Dear Dr. John,

I arrived home last night to find our five-year-old Samoyed with a swollen and red right eye. She had been fine in the morning. I called our vet thinking that she had conjunctivitis. At the appointment, it seemed that the swelling and the redness in the eye had completely gone away. However, it appears that she has developed cataracts in both eyes since her last visit six months ago. Is it possible for cataracts to develop that quickly? We were told that while there are several possible reasons, genetics is a big factor in the breed. I had never heard of this and wonder if it is true. What can we do at this point? Our vet has referred us to an ophthalmologist, but our dog can’t be seen for almost three months. We don’t want our dog to go blind and is there anything that can be done? A.H.

Dear A.H.,

Cataracts can develop rather quickly, and Samoyeds are a breed known for various ocular diseases including, but not limited to, cataracts. Heredity is a major factor in cataract development in this breed. Nutrition and aging can also play a part,  but given your dog’s age and your care, I’m sure the cause was hereditary. Some of the other ocular diseases this breed is known for include posterior lenticonus leading to cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, retinal dysplasia, and glaucoma. It sounds as if your dog did have a mild bout of conjunctivitis and that could have been caused by just about anything, but luckily it resolved spontaneously. Your veterinarian has properly referred you to a veterinary ophthalmologist and I think you can wait for the time given. The treatment of choice will depend on the presentation of the cataracts. You may be asked to wait a bit to see if they progress anymore after the initial visit. I would take photographs now to compare to in three months. The treatment, if called for, is surgical. Given your dog is only five years old, I think she will likely make for a good candidate for surgery. Good luck!

Dr. John de Jong is President of the World Veterinary Association. He owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic and can be reached at 781-899-9994.