Please Read About My Dog

[VeganD]

I am feeling a little depressed right now and i don’t know what to do about any of it

I have 4 dogs

3 of them have cataracts and its going to cost around $18,000 - £9,000 to sort it out it just really pisses me off how they can ask so much for such a thing, i know they have trained for years and all the rest of it but come on this is taking the P

Of course i don’t have this sort of money and not sure many people do

So i just don’t know what to do about any of it shell i try and pay for one cataract to be removed and leave buying things with that money or leave it and just say i wish i could do something about it

I mean i might be able to pay for one to be removed would have to save but then i really would be out of pocket but then i feel guilty because i am thinking about money when he has a cataract on one of his eyes

Its worst in one then the other one but i am so confused about it all

Please check pictures


http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/5193/13957272dk8.jpg




http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/658/18910228im6.jpg

[Gliondrach]

That's a shame. What's his name? Have you tried the PDSA?

Three of the dogs have cataracts? Do they each have them in both eyes?

[my3labs]

That's a shame. What's his name? Have you tried the PDSA?

Three of the dogs have cataracts? Do they each have them in both eyes?

Martin, what's the PDSA?

[my3labs]

VeganD,
I've been reading a lot about holistic treatment for animals and I would recommend that you try to find a holistic vet to treat your babies. I would imagine that the costs would be lower and healthier than putting them through the typical cataract surgeries that most traditional vets would recommend.
I guess bottom line is this: talk to more than one vet...explore your options.
What are your dogs' names?

[Soynut]

That is a difficult situation, VeganD, but not impossible. Here in US there is actually an organization (can't remember the name right now) which helps no or low income people get medical treatments for their pets. Are you in Australia? Do they have something similar there, maybe?

My3labs suggestion to go to different places to get various opinions and quotes is a very good idea. I've had some bad experience in the past with dishonest vets, so shop around, please.

Let us now how it goes OK. Warm hugs to you and your dogs.

[Oracl]

I am so sorry to hear about this VeganD. :sorry: I have nothing to add to the good advice already given. Shop around. Try the PDSA. :crossfingers: :hug:

[Gliondrach]

I found this:

Vet Ophthalmol. 2006 Sep-Oct;9(5):311-6.

The effect of a topical antioxidant formulation including N-acetyl carnosine on canine cataract: a preliminary study.

Williams DL, Munday P.
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OES, England, UK. doctordlwilliams @aol.com

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of a topical antioxidant formulation including N-acetyl carnosine in the treatment of canine cataract in a preliminary nonplacebo, controlled, unmasked study. ANIMALS STUDIED: Thirty dogs of varying breeds and ages with a spectrum of lens opacities ranging from nuclear sclerosis to total mature cataract. METHODS: Dogs were treated three times daily with topical 2% N-acetyl carnosine in a buffered vehicle containing the antioxidants glutathione, cysteine ascorbate, L-taurine and riboflavin (Ocluvet, Practivet, Phoenix, AZ, USA). Dogs were examined prior to treatment and at 2, 4 and 8 weeks during treatment, by direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy and slit-lamp biomicroscopy after pharmacologic pupil dilation. Photographic documentation of lens opacity was achieved by retroillumination photography, with three photographs taken at each examination time-point. A lens opacification index (LOI), determined by integration of the grayscale level of each pixel across the image, was evaluated by computerized image analysis of digitized images. Alteration in mean LOI was determined for each animal, having normalized the initial LOI. RESULTS: Fifty-eight eyes of 30 dogs were evaluated, 22 with mature cataract, 13 with immature cataract, 9 with cataract associated with other intraocular disease such as uveitis and 14 with nuclear sclerosis alone. One dog was unilaterally anophthalmic after previous enucleation and one had a phthytic eye after previous uveitis-induced glaucoma. Image analysis showed a reduction in mean LOI in all cataract groups (mean resolution in opacity of 2.3 +/- 0.33% for all cataracts), although this was only statistically significant in those eyes with immature cataract (mean resolution of opacity 4.5 +/- 0.33%) or nuclear sclerosis (mean decrease in opacity 5 +/- 0.37%). Reduction in lens opacity was seen in eyes with mature cataract (0.5 +/- 0.4%) and in miscellaneous cataract associated with intraocular inflammation (1.3 +/- 0.4%), but these changes were not statistically significant. Owner evaluation of visual capability, however, suggested improvement in vision in 80% of cases by the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates some marginal reduction in lens opacification in a substantial number of cases of canine cataract with the use of a topical nutritional antioxidant formulation including N-acetyl carnosine. Lens opacification was improved with treatment in eyes with immature cataract or nuclear sclerosis while in eyes with mature cataract or cataract with associated intraocular inflammatory pathology less reduction was seen.

PMID: 16939459 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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And this study in human-types (The lead author, Babizhayev, is mentioned on the site that sells the eye drops):

Drugs R D. 2002;3(2):87-103.

Efficacy of N-acetylcarnosine in the treatment of cataracts.

