Chloe is being referred to an eye specialist

[*Adele*]

We've just got back from the vets as I've been growing increasingly concerned about Chloe's eye sight  Over the last year it's gradually got worse to the point now that if she's a certain distance from me she can't see me and just sits down in the middle of the path looking around her totally lost! I suppose I've been putting off going to the vets for some reason and with all that's being going on at home over the last six months I've tried to push it to the back of my mind so I now feel really bad! 

Anyway, we went to see a vet at our new surgery who isn't an eye specialist but know's more than the other vets at the two practices and upon examination she appears to have cataract/s in one eye and the vet also thinks that her eyes are smaller than they should be which may be causing further problems, she said there was more white than she would expect to see! 

I'm waiting for a referral now and I think we'll be going to Birmingham, have a claim form on it's way from the insurers already! Thank god for insurance!

Feeling rather low and sorry for the poor gal, fingers crossed that they'll be able to do everything they can to help! I did mention to the vet that I had been considering getting another doggy to help her and will do if her eyesight isn't going to improve fully.

Has anyone else had any experience of cataracts etc they can share please? I'm off to search the board now!

TIA!

Adele & Chloe xxx

[Boof]

Thinking of you both, I hope something can be sorted out. 

[Nuffi]

Has anyone else had any experience of cataracts etc they can share please?

TIA!

Adele & Chloe xxx

We do 
Maybe you've already seen my older posts  http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=33973.msg463482;topicseen#msg463482

Jerry still has problems with the left eye which may need additional surgery  . His vision isn't perfect but I can tell you: it absolutely doesn't matter. Sometimes he's a bit clumsy and he usually doesn't spot the squirrels unless they run right into his feet    but he's happy     I think with regard to eye problems, the owners tend to worry much more than the dogs - they just adjust (if they notice at all).

Pm me if you ever have any questions! I'm sure Cloe will be ok.

[Elmo]

aww poor girl. She will be going to the best place. Hugs to her and you

I know all about insurance and the benefits. Lenny's (horse) treatment currently is standing at around £2500-£3000 and ive got an on going claim for the cat who has asthma, hers is at around £500 so far. Having insurance takes the worry out of having to find the money and you can concentrate on giving them loads of TLC

[flyingspaniel]

I don't know anyhting about cataracts but we were referred to Willows in Solihull and they are great. My spaniel has dry-eye and it was a god send to be able to receive top quality treatment from people who will work with your vet back home for follow up.
At least you're now making progress, it's a horrid journey I think you go on when your dog is ill but once you know what you are dealing with I think it is much easier to live with.
Fingers crossed for you & Chloe and remember to go with lots of questions (as my mum would say!!)
I love insurance too, it means I can sleep at night!

[Sharon]

That sounds very similar to what my Petal had, we didn't notice it until she reached 6 months when her eye started clouding over, once I saw it I knew instantly it was a cataract.  We saw the eye specialist, ran lots of tests to see if she would be suitable for surgery (£300) and said exactly the same as your vet said that her eye was actually smaller than it should be, so the cataract op would be a little more tricky than originally thought.  Her eye was healthy otherwise, so we went ahead with the surgery.  (£2700)  before the op she couldn't see out of her right eye but now she has full vision.  We took her back for her discharge check up only recently, to be told that some of the cells had been left behind and that 'some' of the cataract has started to grow back......he said we 'could' operate again to remove the cells (at our cost, another £2700  as the whole op would have to be redone) but he said he doesn't think the cataract will grow any more than it already has because basically everything (except a few cells) had been removed from the eye.

So we've left it for now, but it's amazing how much her vision has improved, she catches treats mid-flight which she always missed before.  I certainly don't regret spending the money on the op, also because it was something she was born with, no insurance would have covered her.

The condition is called Multi-Ocular Defect......MOD for short.

[chevy]

Best wishes coming your way for Chloe's eye.....  I'm dealing with Glaucoma in chevy's eye's.....

