Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Corneal dystrophy in Friesian horses may represent a variant of pellucid marginal degeneration.
- Journal:
- Veterinary ophthalmology
- Year:
- 2014
- Authors:
- Lassaline-Utter, Mary et al.
- Affiliation:
- School of Veterinary Medicine · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study looked at a condition called corneal dystrophy in Friesian horses, which affects both eyes and seems to be more common in males. Nine horses were examined, and they were diagnosed at an average age of about 10.7 years. The horses had corneal lesions that varied in size and depth, with some developing serious issues that required surgery. Most of the horses that had surgery were able to see well afterward, and those without serious damage also kept their vision. The findings suggest that this eye condition may be inherited and could be a specific type of a known eye problem.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome of a corneal dystrophy in Friesian horses and to analyze affected horses' pedigrees to investigate its heritability. ANIMALS: Nine Friesians with bilateral disease were identified. PROCEDURE: Retrospective medical record review was used to identify Friesian horses exhibiting bilateral symmetric corneal lesions. Variables identified from medical records included patient sex and age at diagnosis; location, depth and size of corneal lesions; medical and surgical therapy instituted; and visual outcome. A four-generation pedigree for each included horse was used to construct a combined pedigree. RESULTS: The nine included horses had an average age at diagnosis of the first eye of 10.7 years, with males (8/9) significantly more frequently affected than females (1/9), P = 0.012. Lesions were inferior and averaged 5 mm in diameter. Depth ranged from superficial facets to perforations, which developed in nine of 18 eyes. Eight of nine perforations were surgically repaired, with seven of eight repaired eyes visual at last follow-up. All nine eyes that had not perforated remained visual. All affected horses shared a common ancestor within six generations. CONCLUSIONS: This form of corneal dystrophy in Friesian horses, characterized by bilateral symmetric stromal loss, appears to be progressive but responds well to surgical repair, occurs more frequently in males, may have a genetic component in Friesian horses, and may be a variant of pellucid marginal degeneration.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24602247/