Mr. Spock Cataracts and Aging Teeth

[greydad92]

Hello All,

I have not posted in many years. Mr. Spock is 11 years young and going strong. A couple things though: 
He has cataracts - what to do? Vet said to take him to pet vision specialist in our area. 
He also is in need of a dental exam as per my vets recommendation. I’m just worried about the anesthesia. 
If anyone could chime in on their senior greyhound and the experiences you’ve had with this, it would be super appreciated. 
I am so lucky to have such a wonderful beautiful boy and cherish every day spent with him. He’s a hero (therapy dog) who brings light into many people’s lives. 
Hope you are all well and greyt. 
Sincerely,

Mr. Spock’s daddy

[phall]

I am so glad to hear that Mr. Spock is doing well.  I miss seeing you guys on the walks - it's been a long time since I've been on a large group walk (miss Greyhound Adventures!).

While my boy, Lucas, isn't a senior yet (he's 6), he has vision issues (hereditary) but also has cataracts.  I am not doing anything about the cataracts except monitoring them for eye pressure, because of his other vision issue (progressive retinal atrophy)  However I wanted to share with you that Lucas is seen by an ophthalmologist at Blue Pearl in Waltham.  Dr. Clara Williams is wonderful.  She loves her canine patients and is so kind and gentle.  If you decide to talk with someone about Mr. Spock's cataracts, I highly recommend her. She isn't someone who will push for tests that aren't needed.

I understand your concern about the dental.  Is he having any issues with his teeth?  What did your vet say when you expressed concern about the anesthesia? My girl, Faye, passed a few years ago at age 12, had a dental when she was almost 10.  (Her teeth were bad.)  I told my vet that this would be the last dental for her because of her age and if there were any teeth in question during that last dental they should be removed.  She lost 9 teeth, but was so much happier.   

These are hard decisions as our greys age.  You'll make the right decisions for Mr. Spock.

Pat

[MP_the4pack]

I did a dental on a 15 year old. I  went to a specialist.  But prepare to pay the price....4 figures. 

Bad teeth will only cause issues and shorten their lives.

[FiveRoooooers]

Yay Mr Spock!

Before he came to me, Seamie   had two dentals and he was 10.8.  We did another at 13.1. Definitely a tough call. 

Edited April 15, 2020 by FiveRoooooers

[cleptogrey]

my dogs have never had problems getting around with cataracts. they are not reading the paper- shapes still appear- willie had enough vision to still go after the soccer ball at age 14 with major cataracts.

as to the dental, personally i wouldn't risk it. i know someone whose vet felt an older(12+) GH would be just fine, stellar blood work, good physical shape came out of the anesthesia and then died.  if a tooth is dangling and needs to be extracted a vet can do that with sedatives. my scottie had horrendous teeth- due to addison's disease and years of prednisone. 2 of the molars were gross, stinky and needed to come out- but loose enough. annie my last female GH had a lousy molar- the rest of her teeth were o.k. we did one deep cleaning w/o anesthesia at the vet. she chewed it out- using a marrow bone. it was lying adjacent to her bed. 

often tarter can be scaled w/ your thumb nail. if there are serious infections(neither of the hounds mentioned had infections) then antibiotics and a non- anesthesia cleaning. but that's my opinion.

[greysmom]

Perhaps things have changed recently, but none of my dogs with cataracts have ever had any sort of treatment.  And even if they do lose their sight, either partially or completely, they get around much better than people do, with less emotional problems.

Dentals need to be evaluated on an individual basis, even for seniors.  Bad dental hygiene can cause other very bad physical issues including heart disease and infections in organs.  If your vet has a good anesthesia protocol and monitors their dogs closely after procedures, there's no reason a *healthy* senior shouldn't have their teeth cleaned regularly.  If you want a bit more confidence, seek out a good dental specialist and talk with them about your concerns beforehand.

[tbhounds]

There are many types of cataracts and some cataracts are caused by underlying medical conditions. I absolutely would follow through with the ophthalmologist.

[cgingrich]

Hi greydad92 and Spock!  Molly says hello to her fellow P & P member!  It's greyt to hear that Mr. Spock is doing well, and you are too ~

I would also not worry about the cataracts.  Molly's 12 and has had them for years and seems to have no problems.  

As for the dental.  Molly had one in Jan 2019 at age 11.  This was her second at the same practice (IAHC in Bolton).  The first one went fine, the second not so much.  She's fine now, but was under for a reported 2.5 hours for a clean and single extraction.  We were at the practice for 6+ hours, waiting and waiting, then she was brought out to us, very loopy, with no instructions, for another hour.  At home, she recovered well, and ate well, but had peeing issues for months.   We do brush and also use a dental gel but her teeth are not great after a year.

 If she had to have another cleaning, I'd look for a non-anesthesia dental (IAHC does them) and for a worse tooth issue, there's a dental specialist in Boxborough --

Stay well!  We hope to see you guys at GF in the fall!