Pilocarpine and Timolol Drops for a Shih Tzu With Cataracts

Please don't start the timolol until you've talked with your vet. There are no eye drops that treat cataracts, and pilocarpine and timolol are glaucoma medicines, not cataract treatments. Pilocarpine often stings, and timolol can slow the heart rate.

Ask your vet whether your dog's eye pressure was found to be high, which would be a different problem, or whether a referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist would help. If the cataracts are affecting vision, surgery is the only treatment that restores sight; if not, anti-inflammatory drops and regular checks may be advised.

See cataracts in dogs for treatment options.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.