CATARACTS AND YOUR GOLDENDOODLE AND WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW........
A cataract is a loss of normal transparency of the lens. Any opaque spot on the lens, regardless of its size, is technically a cataract. A cataract visible to the naked eye appears as a milky-gray film behind the pupil. Your veterinarian can check for any signs of puppy cataracts simply by dilating your pup's eyes at the initial visit and then carefully looking into the eye. If your veterinarian spots a cataract at that time, then it is quite possible that your puppy will develope what is called juvenile cataracts and this can cause early blindness in your dog. If none are seen at your initial visit, it is safe to say that your dog's eyes are in pretty good shape.
The majority of cataracts in dogs are genetically determined, but the mode of inheritance varies among breeds. Congenital (juvenile) cataracts have been described in more than 75 breeds to include Cocker Spaniels, Bichon Frise, Boston Terriers,
Wire Fox Terriers, West Highland Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers, Standard Poodles (to include toys/tcups), Siberian Huskies, Golden Retrievers, Old English Sheepdogs and Labrador Retrievers. Juvenile cataracts appear in dogs before six years of age and involve both eyes, although not necessarily at the same time. Juvenile cataracts can be viewed as early as 8 wks of age by an experienced veterinarian.
A genetic test for many of the above breeds is under development through "VetGen".
Acquired cataracts occur as a consequence of aging and is not considered inherited; most notably uveitis. Dogs with diabetes can develop cataracts in a matter of weeks. Puppies fed milk replacement formula deficient in arginine can develop bilateral cataracts.
Senile cataracts are a major cause of blindness in dogs six to eight years of age and older. These cataracts begin at the center of the lens and gradually spread out toward the periphery like spokes of a wheel. When the lens becomes uniformly opaque, the cataract has reached its mature stage. Senile cataracts seldom develop at the same rate. One cataract generally matures before the other.
Senile cataracts should be distinguished from nuclear sclerosis, a normal aging of the lens in which new fibers are continually forming at the periphery of the lens and pushing inward toward the center. These changes cause a bluish haze in the lenses of older dogs. This haze does not interfere with vision.
TREATMENT AND YOUR GOLDENDOODLE.......
Senile cataracts do not need to be treated unless both eyes are involved and the degree of blindness is such that your canine can no longer move about without great difficulty.
Visual impairment can be corrected by removing the lens, an operation called phacoemulsification. Without a lens the image is blurred and the edges are indistinct, but objects can be seen.
Replacement with an artificial lens (intraocular lens replacement) is an option.
Some juvenile cataracts will be spontaneously reabsorbed, usually within one year of their appearance. Complete resorbtion results in vision comparable to that of successful lens surgery. Cataract extraction is not recommended in the presence of resorbtion.
PREVENTION AND YOUR GOLDENDOODLE.....
Hereditary cataracts can be prevented by NOT BREEDING affected dogs and those that carry the gene. Dogs with congenital cataracts can be identified by annual eye examinations carried out by a qualified veterinarian or an expert veterinarian ophthalmologist affiliated with The Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF). Please be aware that as of yet, there are no known genetic markers to determine which canine are carriers and which canine are not.
HEALTH AND YOUR GOLDENDOODLE.........
Normal Temperature
Adult dog: 100-102.5 F
Average is: 101.3 F
Newborn puppy: 94-97 F at birth; 100 F at four weeks
Normal Heart Rate
Adult dog: 60 to 160 beats per minute
Toy breeds: Up to 180 beats per minute
Newborn puppy: 160 to 200 beats per minute at birth; 220 beats per minute by age two weeks
Normal Respiratory Rate
Adult dog: Average is 24 breaths per minute at rest; range is 10 to 30 breaths per minute
Newborn puppy: 3 to 15 breaths per minute up to two weeks of age
Gestation
Averages 63 days from the day of ovulation. The normal range is 56 to 66 days.
AGE OF DOGS IN HUMAN YEARS:
Your 1 yr old dog is 15 yrs old in human years; Your 2 yr old dog is 24 years in human
years. Your 11 yr old dog is actually 60 years old in human years. If your dog lives to be 16 years old....he or she is 80 years old in human years.
