Lens Lacsation In Dogs

[kendra20]

Just a word of warning to owners of jack russell terriers, if they shake their toys like they would a rat from side to side it can cause the lense in the eye to dislodge and come through the front of the eye. We didnt know this and its just cost us 1,100 pound to get our dog fixed and he will need eye drops for life. We were told never to let him shake his head with a toy or. The other. Eye could go. As well. And he could. Go. Blind ,

[seadogg]

Thanks for the warning kendra. We have always had Border Terriers and they don't seem to suffer this way but handy to know.

[kendra20]

It can happen to any dog. But more prone. to terriers. When we were. At the doggy eye hospital we saw. A few dogs. Who had gone blind. We were lucky with Alfie Bowwow

[woofgang]

I am sorry to hear that your dog is hurt but how do you stop a dog doing this? If its not toys, it will be chews, clods of grass....anything.

[kendra20]

We took all his shaky toys off him and have to watch him constantly. He is never out without us . It is difficult though.

[lankeela]

Primary Lens Luxation is a gentically inherited disease in several breeds of dog, not just Jack Russells. Although shaking toys might indeed cause the lens to luxate the dog would have to be genetically affected for this to happen, ie a dog that does not carry the genes for it won't become affected. My breed is also one that can suffer from this but there is a DNA test that has been available since 2009 which means the parents can be tested before breeding and there is no need to breed any affected puppies. Sadly it is mostly pedigree breeds which test and the thousands of dogs like Jack Russells are never tested so people don't know whether the parents are clear, carriers or affected. The disease is also often late onset so dogs are bred from before they get the physical signs of the problem. Even if buying a pet from any of the affected breeds you should insist on the parents being DNA tested or hereditarily clear. It took us ten years for the research to come up with the gene yet many people still don't bother testing and pet owners and their dogs have to suffer the consequences. Same with Staffies, how many pet Staffies are bred without their parents being DNA tested - they have two conditions there are tests for yet how many people bother?

[lankeela]

I would add that this is why some pups are advertised cheaper because breeders have not bothered to test. You get what you pay for!

[lankeela]

http://www.aht.org.uk/cms-display/genetics_pll.html