| N = Normal | S = Suspect | C = Carrier | P = Pass | F = Fail |
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CERF PRCD PRA (OptiGen) JOINTS OTHER |
CERF
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| Cataract | |
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The lens is a clear, transparent body in the eye. The lens doesn't contain bloodvessels so for its metabolism depends on the surrounding fluids which mainly consisting of water and proteine. In a healthy eye incoming light falls through the lens onto the retina. Light is then transfered in nerve signals and sent to the brain which create the images. To get clear images the lens should be completely clear. In case of a cataract the proteine in the lens clot together. The lens will become clouded and the amount of light reflected on the retina will decrease. These cloudiness will lead to loss of eyesight, the images will be blurred. When the cataract is small the cloudiness will only affect part of the lens and there only appears little signs of sightloss. Cataracts do grow and in time the conditions will get worse and finally every incomming vision will be projected blurred. At the point that the whole lens is infected, there will be no vision left with the infected eye. Cataracts can be inherited but also occur due to aging, trauma, nutrition deficiency, diabetes and poisening. A cataract can also lead to lens luxation and Glaucoma. Cataracts can be surgically removed but wether such an operation is meaningful depends on the amount of growth and sightloss. |  |
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| Corneal Dystrophy | |
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Confusion often arises over the use of the term "corneal dystrophy" in dogs. Technically, "corneal dystrophies" are diseases of the cornea that are bilateral, non-inflammatory and inherited. The confusion arises because the term "corneal dystrophy" is sometimes used to refer to a disease with similar clinical signs but is not hereditary. A more appropriate term for the non-inherited conditions is corneal degeneration. In most breeds, corneal dystrophy appears as gray-white, crystalline or metallic opacities in the center of the cornea or close to the periphery. These opacities may affect any layer of the cornea, the epithelium (outer layer), the stroma (the thick, middle layer), or the endothelium (the inner layer). The opacities are usually oval or round and are sometimes doughnut-shaped. The age of onset of the disease varies within and among dog breeds and may range from 4 months in Airedale Terriers, to up to 13 years in Chihuahuas. The opacities usually progress but in some cases they remain static. Their progression may be very slow and may or may not lead to blindness (common in Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies, Pointers, German Shepherds, and Bichon Frises). On the other hand, progression may be rapid and lead to blindness (more common in Airdale Terriers, Boston Terriers, Chihuahuas and Dachshunds). The mode of inheritance varies among breeds and in many breeds it is unknown. In the airedale terrier it is thought to be a sex-linked trait and in the Siberian Husky, Corneal Dystrophy has been shown to be a recessively inherited trait with variable expression. Corneal dystrophies are usually not painful. In a few breeds, however, a dystrophy can lead to secondary breaks in the epithelial (outer) layer of the cornea. When this occurs a painful corneal ulcer develops requiring intense treatment. In other breeds, a painful ulcer may not develop and the dystrophy itself is not treatable. No medication will "dissolve" the opacity. Surgical removal of the dystrophic area may temporarily decrease the opacity in cases of epithelial dystrophy. Often, however the opacities will reform in the healed cornea. | |
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| Degeneration Anterior Chamber | |
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The anterior chamber is the space between the cornea and the iris and is filled with aqueous humor. Aqueous is important in controlling the pressure inside the eye and giving the front of the eye its shape. | |
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| Dry Eye | |
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Dry Eye (Keratoconjunctivitis sicca) is caused by abnormal tear production. The eye glands produce a watery secretion that make up the bulk of the tears. Dry Eye is caused by a deficiency in this secretion. Normal tears are essential for the health and transparency of the cornea (the surface of the eye). Tears cleanse and lubricate the cornea, carry nutrients, and play a role in the control of infection and in healing. Deficient tear production as in Dry Eye causes chronic irritation of the cornea and conjunctiva. Corneal ulcers and eventually corneal scarring occur, and blindness can result. Dry Eye can also occur as a result of viral infection, inflammation, drug-related toxicity, or immune-mediated disease. There is an association between removal of a prolapsed nictitans gland ("cherry eye") and the development of Drey Eye. | |
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| Entropion | |
| Entropion is the rolling inwards of the eyelid. It causes ocular pain and corneal disease. If the eyelid is rolled inward sufficiently so that the hairs of the eyelid rub on the eye, much damage may be done. Dogs with entropion usually squint and have watery eyes. If the entropion is not corrected and the rubbing continues, ulcers often develop on the cornea and the cornea becomes pigmented. Vision may be lost. Dogs that have had entropion correction surgery cannot be shown. | |
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| Glaucoma | |
