When it comes to cataracts, many people's first reaction when people will get this disease, but do not know that love pets can also get this disease, more surprising is that cataracts are not exclusive to elderly love pets, in the company of love pets grow up at the same time, but also pay attention to the eye disease in the important kind of disease ---- cataracts.
Affected dogs
A cataract
Cataract is an eye disease in which the crystalline capsule or crystals are cloudy, and vision is impaired. It can occur in both dogs and cats.
Canine cataract occurs in the left eye, the appearance of the eye is cloudy
The affected dog
Second, the cause of
1 congenital causes
Congenital cataract is due to the crystal and its capsule of the congenital development of incomplete due to the hereditary and non-hereditary related. Most canine cataracts are hereditary. Common genetic disorders include retinal hypoplasia and progressive retinal atrophy. Non-genetic factors are related to maternal infection during pregnancy, malnutrition, metabolic disorders, and the application of certain drugs. It is common in German Doberman Pinschers, Pine Siskins, German Shepherds (details), Beagles, Boston Terriers, Golden Retrievers, and so on. Cat congenital cataract is rare.
2 Acquired causes
Acquired cataracts are often secondary to anterior uveitis, uveitis, glaucoma, corneal perforation, rupture of the anterior capsule of the lens, prolonged exposure to X-rays, prolonged use of corticosteroids, diabetes mellitus secondary. Older animals are prone to cataracts due to crystal degeneration (more frequent in dogs over 5 years of age).
Three, symptoms
Congenital cataracts occur at birth or shortly after birth, mostly bilateral. Juvenile cataracts usually occur in young adulthood and are also often bilateral.
Eye diagram of sick dog
Cloudy lens and its capsule, pupil discoloration
Eye diagram
Turbidity is obvious, the eye is white
Four, the pathological process
There are many reasons for cataracts, but no matter what the cause is, in the pathogenesis of the process of the lens will increase permeability, resulting in loss of the barrier effect of the lens, and then the cataract will be released to the eye. The cataracts are caused by a number of factors, but regardless of the cause, in the course of the disease, the permeability of the crystals is increased, resulting in the loss of the barrier effect of the crystals, leading to cloudy crystals. There are many ways to categorize cataracts, but two are commonly used, namely, according to the different periods of its occurrence, it is divided into incipient, infantile, mature and over-mature and according to the cause of its onset, it is divided into congenital, youthful, senile, traumatic and concurrent cataracts.
1 Initial cataract
Crystal and capsule membrane focal clouding, reflex to off, no effect on vision. It accounts for 10-15% of the crystal.
2 Infantile cataract
The cloudy area of the crystal spreads, but some of the cortex throws transparent, the crystal cortex is swollen, there is a reflection to the light, and there is some effect on the vision.
In infantile cataract, the cloudy area of the lens is large. Image Source (Image Source (Color Atlas of Canine and Feline Ophthalmology, Translated by Han Bo, China Agricultural Science and Technology Press)
3 Mature cataract
Cataract in infantile stage diagram
The lens is all cloudy, and the lens cortex is swollen. The reflection of light is blurred and has a marked effect on vision.
Mature cataract diagram
Mature cataract with red eye and corneal edema. Cataract lens exposing lens proteins causing lentiginous uveitis, lens proteins are seen as a foreign body. Image Source (Image Source (Color Atlas of Canine and Feline Ophthalmology, Translated by Han Bo China Agricultural Science and Technology Press)
Fourth, overripe cataract
The crystal shrinks, the capsule shrinks, the cortex liquefies and breaks down, and the nucleus of the crystalline lens sinks, and the reflex to the light is blurred, and there is no vision.
Transitional maturity cataract
Transitional maturity cataract, most of the lens is absorbed, the cortex is completely liquefied, the dense lens sinks within the capsule due to gravity, the lens shrinks in size, and the capsule shrinks due to decreased tension and the capsule bag wrinkles. Image source (color atlas of canine and feline ophthalmology, translated by Han Bo, China Agricultural Science and Technology Press)
V. Diagnosis
Based on the history of the disease and clinical symptoms, such as visual observation of the pupil depths of the pupil with or without milky white color, whether or not the light is reflexive, and whether or not the ophthalmoscope can observe the eye fundus, and so on.
Sixth, treatment
1 Medication
There is no ideal medication for cataract. Topical or systemic application of selenium and vitamin E, peroxide dismutase, carnosine, and zinc citrate is recommended for the treatment of cataracts. For congenital, infantile, or cortical liquefaction of expired cataracts, dilating agents can be used to improve vision. For diabetic cataracts, controlling blood glucose during the period of rapid water absorption and before changes in crystalline proteins occur can help reduce clouding.
2 Surgical therapy
Once the lens fails to absorb, surgery should be performed as soon as possible to improve vision in the absence of uveitis and normal retina. Surgery includes extracapsular lens extraction, intracapsular lens extraction, and lens aspiration.
Cataract surgery is performed on a case-by-case basis, and this article is intended only as a guide to cataract disease, so please correct any deviations in your understanding and follow your doctor's instructions.