I have a female who is 4 years old. She has passed her eye clearances every year until this summer. They found cataracts. She is so near perfect I have waited on breeding her until I can keep a few puppies. It was a litter I intented to use to build my breeding program (thank goodness I haven't yet). I have found good research on cataracts in humans, but I was wondering if anyone knows of such articles in dogs.

Does anyone think it would be worth a full exam by an optamologist? The research that I have read has mentioned causes that are possible for this type of cataract beyond genetics. I know of no cataract issues in my females line. Would an optamologist be able to give me a cause if by chance it is not genetics? Maybe I'm just hoping for the impossible, she is a very special girl.

What kind of cataracts are they? That makes a big difference

Yes you need to know what kind as my 14 mo bitch was just dignosed. failed to Cerf's and is now Spayed.
And found out there is cateracts in my lines Now.
She however was not a home bred.

Yes, it is worth a visit to an opthomologist. Find out what kind of cataracts.

Get a second opinion from a Board Certified
opthomologist. You are talking about making a decision that will effect your breeding program. Don't rely on only one opinion and yes, the type of cataract makes a difference
Good luck

That is about the time that juvenile cataracts show up. I am surprise the eye Dr. did not tell you what kind. Sorry, there is just so much that goes with being careful and breeding the best you can. But I would get another opinion.

What kind of vet told you the dog had cataracts if you are asking about going to a opthomologist? I wouldn't take the word of a regular vet on this one and yes there are kinds of cataracts that will CERF and are not heriditary so take the dog to a board certified opthomologist.
Aloha,
Jackie

Thanks everyone... I will take her for a full exam before having her spayed.

If this helps, the vet had said "nuclear"
the vet let me look, it was a small triangle in the very center of her eye. He gave me no paperwork with the exam, so I cannot say posterior or anterior. I was a little worried, he probably told me but I was concerned at the moment more about what it meant for my girl. He said there is a change it will never affect her vision, to check again to see how fast it is growing. He recommended having her spayed. It was at a regular vet office, although not my own vet.

Thanks again everyone...
I find the post on this forum very helpful.

I would agree - take her for a CERF exam so that you understand what it is that she might have.

Chances are they are juvenile cataracts. I placed a boy who was diagnosed with juveline cataracts. The opthologist said the dog's evesight was not affected and that it would never get any worse. He said the dog was not CERFable and that they were hereditary. Since they do not impair vision, I've always wondered why they were not CERFable.

Lucy a regular Vet is not qualified to make those judgements. DO NOT spay your bitch! Go to a board certified ACVO opthomologist.
Traci

Definitely go to a board-certified opthalmologist. It is well worth the money to get a specialist's opinion. Also, you may consider having your vet run a blood panel on her to look for other diseases that can cause these in dogs.

That makes two of us t hat wonder why they will CERF other breeds with juvenile cataracts but not labradors sinse it will never affect the dogs vision, I did have one that had the juvenile cataracts and couldn't use him because of it and he was a very nice dog.
Aloha,
Jackie

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Replying to:

Chances are they are juvenile cataracts. I placed a boy who was diagnosed with juveline cataracts. The opthologist said the dog's evesight was not affected and that it would never get any worse. He said the dog was not CERFable and that they were hereditary. Since they do not impair vision, I've always wondered why they were not CERFable.

The Optigen crew is currently working on a test for these hereditary cataracts. It is a Recessive - both parent must be carriers, just like the prcd-PRA. I would NOT neuter an affected dog who is otherwise superior. Once the test is out, you will be able to breed an affected to a Normal/Clear.

If an Ophthalmologist diagnosess your girl with these cataracts, please see the Optigen website and send in her blood sample. The more samples they get, the sooner they can bring the test to market for our use.

Laura,

I looked at the old ACVO form and it says "inherited" and there are checks in "inter" on the "posterior cortex" line.

Then I looked on the Optigen site and it says they are looking for Labs with "· Bilateral, Posterior Subcapsular." I don't see that precise language on the form. I can still get hold of this dog and would send blood. I don't want to bother if it is not precisely what they are looking for.

What do you think? Am still wondering why it is not CERFable since the dog has no vision loss.

Dr. Aguirre said 5% of the working guide dogs have these same cataracts and they have no effect on their vision. My reply was, if they are OK to lead a blind person, they should be OK to lay on the couch and go to soccer games with a family!

If I understood him correctly, Dr. Aguirre said the reason they still won't CERF these tiny cataracts is that they are somehow linked to the more severe kind of cataracts that they used to see a lot in Labs. If they start to pass them, then the more severe kind may come back? I think that was what he was saying.

They need the breeders to send them the blood samples, ACVO forms and pedigrees to get this test finished.

I URGE anyone who has a dog diagnosed with cataracts to contact Optigen and read them what is checked on the form. They will tell you if they can use your dog in the study.

I participated with Optigen when they had the false allele in the original prcd-PRA marker test. All my dogs came back as "C" Affected but were clinically normal/clear at old age. Once the test was revised, they all came back A1 - Normal/Clear on the new test. They were part of the group that carried the FALSE allele.

The sooner we, the breeders, help get the cataract test finished, the sooner we can breed our affected dogs.

Laura have you heard anything about how close they might be to all of this?
A while back I heard it was expected fairly soon but that information was not shared with me from Optigen.

I believe they need more samples.
The sooner breeders send them in, the sooner the test.
Makes sense, right?

Sure does make sense!
Thanks for your reply.

I am putting together the info to see in my girl qualifies to take part in optigens research. Thanks for letting me know about this...
Lucy