Progressive Retinal Atrophy, rcd3

PRA is a subtle disease and dogs adapt very well to the slow loss of vision. You may notice that your dog is reluctant to go down the stairs, bumps into door frames or corners, or takes a longer time to fetch a toy.

An ophthalmologist can first see signs of this disease by 8 weeks of age, with complete blindness typically occurring by 1 year. However, there are some individual differences noted and some dogs have vision at 3 to 4 years of age.

Veterinarians use a focused light to examine the pupils. In affected dogs, the pupils will appear more dilated and slower to contract. Your vet may also use a lens to visualize the retina at the back of the eye to look for changes in the optic nerve or blood vessels. You may be referred to a veterinary ophthalmologist for a definitive diagnosis.

Currently, there is no definitive treatment for PRA. Supplements, including antioxidants, have been proposed for management of the disease, but have not been scientifically proven effective.

Talk to your vet about your dog’s PRA 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 monitor for changes or complications such as cataracts.

If your dog’s vision changes, help them adjust by keeping furniture and routines consistent, using verbal cues, and keeping them on a leash in unfamiliar areas.

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

This mutation was first described in the Cardigan Welsh Corgi.

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

PDE6A

Inheritance type

recessive

Clinical category

Ophthalmologic

Citations

1. Petersen-Jones et al 1999

• Cardigan Welsh Corgi
• Chinese Crested
• Pembroke Welsh Corgi
• Pomeranian