Macular Corneal Dystrophy, MCD

You will notice the surface of your dog's eyes becoming cloudy. They may or may not have trouble with vision: bumping into walls, hesitant on steps, and cautious in unfamiliar locations.

This is a disease of middle aged dogs.

Veterinarians perform a complete ocular exam and also genetic testing to diagnose this condition.

Currently there is no cure for canine MCD, though in humans, a corneal transplant is the gold standard of treatment.

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

Schedule regular eye exams with your vet or a veterinary ophthalmologist to track any changes in your dog’s corneas or vision.

If your dog’s vision is affected, keep furniture in the same place, use verbal cues, and guide them on a leash in new or unfamiliar areas.

Products such as protective halos can also help dogs navigate safely if their vision declines.

This mutation was first described in the 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

CHST6

Inheritance type

recessive

Clinical category

Ophthalmologic

Citations

1. Tetas Pont 2016

• English Labrador Retriever
• Labrador Retriever