If You Missed Part 1 Pleasse Click On The Photo To Go There
Part Two
You may remember a few weeks ago that I already talked about some health problems that you can find in gundog breeds. This is a very common occurrence and while efforts are being made to only use healthy dogs for breeding, there is still a predisposition to problems in every breed, whether they are hardy or not.
If you look back at part one, I discuss some ways to reduce the risk of purchasing a puppy with hereditary health problems. I also went over bone and joint problems, such as hip dysplasia, that affects hundreds of thousands of dogs each year.
In this part, I will be looking at eye problems, which can be a serious problem for gundogs since some gundogs rely on their vision almost as much as they rely on their sense of smell.
Eye and Vision Health Problems:
Primary Cataracts: While cataracts, which are an opaqueness that clouds the eye, are usually attributed with age or some type of trauma to the eye in many dogs, there are some types of cataracts that are actually linked to genetics. What this means is that some breeds are more predisposed to developing cataracts and they can be affected at a very young age with it.
This is very important to realize since many breeds of gundogs are predisposed to having congenital cataracts that can be found in many different pedigrees. It is very important to only choose a puppy from a breeder that has done all of the proper eye examinations with their dogs before breeding.
That being said, cataracts are actually a breakdown in the lens fibers that are found in the eye. When there is a breakdown, there is actually a disruption of those fibers and there is a film begins to form on the eye. This is actually a loss of transparency than an actual film and it impedes the dog’s vision.
While some cataracts are only minor, some can cause a large amount of vision problems, including blindness. In addition, not all cataracts can be seen. Posterior pole cataracts affect the posterior part of the eye and is usually forms an inverted Y that impedes vision.
Like many other types of cataracts, posterior pole cataracts is actually a progressive cataract and may only begin as a slight problem, it can continue to progress until the dog is completely blind.
Treatment of cataracts is usually a surgery where a desiccation of the lens takes place. There is no non-surgical way to treat cataracts and it is important to note that not all cataracts are treatable with surgery.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): Progressive Retinal Atrophy is another hereditary eye problem where the risk can be reduced if the breeding dogs are properly tested for the problem.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a degenerative disease that can affect many breeds of gundogs. It can be found at a young age but many dogs are not assessed with the disorder until they are around breeding age, although some have not been diagnosed until much older. Basically, the rods in the eye are affected and begin to degenerate. When it does, the photoreceptors in the back of the dog’s eye begin to deteriorate and the dog may begin to exhibit symptoms of Progressive Retinal Atrophy.
Because this is a progressive disease, many owners are unaware that their dog is affected by it and will not usually notice the signs right away, which is another reason for yearly eye exams. It usually begins with a small amount of “night-blindness” and can progress until the dog is blind.
Although I do promote eye exams, it is important to note that they are not a failsafe in regards to Progressive Retinal Atrophy. When an eye exam is done, they are only able to determine if the dog has PRA but not if the dog will ever develop it. Currently, there is no genetic test to determine if a dog is a carrier of the hereditary disease but choosing a multi-generational breeder, who has never had Progressive Retinal Atrophy in any of their dogs is a good way to reduce the risk.
There is no known treatment for Progressive Retinal Atrophy but it is not painful for the dogs and since it occurs over a long period of time, the dog is often able to adapt to the vision loss without much problem.
Retinal Dysplasia: Although there are many different types of retinal dysplasia that can affect dogs, they are all a malformation of the retina that can hinder the dog’s ability to see. Usually, retinal dysplasia is when a fold are seen in the retinal tissue. These folds create blind spots in the dog’s vision and the larger the fold, the more severe the blind spot can be.
Retinal dysplasia is an inherited condition but it can also be caused by trauma to the eye, something that can occur quite frequently in gundogs, or an infection within the eye.
It can be very difficult to see symptoms of retinal dysplasia if it is minor but in more severe cases, you will notice that a dog’s range of vision is smaller or that the dog is blind.
Like many other eye problems, there is no treatment for retinal dysplasia.
Ectropion: This is not always a very serious problem in dogs, as compared to other eye problems, but it should be addressed when it happens. Ectropion is when the eyelid, usually the lower, rolls out or sags. This exposes the eye and leaves it open to irritants.
Generally, ectropion is accompanied with other problems such as conjunctivitis, and you will notice that the dog’s eyes are tearing more than normally. It can be hereditary in some breeds but it can also be caused by some trauma to the eye.
If the case is mild, no treatment is necessary but in the event of reoccurring or severe, surgery will be needed to remove a very small piece of the affected lid so it does not reoccur. In addition, treatment will be done for the conjunctivitis if there is any present.
Glaucoma: Glaucoma can be the result of some hereditary problems and are usually seen in dogs that have an abnormal filter in their eye or in dogs that already have problems such as progressive retinal atrophy or cataracts. In addition, Glaucoma can be caused by other factors such as trauma or inflammation in the eye.
Glaucoma is actually a build up of fluid that is found in the eye. In most animals, the fluid, also known as intraocular fluid, is drained out through a filter found in the eye. When a dog has a blockage in the filter or an abnormal filter, then the fluid builds up and places a large amount of pressure on the eye. This pressure leads to the damage of the optic nerve and retina and can result in blindness.
Symptoms of glaucoma can be squinting, rubbing at the eyes and tearing of the eye ducts. If the symptoms are ignored, the pet will begin to lose their vision and it is not possible to restore the damaged vision after treatment so early diagnosis is very important.
Glaucoma is treated through oral and topical medication most of the time; however, some forms of glaucoma require medical surgery and in some severe cases, the eye may need to be removed.