Our furry family members can contract illnesses just like us. Thanks to modern veterinary medicine most are treatable and require minor to major living adjustments.

My first Sibe, Trouble Sue, developed juvenile cataracts at the age of six months. I was devastated, Trouble seemed unfazed. Once I got my bearings straight and the right vet, I made the lifestyle changes necessary to accommodate her disabilty and she lived comfortably and healthy for 12 years. Her passing was not related to her cataracts and most people couldn't even tell she had them.

If you suspect your Sibe has cataracts see your vet immediately. But also know that not every vet is equipped with the knowledge or experience to diagnose or treat cataracts. The first vet I took Trouble to see didn't know why her eyes had suddenly clouded over and made no effort on his part to find out. I found another vet more familiar with Sibes and eye disorders and she was quickly and correctly diagnosed. Second and sometimes third opinions are needed to properly diagnose eye disorders and they can also give you peace of mind on deciding what treatment steps, if any, to take. Trouble only needed eye drops for the first few years with her cataracts and once I had enough money saved I had her most affected eye lens replaced with a synthetic model. She would have lived just as long without the replacement but the newly acquired eyesight gave her a spring in her step and a revival for her love of chasing and catching squirrels and birds.

Living with a Sibe that has a disability or disease doesn't have to be a cause for stress. I have found some great canine eye resources on the net. The most valuable among them was my connection to other Sibe owners whose Sibes had cataracts on the Sibernet e-mail list. I actually find this to be the best place for all my Sibe related queries but that's just my personal opinion. Another great resource for canine eye related questions or injuries is http://www.eyevet.org/.