Coping with the News: My 8-Year-Old Bichon Has Mature Cataracts
Life with our pets is filled with joy and unconditional love, but sometimes it brings unexpected challenges too. This week I faced one those when I took our Bichon, Stella, to the veterinarian to have her eyes checked.
I’ve noticed over the past few months that Stella has been hesitating to jump up and down off the couch and been occasionally grazing the sides of doorways. Sudden movements by anyone startled her in ways they hadn’t before. When I was in a room and turned off the lights to leave, she would just stop walking, as if unsure of where to go. A visit to the vet confirmed my fears: she has mature cataracts in both eyes, and the condition is progressing rapidly. She said that she expected Stella to lose her eye sight within months. I asked if Stella had a year, hoping for the best; but she repeated, “probably months.”
The vet discussed cataract surgery options with me but said that she does not perform them. She referred me to the veterinarian in our area that does perform that surgery but said she is extremely busy. She continued by informing me that some dogs are not candidates for this surgery, and even if she did have the surgery, she still might not be able to see afterward. A surgery consultation would be the next step to see what our options would be.
For those who don’t know, cataracts occur when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, leading to impaired vision. In mature cataracts, the cloudiness is severe enough to block most light from entering the eye, and in many cases, it’s irreversible without surgery. Unfortunately, surgery for cataracts in dogs can be costly, and not all pets are good candidates for it.
Hearing the vet’s words was heartbreaking. I can’t imagine my energetic, playful Stella navigating life without her vision. When I got home I started doing research and here’s what I’ve discovered so far:
- Dogs Are Resilient: Losing sight doesn’t mean losing quality of life. Dogs rely heavily on their other senses, especially smell and hearing, to interpret the world. With some adjustments, blind dogs can still live happy, fulfilling lives.
- Creating a Safe Environment: It’s important to make your home a safe and predictable space. Avoid rearranging furniture, block off dangerous areas like staircases, and keep floors free of clutter. Consistency is key.
- Training for Blindness: Simple commands like “step up” and “step down” can help blind dogs navigate their surroundings. Gentle tapping or using textured mats in key areas can also provide guidance.
- Harnessing Smell and Sound: Adding scents or bells to toys can make playtime just as fun as ever. Introducing scent markers around the home (e.g., near doors or furniture) can help them map their environment.
I’m still processing this information, and I feel so sad when I think of Stella’s world going dark.
I’ve contacted the dog Opthamologist in our area for a possible surgery consultation, and her office will contact me when they have an opening for an examination. She is extremely busy, as you can imagine, being the only specialist of this type in the area. I just hope it’s not too long.
If you have any experience in this area, please reach out and let me know. I welcome your input and advice.
Comments (12)
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Sorry about your cute little girls eyes. My sister’s little dog had the same problem and managed her environment very well. She spent time inseveral different living situations and managed all of them very well. It took a minute when she first arrived to figure out which house she was in, but then got along beautifully. For someone who didn’t know she blind they wouldn’t have immediately suspected.
Debby Emmert
Thank you, Deborah, for your input. This is really helpful information and will definitely figure into our final decision about how to deal with this situation with Stella.
Karen, I don’t have a dog, let alone one with cataracts. I’m 74 and just had my first cataract surgery (the second eye will be done in about 10 days). Cataract surgery may sound simple – but the pre and post-surgery drops and care are vital. And knowing that it may not make a difference? Yikes. I applaud you first, for knowing and loving Stella so well that you were aware of all of the changes caused by her cataracts. Then I applaud your work on finding alternatives. They sound reasonable and doable. And I heartily agree about the resiliency of dogs. Stella is a genuine part of your family and it seems to me that if surgery can be avoided, and she can be happy and adapt, then she is twice blessed. I hope you have peace in the decision you finally make. I’ll say a prayer to that end.
Carol, Thank you so much for your kind response. You’re right, Stella is part of our family. I appreciate your prayers for peace in making the right decision for her.
