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Research article2010Peer reviewed

Retinal degeneration in nine Swedish Jämthund dogs

Hertil, Eva; Bergstrom, Tomas; Kell, Ulle; Karlstam, Lena; Ekman, Stina; Ekesten, Bjorn

Abstract

The Jamthund is the fourth most common breed in Sweden with approximately 1600 pups registered each year. Although it has been known that some adult dogs go blind, so they cannot hunt, the Jamthund dog has historically not been screened for hereditary eye diseases. This report describes nine Swedish Jamthund dogs with retinal degeneration. These dogs represent all Jamthund dogs diagnosed with progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) by the Swedish Eye Panel and registered with the Swedish Kennel Club from January 1998 to September 2008. The dogs were examined with indirect opthalmoscopy and slitlamp biomicroscopy. Additionally, electroretinograms (ERGs) following ECVO guidelines were performed in two dogs (one affected and one normal) and the eyes from three affected dogs were examined by light-microscopy postmortem. Typical findings were bilateral symmetric generalized retinal degeneration with tapetal hyper-reflectivity, attenuation of blood vessels and pigment clumping in the nontapetal fundus. These retinal findings progressed with time in two dogs after re-examination. Visual impairment, especially under dim light conditions, was observed in the affected dogs. ERG from one affected dog showed profoundly reduced rod responses, whereas cone responses were better preserved. Microscopic changes in the eyes from three dogs were characterized by a severe diffuse predominantly outer retinal degeneration and atrophy. Re-sequencing of the prcd-gene for eight of the nine investigated dogs revealed that none of the individuals carried disease allele that has been associated with prcd-PRA in other breeds. In conclusion, ophthalmoscopic, electroretinographic, and light-microscopic alterations observed in nine Jamthund dogs were compatible with PRA. The prcd mutation was excluded as a cause of this retinopathy.

Keywords

dog; electroretiniography; Jämthund; progressive retinal atrophy; progressive rod-cone degeneration; retinal degeneration

Published in

Veterinary Ophthalmology
2010, Volume: 13, number: 2, pages: 110-116
Publisher: American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists