Would any breeders be willing to share their first hand experience with eyelid disorders (entropian & ectropian) and how you have seen it transmitted through generations?
There is not alot of information on transmission available and after speaking with our AVCO, he has confirmed it is not known how this genetic problem is transmitted.
Thanks in advance for sharing this information. Email me privately if you prefer.
I don't have any info on how it runs in lines/pedigrees, but the few I have had as young puppies, were extremely coated puppies, that in my opinion, start with irritation as young as 3 or 4 weeks, but when tacked at about 6 or 7 weeks - seem to outgrow it right away. I think that if you can stop the cycle of irritation and hence the eye recessing because of that, then it is not as much of an issue.
I have been told these problems are conformational. That is why they will still pass CERF. If I had entropian I would breed to a dog with a more prominent eye, without much loose skin on his face and see if that would correct it.
Very little experience but two off springs from the same dam different sires. One started very early, tearing at a few weeks. Had eye tacked, did not work, had surgery later all before a year and placed the pup. Older female did not even show till later after two or three years. Eyes look pretty bad eye lid rolling in but does not get any infection so had no surgery. The dam of these two has eyes that look perfect and no others in the family of 4 generations has ever presented with this.
I have one girl with entropian. The first ACVO told me that she wouldn't pass, don't bother sending it into CERF and spay the bitch. My mentor said the ACVO was wrong, it was a breeders option. I didn't use him again and went back to the original ACVO I used before for correct information. I still use the same ACVO vet and will until he retires.
I bred this girl several times, not 1 case of entropian in her 4 litters that I know of. I kept in touch with buyers, waited 2 years to breed her from the 1st to 2nd litter, everyone was fine so I went ahead and bred her again. Same with the 2nd litter so I didn't worry any longer but did check with the buyers in all litters. There wasn't 1 case of it and I used 3 stud dogs, 1 was a repeat.
I don't know if some entropian is genetic but I did not see it with my girl who has it that I did breed 4 times.
I never had a lab with ectropian and never saw another with entropian again.
Per Dr Acquire Ent and Ect are not an eye problem but a problem of the conformation of the head. It will be seen in offspring who have deep seated eyes or with excess skin on the face. In Entropian, the eyelashes turn in and can cause a scratch in the cornea. An AVCO vet should be consulted. If the eyes are watering, I would say the dog is in pain. Only certain drops should be used. I would say that you would see this in dogs from parents or gradparents who have this shape or make up of the face and head. e
My six year old girl has eyes that have teared since she was young. Eye specialist swears up and down that she does not have entropian. She just has teary eyes. She never scratches at them or acts like they bother her. Her pups from two litters do not have this.
Not all tearing comes from entropian, but from allergies or just stuff that gets into the eyes. But, not to be questioned, entropian eyes can and do water. E
I know of a stud dog who has produced entropion in several litters however he has been used about 50 times. One of the daughters had a normal CERF exam at 8 weeks but then developed entropion at about 4 months old and tacking didn't work so she had to have it corrected at about a year old and she's been bred twice - two big litters and one pup in one litter had it present right away at 5 weeks - tacking at 3 months worked beautifully. So yes it is inherited but no not that consistently and it's an easy fix. If everything else is there I wouldn't hesitate to breed.
Thanks to everyone (publicly and privately) that shared their personal experiences with Eyelid disorders over multiple generations, it has provided us alot of good information. Many thanks -
