Prevalence of primary breed‐related cataracts in the dog in North America

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of cataracts in dogs presented to veterinary medical teaching hospitals in North America between 1964 and 2003. A retrospective study of all dogs presented with cataracts to veterinary medical teaching hospitals in North America between 1964 and 2003 was conducted to determine cataract prevalence. The different decades, breeds, gender, and age at time of presentation with cataract were compared. The prevalence of dogs presented with cataract varied by decade and ranged from 0.95% (1964-73), 1.88% (1974-83), 2.42% (1994-2003), to 3.5% (1984-93). The total number of dogs presented with cataracts over the 40-year period was 39,229. From 1964 to 2003 the prevalence of cataract formation in this patient population increased by about 255%. Fifty-nine breeds of dogs were affected with cataracts above the baseline prevalence of 1.61% seen in mixed-breed/hybrid dogs. The breeds with the highest cataract prevalence included: Smooth Fox Terrier (11.70%), Havanese (11.57%), Bichon Frise (11.45%), Boston Terrier (11.11%), Miniature Poodle (10.79%), Silky Terrier (10.29%) and Toy Poodle (10.21%). The breeds with the largest number of cataractous dogs during the entire four decades were the Boston Terrier (11.11%), Miniature Poodle (10.79%), American Cocker Spaniel (8.77%), Standard Poodle (7.00%), and Miniature Schnauzer (4.98%). Gender ratios of cataractous dogs seemed to affect limited breeds. Age of presentation with cataract diagnosis varied among several breeds. In the mixed-breed/hybrid baseline population, cataract formation appeared to be age related with a higher frequency of cataract formation in dogs after 4-7 years. Cataract formation is one of the most prevalent eye diseases in the dog population, and in about 60 breeds of dogs the prevalence of cataract exceeds that of the baseline mixed-breed/hybrid group. The prevalence of cataract is also influenced by age in most purebred dogs and affects 16.80% of the 7-15+-year-old mixed-breed/hybrid dog population. Total and age-related cataract prevalence in dogs seems very similar to that in man.

A- and B-modes echobiometry in cataractous and noncataractous eyes of English Cocker Spaniel dogs

“…Likewise, the English Coker Spaniel was chosen due to the high frequency that such disease is seen in this breed (Gelatt and MacKay, 2005). Although a previous study had shown a higher incidence of cataracts in females of this breed (Gelatt and MacKay, 2005), this study overrepresented by males did not show significant differences.…”

“…Animals aged eight years and older were chosen as they are more likely to develop cataract (Williams et al, 2004;Gelatt and MacKay, 2005). Likewise, the English Coker Spaniel was chosen due to the high frequency that such disease is seen in this breed (Gelatt and MacKay, 2005).…”

“…Through the centuries, it became non congenital cataracts, closed angle glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy, retinal dysplasia, and keratoconjunctivitis sicca (Petersen-Jones, 1999). In North America, the English Cocker Spaniel is one of the eight breeds with the highest cataract prevalence (8.2%) (Gelatt and Mackay, 2005).…”

Serum malondialdehyde level and activity of total antioxidant status of dogs with age-related cataract

“…Age-related cataract (ARC) is the main cause of decrease in visual acuity and blindness in people. In dogs a similar situation is observed and therefore a study was performed to demonstrate that cataract of different degrees occurs in all dogs over 13.5 years of age and its prevalence has increased in Correspondence to: J. Madany, e-mail: madjac21@wp.pl the last 40 years by 255% (Gelatt 2005). Currently, a hypothesis of multifactorial pathogenesis of age-related cataract is proposed and oxidative stress seems to be the most probable factor of biochemical mechanisms which initiate the formation of opacities in lenses (Gelatt 2005, Kałużny 2007).…”

Age-related cataract in dogs: a biomarker for life span and its relation to body size

“…Dogs younger than 4 years were also excluded to guard against the inclusion of congenital and juvenile hereditary cataracts (Ackermann 1999). Given that some sources only use dogs above the age of 7 to safeguard against hereditary cataracts (Gelatt and Mackay 2005), cataracts occurring between ages 7 and 10 were also incorporated into the analyses as a separate variable. There was no information about gender in the data.…”