slowly (taking years). Dog cataract surgery is the only method by which cataract in dogs can be cured.

During a dog cataract surgery, the defective lens of the dog is removed and is replaced with an artificial lens, which restores the dog’s vision.

While this surgery has a fairly decent success ratio, there are certain risks, such as infections, lens damage and complete blindness that have been associated with it. Therefore, to minimize the risks, this surgery is only be performed by a well qualified and experienced ocular surgeon.

Dog Cataract Surgery Cost

Dog cataract surgery is a very delicate procedure, which requires a lot of skill and experience. Moreover, the technical equipment used for the surgery is quite advanced. Therefore, the average dog cataract surgery price could be anywhere between US $ 1,500 and US $ 3,000 for each eye, depending upon the skill level of the surgeon, as well as the facility where the surgery is being performed. The cost for a cataract surgery in most people is covered by insurance companies. However, since dogs cannot be insured, pet owners normally have to pay this amount out of their own pockets.

Dog Cataract Surgery Recovery

The recovery time required could vary from one dog to another. There are several factors that can affect the speed at which a dog recovers from the cataract surgery. These factors include, age, medical history, overall health, complications and so on. Most dogs are required to be hospitalized for at least 2 or 3 nights, for observation. After your pet is sent home, you will need to take your pet to a veterinarian, for regular follow up visits, just to ensure that there are no complications that arise from the surgery.

There are several factors that should be taken into consideration, while getting prepared for a dog cataract surgery. It is best to take an appointment, with the veterinarian before the surgery, to get any doubts and queries clarified.

Submitted on September 1, 2010