# update on Chloe’s breathing problems, and unfortunately it’s now cataracts!



## marialydia (Nov 23, 2013)

My Jupiter has pronounced cataracts and they have not been (and will not be) operated on. He manages very well, can see well enough, and adapts himself to situations. For example, when he goes down the deck stairs into the front yard, he goes to the wall at the end and uses that as a guide. In the big fenced-in back yard he generally (but not only) keeps to the fence as a guide, but if I have treats on me he finds me well enough. Otherwise he either follows the fence, or the brick path.

When I first brought him into the house when we moved last year, he quickly (within a couple of minutes) found his places: his crates, his beds, his water bowl. 

If one eye is good, I would not mess with the other one.

I will say that I had my own cataract operated on, with less than stellar results, and my ability to drive is based on vision in the other eye...for sure this is affecting my suggestion, but life using one eye is not so very bad.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I had a dog who had cataracts and went practically blind, but we never knew it until we moved, months and months later. Dogs adapt very well to cataracts and blindness if you don't change their environments.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I hope her breathing will get more comfortable for her and that her anxiety can be alleviated somehow. That's a shame...poor girl.

As far as cataracts, I think, as long as she's fit for surgery and the vet (maybe a 2nd opinion too?) it would be a good idea. Some dogs adjust to blindness, some seem to have trouble. My little Chihuahua (rip) was blind or nearly so in one eye. Besides a cataract, there was something else. She saw a canine ophthalmologist multiple times. Her depth perception was quite affected and things spooked her like blades of grass waving in the breeze, shadows, the smallest movements, mostly outside in the sun where there were shadows. She would shudder and shake, blink her eyes and jerk backward in fear. Apparently things looked like they were very close or about to hit her in the face when nothing was. It was pathetic. I tried to avoid having her in the sun and would carry her to the shade. This happened when she was old and I knew her time was limited because of rapidly progressing congestive heart failure. So, she didn't suffer for too long with this. 

So yeah...from my perspective, even though I know most dogs seem to adapt well to these things, mine didn't. Actually, it may have been a blessing for Chulita if she had been blind in both eyes. Anyhow, I think surgery to remove a cataract, if that's all that's wrong with your dog, if it's usually a successful surgery...would be well worth it. Best wishes to you and your little sweetie.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I'm glad your Vet has eliminated a collapsed trachea and hope you get the excess weight off, if that is the cause of the coughing! I have to watch my girl's weight constantly......I have a very bad habit of 'giving in' to her sweet beseeching eyes when I am eating! LOL! If I didn't she'd be OBESE! Hahaha! Good Luck!
As far as cataracts.......my Mom's Chihuahua went totally blind and lived forever ........she adjusted well as her sight dimmed and knew where everything was by memory and smell! This was a zillion years ago so surgery as an option is wonderful since you have the insurance to cover the cost!


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## thebeachbug (Mar 20, 2016)

Thanks for all the replies.
I’m still weighing up all the options as yet.
But as it’s been quite a while now, and she still hasn’t adapted despite everything I’ve done to make it easier for her. I’m thinking surgery is probably her only option. 
The fact she is starting to rub her eye a lot has me worried to, I don’t want her to get to the point where she is irritating it or it’s getting infected.
Her anxiety levels are always quite high and always have been, so as her vision has gotten worse the anxiety has to. She doesn’t deal with change very well, she’s been like that since she was a puppy. . 
As another poster has said, life isn’t so bad with one eye. I know this first hand, I went totally blind as a child. So I know a full and happy life is completely possible for humans and dogs. I suppose because of this I’m probably more likely to get her surgery done sooner than some people, as I know the challenges life with know vision can have, 
As a result of being blind, things don’t usually change in my house. If something in my house or workplace is moved, I tend to walk in to it several times before it sinks in that the layout of the room is different to the map I have in my mind. lol. So if my dog who has more vision than I have isn’t adapting after quite a few months to an environment that virtually never changes, I suspect she probably won’t adapt. 
Anyway I’ll have a chat to her vet, and see if we can lower her anxiety somehow. Maybe if the anxiety about the situation isn’t as high, she may learn to adapt.


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## Marcie (Aug 2, 2011)

If she is rubbing her eyes you may want to have her eye pressure checked. Sasha had cataract surgery even though she would still be blind (retinal degeneration). Because of the cataracts she developed glaucoma and to treat the glaucoma efficiently we had to remove the cataracts so the medication could work. She now has her glaucoma under control and is only on two drops a day. It was worth it.

If you do go ahead with the surgery get a soft cone and put some type of hair net around her ears so that the hair does not get into her eyes. The pictures of Sasha in the pink cone were taken the day of her surgery the green cone was the day after and I had made a hairnet for her. You can see the difference in her eyes before and after surgery. She still can't see but she doesn't hurt either. She lets nothing stop her. She will find me no matter what room I am in. I don't know how she does it sometime.


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## West U (Jul 30, 2014)

Aww, she is adorable.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Rubbing at the eye means her eye is uncomfortable. If there has been abrupt change in her eye more milky looking suddenly. There might be something else going on and you need to bring her to the vet a.s.a.p., there might be an erosion (ulcer) in her eye which is painful


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## thebeachbug (Mar 20, 2016)

Thanks for the tips. things are still quite up in the air for her until all the testing is done, So it’s still a waiting game.


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