Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Progressive retinal atrophy, a degenerative disease of the retina, was first recorded in Cardigan Welsh corgis in 1972. Recently, a surge of cases has been documented in the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States, with affected dogs all sharing ancestry traced back to common stock in the United Kingdom. In affected corgis, the nerve cells and blood vessels of the retina degenerate, leading to blindness in young adult dogs. Early symptoms often include a loss of night vision, as the disease first attacks the retina's light sensitive rod cells. Other symptoms may include dilated pupils, highly reflective retinas, and peripheral vision loss. While there is no treatment for progressive retinal atrophy, dogs tend to adapt well to blindness. Genetic tests can confirm the disorder, as well as identify those carrying the mutation.
