Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Retinal changes in dogs with sudden acquired retinal degeneration
By Cho, Heejong et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2022·Yoolim Animal Eye Clinic, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparison of the qualitative and quantitative optical coherence tomographic features between sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome and normal eyes in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) showed significant changes in their eye structure compared to healthy dogs. The affected dogs had thinner outer retinal layers and thicker inner layers, along with more severe vitreous haze, which is a cloudiness in the eye. Interestingly, one dog suspected of having SARDS showed an increase in the thickness of its photoreceptor layer, suggesting it might be an early sign of the condition. While more research is needed, these findings could help veterinarians better understand and diagnose SARDS in dogs.
People also search for: dog eye problems SARDS · sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome in dogs · dog vitreous haze treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively and qualitatively characterize the retinal optical coherence tomographic features of sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) and SARDS suspect dogs. ANIMALS STUDIED: Fourteen SARDS affected dogs, 11 age-, breed-, and sex-matched control dogs, and two SARDS suspect dogs. PROCEDURES: Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) images were used to evaluate the quantitative features, including thickness, intereye asymmetry, and longitudinal changes in retinal layer thickness and the qualitative features, including retinal architecture and vitreous haze. RESULTS: Mean outer retinal layer thickness (ORT), outer nuclear layer thickness (ONL), and photoreceptor layer thickness (PRL) were significantly lower in the SARDS group, whereas mean inner retinal layer thickness was significantly higher in the SARDS group than in the control group. While thickness values of all retinal layers did not differ significantly between paired eyes in each group, the absolute intereye asymmetries in the ORT (p < .0001), ONL (p = .008), and PRL (p < .0001) were significantly higher in the SARDS group than in the control group. Some SARDS patients and SARDS suspects had a greater PRL than the control group, and serial OCT evaluation showed an increase in PRL in one SARDS suspect. Vitreous haze severity was greater in the SARDS group than in the control group (vitreous relative intensity, p = .030). CONCLUSIONS: We described the OCT features of SARDS patients and suspects. In particular, PRL thickening in the SARDS suspects might indicate an early change in SARDS. Although further studies are needed, this finding might provide new insights into the pathogenesis of SARDS.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35144323/