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Eyesight Deterioration as Your Puppy Ages

Although it is not something that many of us take into consideration our dogs age in the same manner that we do. That means that as they grow older their body systems begin to function with lessening efficiency, and they will soon be dependent upon their human companions for many of the basic necessities of life. This is the reason that feral dogs do not usually live to an old age.

Eyesight is often among the first of a dog’s abilities to begin to show deterioration. There will be changes in the physical appearance of the eye, causing the message the eye transmits back to the brain to be viewed as slightly different than it actually is (anyone who is either near or far sighted can compare this experience to these conditions) as well as a difference in the central processing portion of the brain that results in the brain changing the appearance of whatever is being viewed, even when the eyes are transmitting the image correctly.

The most common change that a dog owner will see in their senior companion is a condition known as lenticular sclerosis, a natural sclerosis of the eye that occurs as the dog ages. The lens of the eye that reflects light back to the retina is constantly experiencing the growth of new membranes on top of the old throughout the dog’s lifespan. The lens is of a fixed size and cannot grow to accommodate the new tissue; the body compensates for this by compressing the central portion of the lens, known as the nucleus. Over time this nucleus will become increasingly dense. This condition leaves the pupil of the eye with a grayish appearance that increases in severity over time and is often confused with blindness, as it strongly resembles a cataract. Studies have shown that this is not the case; canines with this condition actually experience very little change in their vision. If your pet is at least 8 to 10 years old and appears to be suffering very little change in its vision it is probably a case of lenticular sclerosis.

Cataracts are another story altogether, and are far too common in aging canines. Like lenticular sclerosis, cataracts leave the center portion of the canine with a grayinsh, cloudy appearance; however, they will cause an impedence in the animal’s vision. Cataracts occur when the proteins which constitute a portion of the infrastructure of the lens of the eye begin to clump together. Imagine it as the accumulation of dirt on the lens of a pair of eyeglasses; as the dirt clump grows it will become increasingly difficult to see through it. A veterinarian will be able to provide a fairly accurate diagnosis between leticular sclerosis and cataracts following a thorough physical.

Like many medical conditions cataracts are hereditary. While a full medical history of your pet may not be available if you have purchased it from a pet shop or animal shelter you should take all measures to discover whether or not such conditions run in your pet’s family.

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