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Animal Update: Pets' Eye Color Changes Explained

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— If you're like me, you may be fascinated by the fact that some pets' eyes can change colors. With puppies it's normal, according to Dr. Jennifer Scarlett with the SF SPCA.

"They're born with yellow or amber eyes and those will change to a dark brown by about eight weeks of age," she said.

Scarlett said cats' eye color changes with age and it's something called iris atrophy. "Literally you'll see this kind of cobwebby appearance to the iris."

Animal Update: Pets' Eye Color Changes Explained

Other changes to eye color could indicate some sort of abnormality. There are types of diseases that can cause a change in eye color. Cataracts are a common cause, mainly in dogs and can cause changes either because of congenital reasons or because of diabetes.

"Other changes of eye color can be due to conditions of the cornea or infections of the iris," she said. "In old dogs, if you catch them in the right light you'll see that their eyes kind of have a hazy blue. That's called lenticular sclerosis or a hardening of the lens. The other reason for a blue eye is due to corneal inflammation, either due to an immune reaction or some type of infection or injury."

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