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The eyeball is filled with a vitreous fluid that in a healthy situation is supplied and discharged continuously. The amount of vitreous fluid determines the inner pressure and the shape of the eyeball. Glaucoma is an increase in this pressure. In most cases the drainage canal is being blocked whilst the input of fresh fluid continues. This will cause the eye to deform and is an extremely painful condition. Due to the increased pressure in the eyeball the optic nerve at the back of the eye will be pressured. The optic nerve sends signals to the brain to form images. When to much pressure is exerted onto the optic nerve it loses its ability to function properly and the eyesight fails. Glaucoma can be caused by heredity, trauma, inflammation, eyetumor and lens luxation. If the Glaucoma is the result of heredity, both eyes could become affected. Glaucoma is generally diagnosed in one eye initially. It may not appear in the second eye for 5 months, up to 2 years. Glaucoma can cause acute blindness within 24 hours. However, it can also take weeks/months before blindness occurs. It depends totally on how rapid the increased pressure in the eye damages the optic nerve. This is why it's so important that you consult your vet immediately when any signs of eye problems/injuries occur. If the pressure can be decreased within 24 hours of onset, there is a chance the vision may be saved in the affected eye. However, even if the pressure has been present for a considerable time and vision has been lost, the pain caused by the increased pressure is still severe. Glaucoma in early stages can be recognised by a mild eye infection, excessive tearing, pain to the eye, squinting of the eye, sensitivity to light and cloudiness of the cornea. Glaucoma in a later stage can be recognized by the reddish color of the white (sclera) of the eye, an increase in the size of the eye or eyelids that do not close completely. In almost all cases, this is the stage glaucoma is diagnosed. Medication/surgery will be necessary to relieve the dog of this extreme pain. The vision can't be restored in the affected eye. | |
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| Iris: Ciliary body cyst | |
| A ciliary body cyst in dogs is a sac of tissue that grows in the eye - between the iris and the cornea, and it can cause blindness from increasing pressure in the eye. It has been reported in Great Danes, and it does seem to happen in Great Danes more than in other dogs. Multiple cysts of iris and ciliary body may cause many complications such as acute or chronic angle closure glaucoma. | |
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| Lens Luxation | |
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The lens is located behind the iris and a part is visible through the opening of the pupil. The lens is kept in place by small fibers called zonules.
When these zonules break the lens becomes detached. The lens can now slide through the opening of the lens into the anterior chamber. Or it moves backwards into the vitreous body. If the zonules partly break we speak of lens subluxation, total detachement is called lens luxation. When the lens comes in contact with the cornea it can do much damage. Also the lens can block the flow of the aqueous fluid in the eye. The pressure in the eye will increase. As a result of this a Glaucoma will occur. Lens luxation can be inherited but also trauma, inflammation and Glaucoma can be the cause of it. Treatment of lens luxation depends on where the lens is located (this can be either in the anterior chamber or in the vitreous body), the presence of Glaucoma and the visibility of the affected eye. With an early diagnosis vision in the affected eye could be saved by removing the lens out of the anterior chamber. But in most cases the eye can't be saved and maybe then it's better to remove the affected eye for this is a very painful condition. When the lens is located in the vitreous body in most cases the option would be to give eyedrops (lifelong) that will keep the pupil small making it impossible for the lens to move into the anterior chamber. This type of luxation, with the lens located in the virtreous body, should not be painful for the dog and it should even be possible to see with the affected eye. With heredity lens luxation both eyes will be affected. In some cases the lenses of both eyes will get loose at the same time but in most cases there will be a time between the loosening of the first lens and the second one. This can take weeks, months or even years. The signals of lens luxation can vary between minor to extreme pain to the eye, red coloring of the white of the eyeball, cloudyness of the cornea, tearing and blindness. | |
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| Persistent Pupillary Membrane | |
| The pupillary membrane covers the pupil of the fetus and it is part of the blood supply to the developing lense. After birth the remains of the membrane will be absorbed. Normally the pupillary membrane completely absorbs before birth in foals and calves but is partially present and continues to disappear in neonatal dogs. Absorption may not be complete in puppies when the eyes first open and small strands or a web-like structure may be seen across the pupil. These strands normally disappear by four to five weeks of age. In some dogs these strands do not disappear and become Persistent Pupillary Membranes. | |
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| Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) | |
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The cornea of the eye contains special cells, called rods and cones. The rods are responsible for seeing in dim light, the cones make it possible to see in daylight and distinguish colors.
