Premium
Corneal dystrophy in F riesian horses may represent a variant of pellucid marginal degeneration
Author(s) -
LassalineUtter Mary,
GemenskyMetzler Anne J.,
Scherrer Nicole M.,
Stoppini Riccardo,
Latimer Claire A.,
MacLaren Nicole E.,
Myrna Kathern E.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
veterinary ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.594
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1463-5224
pISSN - 1463-5216
DOI - 10.1111/vop.12152
Subject(s) - ophthalmology , degeneration (medical) , corneal dystrophy , biology , medicine , cornea
Objective To describe the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome of a corneal dystrophy in F riesian horses and to analyze affected horses' pedigrees to investigate its heritability. Animals Nine F riesians with bilateral disease were identified. Procedure Retrospective medical record review was used to identify Friesian horses exhibiting bilateral symmetric corneal lesions. Variables identified from medical records included patient sex and age at diagnosis; location, depth and size of corneal lesions; medical and surgical therapy instituted; and visual outcome. A four‐generation pedigree for each included horse was used to construct a combined pedigree. Results The nine included horses had an average age at diagnosis of the first eye of 10.7 years, with males (8/9) significantly more frequently affected than females (1/9), P = 0.012. Lesions were inferior and averaged 5 mm in diameter. Depth ranged from superficial facets to perforations, which developed in nine of 18 eyes. Eight of nine perforations were surgically repaired, with seven of eight repaired eyes visual at last follow‐up. All nine eyes that had not perforated remained visual. All affected horses shared a common ancestor within six generations. Conclusions This form of corneal dystrophy in F riesian horses, characterized by bilateral symmetric stromal loss, appears to be progressive but responds well to surgical repair, occurs more frequently in males, may have a genetic component in F riesian horses, and may be a variant of pellucid marginal degeneration.