The prcd form of PRA causes the retina at the back of the eye to degenerate as the dog matures. The "rod" cells (which operate in low light) are the first to degenerate, leading to night blindness. Eventually, the "cone" (high light) cells also become affected, causing full blindness. The disease is inherited through a simple recessive allele.

prcd-PRA is found in many breeds, and the average age of onset differs with each breed. In the USA dog, the disease was first positively diagnosed at 4.5 years of age through a routine CERF examination; the dog is still outwardly subclinical. The Finnish dog was diagosed at 8 years of age when he began refusing to run through dark tunnels at agility training.

OptiGen now offers DNA testing to determine the genetic status of individual dogs: Clear, Carrier, or Affected. With this knowledge, breeders will be able to first control, and eventually breed out the incidence of the prcd-PRA in our breed.

The SWD Club Health and Wellness committee greatly thanks OptiGen and the owners of the first two diagnosed dogs for their participation and good will in this important discovery.

For more information on prcd-PRA or OptiGen, visit the OptiGen website at: http://www.optigen.com.