The part of the Cornea that is located directly behind the lens, called the fovea, contains only cones. Outside this section the amount of cones decreases and the number of rods increases. The area outside the fovea is used to see in dim light. Light intensity can be distinguished but because of the absence of cones not so many colors. These rods and cones catch the light that falls through the lens and send signals through the optic nerve to the brain which will convert the signals into images. PRA is a genetic disorder which affects the rods and cones. In it's early stages only the rods will be affected. The dog will become night-blind first. In a later stage the cones also will be affected with the result that also daytime-vision and color-discrimination will dissapear. PRA in most cases expresses itself at an age between 3-5 years. The rods can already be affected from 5 months of age but can remain undetected for a long time. Because of the gradualness of PRA, the infected dog can adapt to his decreasing eye-sight. If his environment is not changed, he will learn his way. To receive more incoming light to be able to see something, the lens will be set wide open. This will cause a noticable shine to the eye. The lens doesn't contract anymore when (bright) light falls in, which is what it would do in normal cases. The chances are high a Cataract will develop. | |
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| Retinal Folds | |
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The retina is the neurological structure in the back of the eye which receives light and converts it into an electrical signal. This electrical signal is transmitted to the brain by way of the optic nerve and is interpreted by the brain as vision. The embryological development of the retina is quite complex. It forms from a small part of the front of the primitive neural tube, the structure that becomes the nervous system (brain and spinal cord) of the adult. Malformations of the retina before birth are rare but can be due to either hereditary or environmental (in the uterus) influences. Retinal dysplasia is a type of retinal malformation. The word "dysplasia" simply means "a defective development of an organ or structure". Retinal dysplasia occurs when the 2 primitive layers of the retina do not form together properly. Mild dysplasia manifests as folds in the inner retinal layer. These are called "retinal folds". In "geographic" retinal dysplasia there are larger areas of defective retinal development. In the severe form of dysplasia, the 2 retinal layers do not come together at all and retinal detachment occurs. Retinal dysplasia is not progressive. It is a congenital defect and animals are born with as severe a condition as they will ever get. Retinal dysplasia can be detected as early as 6-8 weeks on a CERF examination. However, because the size of the eye is small and young puppies are often wiggling during examination, a 6 month recheck is recommended in order for the ophthalmologist to better see the back of the eye. The cause of retinal dysplasia in most breeds is genetic although prenatal infections with herpesvirus and parvovirus may also lead to it. Retinal folds rarely cause vision problems for the individual dog. They represent small blind spots which are probably not even noticed by the dog. However, large areas of dysplasia (geographic dysplasia) may lead to large deficits in the visual field and dogs with retinal detachments are completely blind. | |
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| Vitreous Degeneration | |
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Vitreous is a transparent, gelatinous matter what consists of 99% water and 1% solid elements (proteins, collagen filaments and hyaluronic acid molecules). The relationship between the formed elements and the ability of hyaluronic acid molecules to retain water molecules gives the vitreous its gel consistency. When these hyaluronic acid molecules release their water molecules pockets of liquefied vitreous are being formed. The collagen filaments unite into collagen fibrils and the vitreous gel structure will loose the transparant condition. | |
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PRCD PRA (OptiGen)
