Achromatopsia

You may catch your pup blinking repeatedly in daylight, shaking their heads, or seeking out areas with dimmer light.

Symptoms appear as early as 8 weeks of age.

Veterinary ophthalmologists can diagnose this condition using patient history, ocular exam, and genetic testing.

Currently, there is no available treatment for Achromatopsia, although gene therapy has been successfully used in young dogs.

Talk to your vet about your dog’s achromatopsia result so you can work together to plan their ongoing care and monitoring.

Limit your dog’s exposure to bright sunlight and provide shaded areas for outdoor activities.

If your dog seems sensitive to light, try using tinted dog goggles or visors made for pets to help them see more comfortably in bright environments.

This mutation was first described in the German Shepherd Dog and Labrador Retriever.

Penetrance: This mutation is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner; that is, a dog requires two copies of the mutation to show signs of the disease.

Gene

CNGA3 (Exon 7 SNP)

Inheritance type

recessive

Clinical category

Ophthalmologic

Citations

1. Tanaka et al 2015

• Berger Blanc Suisse
• Czechoslovakian Vlcak
• German Shepherd Dog
• King Shepherd
• Saarloos Wolfdog
• Shiloh Shepherd
• White Shepherd