Standing up for the veterinary profession
08 Aug 2024
11 Apr 2016 | Professor Sheila Crispin
It would be very surprising if we humans did not get our eyes checked regularly over our lifetime, so there is no reason why our dogs should be treated any differently, especially as many of the ageing changes are common to both dogs and humans
It would be very surprising if we humans did not get our eyes checked regularly over our lifetime, so there is no reason why our dogs should be treated any differently, especially as many of the ageing changes are common to both dogs and humans and the eye can be a useful indicator of systemic disease.
The Eye Scheme, run by BVA, the Kennel Club (KC) and the International Sheep Dog Society (ISDS), is a screening programme for identifying inherited and non-inherited ocular conditions in dogs. The majority of dogs presented for examination under the Eye Scheme are pedigree dogs with known inherited diseases of the eye, but it is important to emphasise that all dogs, including crossbreds, can be examined under the scheme.
The Eye Scheme includes examination and certification of older dogs (over 8 years of age). This is an excellent means of checking that:
As an extra incentive, older dogs are examined and certified at a reduced fee of £32 including VAT.
All the non-congenital conditions listed under Schedule A have a variable age of onset. For example, some forms of generalised progressive retinal atrophy and hereditary cataract may first be identified in older dogs that have already been used for breeding. In order to provide the longitudinal information that owners and breeders need it is particularly important to examine these dogs under the Eye Scheme, as this will help to establish lines that are genuinely free of inherited eye disease and enable breeding programmes to be better informed.
Normal ageing changes in dogs include senile nuclear sclerosis of the lens because the lens continues to grow throughout life and its central portion, the nucleus, becomes denser and greyish over time. Although the grey appearance is of concern to some owners, senile nuclear sclerosis has little apparent effect on vision.
Some age-related retinal changes accompanied by deterioration of vision do occur, but such age-related retinal changes in dogs cannot be compared with age-related macular degeneration in humans. Dogs do not have a macula and their retina is dominated by rods (concerned with night vision), rather than the cones (colour vision and visual acuity) that populate the macular area in human eyes.
Local ocular changes in older dogs that are of actual, or potential, clinical significance include:
Generalised problems in older dogs, which may present with ocular manifestations, include:
Clearly, quite apart from the benefits of obtaining a more accurate picture of breed-related and inherited disease in older dogs, it is very helpful to identify ocular and generalised problems that may require treatment, because early diagnosis is a crucial part of successful management.
To get your dog screened, find your nearest eye panellist or contact the Canine Health Schemes (CHS) team on 020 7908 6380 or email [email protected].
You can also download the following CHS leaflets:
CHS also runs screening programmes for hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and Chiari Malformation/ Syringomyelia.
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