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PRA Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a broad category of disease that includes several types of retinal degenerative disease. One of these is prcd progressive rod-cone degeneration. Prcd-PRA is the predominant type - by far - in many breeds currently being OptiGen tested. The OptiGen prcd-PRA mutation test detects only the prcd form of PRA and none other. A diagnosis of vision loss could be due to various causes. Maybe some type of known inherited PRA. Or maybe another type of PRA not yet testable. Or maybe a condition that isnt a primary retinal problem at all, for example a secondary degeneration of the retina caused by a non-genetic disease. Even vision loss due to cataracts or detached retina is sometimes confused with PRA. Accurate diagnosis by a qualified specialist is extremely important. The test lets you identify normal dogs clear of the disease gene so you can better plan breeding strategies. It tells the status of an individual dog and gives a more accurate assessment of the risk of developing PRA, and eliminates the need for future ERGs in those dogs whose tests come back Normal/Clear or Carrier. More info about the prcd-PRA gene test: www.optigen.com |
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JOINTS
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| Legg Calve Perthes | |
| The hip joint is formed by the femural head and the hip socket of the pelvic bone. The femural head is supplied with blood through 2 small arteries. LCP occurs when this blood supply is cut off. Due to the insufficient blood supply the femural head starts to die and disintegrate. The head will deform, causing pain, limping and eventually arthritis. LCP can either be caused by trauma or can be inherited. Heredity LCP appears within 4-12 months of age. The reason why the bloodflow is cut off is unknown. Lameness, limping and pain in the affected hip are first signs of LCP. Muscle atrophy, shorting of the affected leg and restricted joint movement are common physical signs. |  |
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| Patella Luxation | |
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Together with the femur and the tibia the Patella, or kneecap, forms the knee joint. The Patella is held in place by the patella tendon. This tendon is attached to the tibia. In a healthy situation, the Patella will move up and down in a groove, called the trochea that is located at the lower hand and frontside of the femur. When the trochea in the femur is too shallow, the attachement of the knee tendon is not in the right place or the position of the tibia in relation to the femur deviates then the Patella could slip out of the trochea. This is called Patella Luxation. When examining the knee, the depth of the groove, the placement of the Patella, the alignment of the tibia with regard to the femur and the curve of the tibia all must be checked. Behind the Patella lays a number of cruciate ligaments. Because of the movement of the Patella, these may be damaged too. In the severe cases surgical correction may be needed. PL is graded from 1 to 4, in which 4 is the most severe case. Grade 1 can become a grade 4. Grade
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OTHER
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| Cleft Palate / Lip | |
| This is an opening in the lip or the roof of the mouth that occurs due to failure of normal fusion processes during embryonic development. Cleft palate and cleft lip may result from either hereditary or environmental causes (such as the use of certain drugs during pregnancy). | top |
| Closed Ear Canal | |
| All puppies are born with their ears closed. In normal cases the canal will open around 21 days after birth and the puppy can then hear. In some cases, one or both ears may remain closed. This is referred to as closed ear canal. In some cases the ear itself may be small or not formed correctly, but until the ear is due to be open you cannot know positively if you have a pup with a closed canal. Some closed ear puppies have no ear drum etc behind the closure, others have all the proper ear structure and having the canal surgically opened will allow them to hear normally or almost normally from that ear. | top |
| Epilepsy / seizures | |
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Seizures are the result of muscle responses to an abnormal nerve-signal burst from the brain. They are a symptom of an underlying neurological dysfunction. Toxic substances, metabolic or electrolyte abnormalities and/or imbalances cause an uncoordinated firing of neurons in the cerebrum of the brain, creating seizures from mild "petit mal " to severe "grand mal". Seizures caused by underlying factors are referred to as Secondary Epilepsy. Testing is advised before a diagnosis of idiopathic/inherited epilepsy or Primary Epilepsy is made. | top |
| von Willibrand Factor | |
| A deficiency or abnormality of the von Willibrand factor in the blood, a protein that affects the clotting of the blood. In case of injury to a blood vessel this bleeding doesn't stop as quickly as it should. | top |