[Nuffi]

Sharon, this is exactly what Jerry has: cells growing back after cataract surgery. Very interesting to hear that you are not operating again. Our vet has already suggested another surgery and I do hope it won't be necessary. However, Jerry also has some 'cholesterol" deposits (?) where the cataract was, those can apparently be lasered away.

We didn't have insurance. As far as I heard, most wouldn't have covered it anyway because it's one of those hereditary conditions typical for the breed 

[silke]

Hi Adele,
I don't know anything about cataracts, sorry.  Just to let you know that I'm thinking of you both.

Silkex

[crunchie]

Pringle has cataracts in both eyes.  She was referred to the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket last year.  We went for our initial appointment and then had one for six months later so they could see if they had changed at all.  When we went back six months later they said they thought they were getting bigger so we had another 6 month appointment.  We have just been to that one and they haven't got bigger this time so they are hopeful that as she is now 2 they have stabilised and that she might not need any further treatment.  We have got another appointment now for a year instead of 6 months.

Try not to worry, although I know it is difficult.  I am sure wherever you go you will be in really professional hands with lovely staff.

[Countrygirl]

Thinking of you both.  We have all fingers and paws crossed here for Chloe.

[Sharon]

Sharon, this is exactly what Jerry has: cells growing back after cataract surgery. Very interesting to hear that you are not operating again. Our vet has already suggested another surgery and I do hope it won't be necessary. However, Jerry also has some 'cholesterol" deposits (?) where the cataract was, those can apparently be lasered away.

We didn't have insurance. As far as I heard, most wouldn't have covered it anyway because it's one of those hereditary conditions typical for the breed 

It was actually Tim (the eye specialist) that suggested we leave it, because she had the new lense put in and the fluid drained out, he said the cells that were left had grown as much as they were likely to grow and he didn't think it was interferring with her vision.

She will still have her 6 monthly check ups, so it will be watched closely for any changes.

We were told the same, that even if we had insurance we wouldn't have been able to claim as sadly it was something she was born with.

[*Adele*]

Thanks for all the replies guys, not nice to hear of other babies with similar problems but good to know we're not on our own  I'm guessing that Chloe's aren't hereditary and she's the fluke out of the line of well bred cockers, you read about the importance of all the eye tests etc and yet it can still happen, my poor baby!

I'm trying not to get too worried about it yet until we've seen the specialist to find out exactly what is wrong, the vet may have been way off mark, the first vet that looked at her eyes didn't even see a problem!  But there is definitely something not right.

Will keep you updated with how we get on.

Thanks again everyone! xxx

[Sharon]

Sadly there are no tests for cataracts, I actually bred Petal and have her mum and her grandmother (9) and both have perfect eyes, so it's  not something you would pick up on eye tests, Petal's mum is optigen tested too, so has had all the tests required, so there was nothing I could have done to prevent it.   Tim (eye specialist) said the same it could just be a fluke, but the smaller eye and cataracts, does point to it as MOD this is still thought to be inherited although there isn't a case of it in either parent or grandparents (that I know or have been told about).....looks like we've been the unlucky ones 

MOD is currently under investigation with the KC/BVA so hopefully in time they will be able to give us a bit more info on the condition.

Good luck at the eye specialists, lets us know how you get on.

[*Adele*]

Thanks for your post Sharon, we'll see what the specialist say I guess! I'll be ringing the insurance company I think to see if they still cover if it is MOD! We've got an appointment for the 27th to see them so fingers crossed!

I've been out with her loads today and keeping close attention to her eyesight and I think maybe the sight in her right is better than her left, if I throw a ball to her right she can follow it pretty well, if I throw it in front or to the left she loses it straight away. The left eye is the one which the vet clocked the cataract so we'll see. In all fairness if they can't do anything then we'll more than survive, I'm more concerned if it worsens than anything else! She is never any trouble, only gone on a runner once in her whole life and if anything keeps on getting better with everything despite no new training, just consistent behaviour.

Love my baby to bits!