Karen, a neighbor of mine had a little toy poodle who was blind for many years. She was a happy little thing and loved to take walks on her leash with her owner careful to help her avoid any obstacles. She and my little Havanese, Pixie, were great friends and when they were together they sniffed and played gently together. I recently faced a big decision with my Pixie also. After reading extensively about the disease she has, we chose not to intervene with the chemo-like veterinary medication. The veterinary care would involve $600 worth of drugs every month that would make her feel sick all the time. A natural supplement regimen (designed by a professor of vet medicine at the University of Tennessee) for less than $100 a month would control symptoms without making her feel sick. Both ways offered a 2 year life expectancy. We are one year into it as she turns 13 next week and she still runs and plays and shows almost no signs of her illness. All that to say that I believe that educating yourself and making an informed decision that provides the best quality of life with the least suffering is wise. I applaud your research and pray for Stella’s adaptation to whichever choice you make. I also pray that you will have peace with your decision and enjoy your precious fur-baby for many more years!
Sandra, thank you so much for your input and encouragement. It’s good to know that your neighbor’s dog was able to navigate life successfully without sight. I’m sorry to hear that you are facing challenges with Pixie, but it sounds like you have made the correct medical decisions for her after your careful research. I will continue to do more research, but your stories give me more encouragement and help relieve some of the despair. Thank you. I thank you for your prayers.
It can be so hard when our beloved senior dogs start to show their age but be of good cheer – our cocker spaniel became blind and deaf at age 10 and lived an active life until she was 16. When she was 12, the entire house was remodeled – it took het less than 2 days to have the new configuration completely figured out. Surgery was not an option back in those days. She was a happy girl until she passed peacefully in her sleep. If you didn’t know, it was hard to tell she had disabilities. Dogs are resilient – she has your love – she will be fine!
I’m sorry your beloved dog lost both her sight and hearing. But what a testament to her resiliency, and your care – to live another 6 years happy. Thank you for sharing your story of encouragement. I appreciate it. It’s very meaningful to us.
Karen, I’m so sorry to hear that your dog has cataracts. I hope you can get an appointment at the surgeon’s office soon to determine the best path to take. Sending love and hugs to you and your family (including Stella!) and praying for a good outcome.
Thanks, Tawnya.I appreciate your kindness, thoughts, and prayers!
Hi Karen, I’m so sorry to hear about your sweet Stella’s cataracts. Our sweet schnoodle Molly lived to be 14.5 years old, passing near the end of February 2024. For the last 1.5 years she was diabetic and adjusted (as we did) to having 2 shots per day & managing her diet better. I’m not sure if it was related or not, but she also developed cataracts that worsened her vision for the last year of her life. The surgery for her was cost prohibitive, but we were able to use the time that the cataracts worsened to help her learn her world through verbal and touch cues as well as walking along walls and other things. She navigated her way much better than we expected, even visiting our daughter’s and our son’s homes and doing well with help from us. We did get a baby gate for our daughter’s home as it had a set of stairs that would have been hard for her to navigate on her own. We could see Molly using her paws to feel her way along, noting the difference between carpeting and wood floors, etc. We had to pick her up at some points to make sure she was safe. But she still loved laying out on our patio in all kinds of weather, though the squirrels picked up on the fact that she couldn’t see them well anymore and ventured closer until they realized she could smell them! There are so many things that senior dogs (and people) have to deal with; it’s amazing how well we can all adapt as needed and still enjoy a good quality of life. Sending hugs & prayers as you navigate this next phase with Stella!
Hi Alycia, Thank you so much for sharing your experience with Molly. I smile when I think of Molly sunning on the patio and a squirrel or two sneaking up on her, thinking their getting away with something, until she smells them. 🙂 Stories like yours have been so encouraging to us as we seek information and try to make decisions about what to do in Stella’s case. Thanks for taking the time to share. ♥