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Again, you are putting your own bias on vision impairment on your dog. Dogs do fine without vision. As do people. Cataracts are part of the aging process, and now that dogs live longer, this is to he expected. Cataracts create glare issues, but not total blindness. Remember, vision is not a dog's primary sense. However, vision is primary for humans. We learn 90% of our environmental awareness with vision, and passive learning with vision. A dog uses hearing and sense of smell, taste and touch more than vision for awareness and passive learning.
If you can afford cataract surgery for your dog, go for it. But if you can't, you are still a good owner and will have to adjust to your dog's vision impairment. The dog will be okay.
My conclusion came from the realization that my husband and I were really more upset than our Boston was. She has adjusted fine and we have learned together to still play ball but differently. She still wants to play all the time.
Our Vet wanted 6000.00 and in researching this procedure on Bostons we found it was not very successful with Boston Terriers. We didn't want to put her through all the drops and office visits and then have her be completely blind or worse. I couldn't have lived with that. There isn't a day that I regret not doing this.
We have become closer as she relies on my direction and code words that we have established together. Its all good.....
Heidi60 your Kaiser Insurance went up not as a result of Obama Care but because Insurance Companies are the only industry exempt from Anti-Trust Laws as a result of the McCarran–Ferguson Act which was passed by Congress in 1945. The industry has an annual meeting to determine what fees they will charge and what costs they will cut or cover. This is the real problem with Human Health Insurance. Kaiser's profits rose 8.3% in 2011 to over $2 BILLION - that's Net Profit. Vets on the other hand charge whatever they think they can get away with. We looked into having skin tumors removed from our dog and were quoted the same price. I think $2,500 is their magic number for all surgeries.
I would check and see if there is anyone in Reno who does the surgery...I really have no idea though as even in Vegas only a few specialists were doing it and Reno vets may just be sending people to UC Davis. I do know an outstanding vet for othopedics in Reno though so its possible there is a specialist in that area.
Remember too...dogs have more rod cells in their eyes and rely on peripheral vision more than central vision..whereas humans have densely packed maculas, with cone cells for central acuity. Cataracts affect central acuity more than perpherial acuity.
Dogs are fine with cataracts. It may impact some functioning, but they will adjust.
I just had the cataract surgery done on my rat terrier who just turned11 years old. He developed diabetes this past june and prior to that did not have cataracts, it was a fast developing condition and he lost sight in a matter of a few months.
He was bumping into things and staying in one area most of the time.
His surgery was a month ago and he is doing wonderful, acting like a puppy. The cost to date is approaching $5,000.00, as he has to have weekly appointments for check ups and the eye drops are expensive.
You may want to first call a local veterinary college. They will most likely charge you for the surgery, but if any new lenses or techniques are under study/ development and you would be willing to enroll your dog in a study, try calling around first. I was quoted $3500 for the first eye, and an additional $500 for the second eye for my dog at a specialty clinic. (The college charged the same and the lense study was over by the time my dog needed surgery). The specialist also may want a more advanced blood test to see if your dog is healthy enough for surgery. Not all dogs are candidates for surgery. Especailly if there is more than one major issue going on all at the same time. Did your vet shine a light into the eye to see if the pupils dialated? You may think he is completely blind when he / she may only be partially blind. If you do not go through with surgery, I would keep all the furniture in the house exactly the same. Dogs also begin to get a much stronger sense of smell as vision declines.
My 13 yr. old Boston is deaf, but is getting cataracts, but can see OK. He needs his teeth cleaned desperately, got it done about 3-5 years ago. But it is dangerous to put him out with anastesia (sp) at his advanced age, so he has to have blood work done, etc. Last time it cost over $600.00, I have to make his annual vet visit this month, and will speak to them about his teeth then. But us "pet parents" do what we have to for our 4 legged "children".
I cant believe you would suggest to get rid of the dog. Do you have any idea how many old blind dogs are out there waiting for people to adopt them. You are unkind and if you don't have anything nice to say why don't you keep your mouth shut. People like you are why this country has gone to pot. Oh, its old and blind. Give it to someone else to take care of. Oh, we can make more profit if we move the plant to Mexico. Oh, if i put my money in an off shore account I don't have to pay taxes on it. You are unbelievable. Maybe your family should get rid of you because you are so mean. At least you are capable of finding people that want to be around you.
P.S. I made this account because of your dirty comment. Get real lady.
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Decision not to do
