Dysplasia and microphtalmia with cataract in the cavalier king charles spaniel (CKCS)

FAMILIAL RETINAL DYSPLASIA AND MICROPHTHALMIA WITH LENS ABNORMALITIES IN THE CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL (CKCS) Mertel L., Baldini M.G., Moretti E., Marelli S., Picchi A,. Polli M. Purpose: To report congenital hereditary eye disorders including microphthalmia with cataract posterior lenticonus and retinal dysplasia in a family of CKCS. The clinical findings of bilateral multifocal retinal dysplasia in a dam led to the ocular examination of the stud and the litter. Multiple congenital ocular anomalies of this family are described. Methods: All dogs were examined following the ECVO eye scheme and the horizontal corneal diameter was measured (mm) in the awake animals using a caliper. Results: The dam (34 months, ruby) was affected by multiple distichia and bilateral peripheral tapetal multifocal dysplasia. The sire (27 months, black and tan) had unilateral iris to iris persistent papillary membranes. Pup #1 (female, 2 months, ruby) had bilateral multifocal and geographical retinal dysplasia characterized by a horseshoe-shaped area in the right dorsolateral tapetal periphery and a circular dysplastic lesion in the left dorsomedial tapetal periphery. Pup #2 (male, 2 months, black and tan) showed bilateral microphthalmia (11mm OU) with nuclear, cortical and posterior capsular cataract and right posterior lenticonus. Pup #3 (male, 2 month black and tan) had bilateral iris to iris persistent papillary membranes and unilateral right multifocal and geographical horseshoe-shaped retinal dysplasia. Conclusion: Microphthalmia with lens dysmorphogenesis and normal looking fundi seems to be a feature in the CKCS. Littermates may be affected with varies forms of retinal dysplasia, as in the Akita and the Chow Chow.