The compilation of our database of KC/BVA eye test results for German Spitz is an ongoing process. (link at the bottom of this page).
From January 2010, the German Spitz is now on the KC/BVA schedule B for investigation into RD, but as only known inherited diseases are published by the KC (schedule A) results for the breed(s) are currently not yet published elsewhere.
We hope that by collating this information and making it available, it will become a useful tool for breeders and owners as only by having all the information to hand can the bigger picture of the health status of the German Spitz be known.
Thank you to all owners/breeders who have submitted results for publication. Please continue to send in copies of your eye test results to the club.
It should also be remembered that as we are not yet on KC/BVA schedule A, there is no simple Pass or Fail for results.
We therefore have included all comments (where legible) from the eye test sheet.
Many of the abnormalities noted in these comments have no great significance and no detrimental or known hereditary effect on the dog.
Below is a list of explanations for the various comments that appear. A comprehensive leaflet on eye disease in dogs is available from the BVA.
Glossary
Asteroid Hyalosis - dots of cholesterol. The result of scarring.
Attenuation - a weakening or reduction in concentration eg of blood vessels.
Circular Folded Lesion - a fold in the retina, circular in shape (C shaped or O shaped).
Corneal Facet - a depression in the cornea - the cornea is the transparent front wall of the eye
Corneal Opacity - an opaque patch in the cornea
Descemet's membrane - one of the 5 membranes that form the cornea. A transparent, highly elastic membrane also called membrane of Descemet, posterior elastic lamina
Deep Optic Disc - a depression in the end of the nerve which connects the eye (retina) to the brain
Epiphora - tear overflow, various contributing factors such as set of the eye, positioning of eyelids, entropion, hairs growing inappropriately eg along eye lid or insufficient drainage of tear film from the eye.
Focal Pigment clots (post lens capsule)- spots of pigment (on the back of the lens)
Hyaloid Haemorrhage - hyaloid is the foetal system of blood vessels which feed the developing lens in the embryo, so a bleed from this blood vessel.
Hyaloid Tag - a remnant, empty hyaloid blood vessel
Lateral TF - means the outer half of the tapetal fundus the shiny part of the retina
Multi Focal Retinal Dysplasia - Better known as MRD/RD or Retinal Folds. Areas of the retina are not attached and may appear like folds, patches or lesions. One of the problems with this is that as the eye develops and grows the pattern may change, and while sometimes signs of scarring remain, in other cases it may even seem to disappear altogether. This has in the past caused arguments in cases where a dog has failed an eye test but has later passed! Make no mistake. The dog still has MRD so is still capable of passing on the gene to any offspring!
This is why litter screening is so important as this disease can be detected in young puppies at 6 - 8 weeks old.
Non Tapetal Fundus - is the peripheral pigmented part of the retina
Nuclear Sclerosis - is an age related hardening of the lens
Pan retina - pertaining to or encompassing the entire retina.
Post-Capsular Opacity - an opaque spot on the back of the lens
PRA/GPRA - Two main types of GPRA affecting the photoreceptors are recognised in the UK: rod/cone dysplasia and rod/cone degeneration. There is no cure for PRA and affected dogs will usually lose night-vision first, followed by total loss of sight.
RD - see Multi Focal Retinal Dysplasia
Retinopathy - a lesion in the retina (the retina is the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye which starts the sight process)
Vitreal Degeneration - the vitreous is the jelly that fills the back of the eye (in degeneration it liquefies)
