Analysis of systematic and genetic effects on the prevalence of different types of primary lens opacifications in the wild-boar-colored wirehaired Dachshund.

Abstract

The aims of this study were to analyze the influence of systematic environmental effects on the prevalence of primary non-congenital cataract (CAT), fibreglass cataract in the nucleus (FCN), and prominent suture lines (PSL) and to estimate the heritabilities of these eye diseases in the wild-boar-colored wirehaired Dachshunds (WWD) bred in the German Dachshund Club 1888 e.V. (DTK). Data included 2,430 WWD born between 1995 and 2003 that were examined between 1996 and 2005 by veterinary ophthalmologists. CAT was diagnosed in 3.83% of the 2,430 dogs, FCN in 3.74%, and PSL in 2.76%. Sex, size, inbreeding coefficient, the age of the dog at examination, experience of the veterinary ophthalmologist and the additive genetic effect of the animal were considered in the multivariate linear model. The age of the dog at examination had a significant influence on the prevalence of FCN. The degree of experience of the veterinary ophthalmologist significantly influenced the prevalence of FCN and PSL. Using a transformation into the Dempster-Lerner threshold model, heritability estimates (h(DL)2) for WWD were h(DL)2 = 0.39 +/- 0.13 for CAT, h(DL)2 = 0.36 +/- 0.11 for FCN and h(DL)2 = 0.49 +/- 0.12 for PSL. Positive genetic correlations (r(g)) were found between CAT and FCN (r(g) = 0.58 +/- 0.21), between PSL and FCN (r(g) = 0.83 +/- 0.23), and between CAT and PSL (r(g) = 0.79 +/- 0.06). The eye diseases investigated here in the Dachshund were found to be genetically influenced and positively correlated traits.