Babizhayev MA, Deyev AI, Yermakova VN, Semiletov YA, Davydova NG, Doroshenko VS, Zhukotskii AV, Goldman IM.
Innovative Vision Products, Inc., County of Newcastle, Delaware, USA. markbabizhayev @yahoo.com

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of 1% N-acetylcarnosine (NAC) solution on lens clarity over 6 and 24 months in patients with cataracts. TRIAL DESIGN: Randomised, placebo-controlled study. PARTICIPANTS: 49 subjects (76 affected eyes) with an average age of 65.3 +/- 7.0 years with a diagnosis of senile cataract with minimum to advanced opacification in various lens layers. METHODS: 26 patients (41 eyes) were allocated to topical NAC 1% eyedrops twice daily. The control group consisted of 13 patients (21 eyes) who received placebo eyedrops and 10 patients (14 eyes) who did not receive eyedrops. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All patients were evaluated at entry and followed up every 2 months for a 6-month period (trial 1), or at 6-month intervals for a 2-year period (trial 2), for best-corrected visual acuity and glare testing. In addition, cataract was measured using stereocinematographic slit-images and retro-illumination examination of the lens. Digital analysis of lens images displayed light scattering and absorbing centres in two- and three-dimensional scales. RESULTS: The overall intra-reader reproducibility of cataract measurements (image analysis) was 0.830, and glare testing 0.998. After 6 months, 90% of NAC-treated eyes showed improvement in best corrected visual acuity (7 to 100%) and 88.9% showed a 27 to 100% improvement in glare sensitivity. Topographic studies indicated fewer areas of posterior subcapsular lens opacity and 41.5% of treated eyes had improvement in image analysis characteristics. The overall ratios of image analysis characteristics at 6 months compared with baseline measures were 1.04 and 0.86 for the control and NAC-treated group, respectively (p < 0.001). The apparent benefits of treatment were sustained after 24 months' treatment. No treated eyes demonstrated worsening of vision. The overall visual outcome in the control group showed significant worsening after 24 months in comparison with both baseline and the 6-month follow-up examination. The overall clinical results observed in the NAC-treated group by the 24-month period of examination differed significantly (p < 0.001) from the control group in the eyes with cortical, posterior subcapsular, nuclear or combined lens opacities. Tolerability of NAC eyedrops was good in almost all patients, with no reports of ocular or systemic adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Topical NAC shows potential for the treatment and prevention of cataracts.

PMID: 12001824 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

=======================

These eye drops, which have been used in humans and dogs, are said to be able to reduce or remove cataracts. At the left side of the page, under Information, they have links to 'Science and Research'.

http://wisechoicemedicine.net/store/information.php?info_id=13&language=de

More about it here:

http://www.clubnatural.com/canceye.html



Here's a site with contacts for holistic vets in the UK. They seem to be homeopathic ones, though. But they might know of other vets.

naturalpetcare.co.uk/holisticvets.htm

There's something here about cataracts in dogs and their treatment:

holisticvetpetcare.net/cataracts.htm

It talks about chi and energy. Might be a bit wacky but worth finding out more.

Info here about cataracts in dogs:

marvistavet.com/html/body_cataracts.html

This is about human studies but it says that antioxidants are important. Could prevent further damage:

chiro.org/nutrition/ABSTRACTS/Natural_Therapies_for_Ocular_2.shtml

[Gliondrach]

Martin, what's the PDSA?


The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals. They provide treatment for just a donation.

[VeganD]

Thanks for all that info Gliondrach

The problem is pdsa can only donate a small amount which will not even
cover the consultation fee plus they will only pay for one animal and you need to be registered with them prior to the animal getting sick and on top of that cataracts is not something they cover

I have rang a few places and pretty much been told the same price

This kind of operation cannot be removed by a vet it’s a specialist job that’s why they say it cost so much

Yes Gliondrach they all have it in each one but this dog has it the worse out of all of them

You can find some places that are willing to help but still its not going to get me any where near £1500 to get one done

I still think its BS how they can ask for so much specialist job or not it’s a silly price


I wish it was more in my price range of getting it done

£500 for all 3 of them would be good compare to the £9,000 i have been quoted they said its £1500 per cataract to be removed but i am going to try and get a 3rd opinion on it

[1vegan]

I don't understand what the cataract is, but does it means the dog is (partially) blind?

I think if I was faced with such a dilemma, and couldn't afford the operations, I'd try to take care of the dogs as good as I could. If the being blind would cause to much trouble for the dog, I'd (eventually) would have to let them put down..... :(

[VeganD]

Yes it means they cannot see out of it or very little however i do not adjust anything around the home that way they get use to the layout of how things are

Sorry but i would never put the dog down unless i new it was really suffering

[Gliondrach]

What about those eye drops? They seem useful. You could even put them in one eye each to see if they do any good.

Two more sites selling them:

ht tp://ww w.ethos.ag/daily-mail-bright-eyes.php

ht tp://w ww.petcataractsgone.com/

[Phoenix]

VeganD, I know a human with cataracts who is in the process of curing them :crossfingers: by taking a natural sulfur supplement.

I think it is called 'MSM' and it is a white, crystalline powdery substance that she dissolves in water twice daily and drinks it. I don't know the details off hand, but I should be able to find out. (I think there is a similar product called DSMO but the MSM is better, apparently.)

If it works for humans, it should be safe for animals too. :)

Might be worth enquiring about?

Love to you and your babies. :colors:

[VeganD]

Thanks for the info will keep you updated

Thanks

[Phoenix]

http://www.msmaustralia.com.au/

I'm not sure where you live, VeganD, but the website should have some good information anyway.