juvenile cataracts - Page 2

Out of curiosity Christine if the pup has cataracts and the buyer returns the pup, what would you do with it?

 

I think it depends on the situation--1 cataract? Based on my experience with my JRT, I'd try to find the dog a pet home with no kids and an understanding of the dog's issues. Two cataracts at a year? I'd probably do the surgery and try to find him a pet home. I look at quality of life, safety of the dog and those around the dog, and the likelihood of the dog causing major problems in another home. Is the dog fear aggressive because of vision problems? I'm not going to put that dog in a pet home. If the dog cannot be safely taken care of by any person and cannot live a life not in fear and not in pain, I would choose euthanasia. 

I did not do surgery on the JRT and at age 11, he still gets around quite well. There are a few issues related to his vision--but they mostly have to do with how he doesn't like the GSDs to get too near him when he's sleeping on the sofa because he doesn't trust them not to try to get in his face or lie on top of them. I don't regret not doing the eye surgery because the cataracts have mostly been a pretty minor issue for him--no pain and few quality of life effects. It did mean I didn't do the conformation showing, go-to-ground, or lure coursing I would have liked to have done with him.

 

This is him at age 9, very proud of the huge squirrel he caught (in cooperation with my other JRT and a GSD).

 

 

Christine

 

He looks good and nice pic. Well I have about 90mins until my appt and my breeder said he will call me later today whenever he is done doing whatever he is doing. We will see.......

I guess for me being a sucker euthanasia isn't a option unless a dog stops eating and is weak. We will find a way and make it work.