Electroretinographic examination for evaluation of retinal activity in dogs with retinal dysplasia

Individual types of retinal dysplasia – folds, geographic and detached, have different impacts on vision ability. The purpose of this study was to undertake a qualitative and comparative evaluation of retinal activity in the individual types of the retinal dysplasia – folds, geographic and detached. Dogs (n = 24) with an ophthalmoscopic diagnosis of retinal dysplasia (rd) underwent vision testing, ophthalmologic examination and electroretinography. A three-degree scale (mild, moderate and severe) was used to describe the severity of ophthalmoscopic lesions in the rd folds and rd geographic forms. Our findings indicate that retinal folds of mild and moderate severity, and the mild geographic type of the rd, have similar effects on ERG responses, while severe retinal folds give lower ERG responses than moderately advanced geographical rd. This study confirms that electroretinography may generate a more comprehensive view of an altered retinal activity in the course of rd, which is helpful in making decisions on qualifying or excluding a given individual from the breeding program.