Dog hereditary diseases

Description
Cataracts, a clouding of the lens of the eye, is one of the most common causes of visual impairment and loss in dogs. The study allows you to identify a hereditary form of cataract. In Australian Shepherds, the disease is dominant and in the case of the NM genotype (heterozygote), the risk of developing cataracts in a dog is 17-20 times higher than in a healthy animal. The first signs of hereditary cataract develop at 9-15 months with subsequent progression, as a rule, complete opacity of the lens occurs by the age of 3-4 years. There are currently no medical treatments for hereditary cataracts. The only way to restore a dog's vision is to implant an artificial lens.

Symptoms
Hereditary cataract is progressive and usually begins in the posterior region of the lens with a minor spot in the center. At this stage, by clinical methods, the disease can only be detected by a thorough ophthalmological examination. The cloudiness gradually grows, while the growth rate can vary greatly. In some forms of cataracts, the progression is very slow, and the dog does not experience problems with vision for a long time, in other cases, the development of cataracts is so rapid that the dog can go blind in a few weeks.

Diagnostics
The main method of preventive diagnosis of hereditary cataracts is genetic research, which allows you to identify the disease (or its carriage) at any age, even before the onset of the disease. By clinical methods, the disease can be detected by ophthalmological examination, while knowledge of the genotype will allow the doctor to make the right decision when choosing a treatment strategy.