Collie eye anomaly (CEA) is an inherited incurable disorder of Collies.It may be detected with the aid of a special instrument only available at a canine ophthalmologist between 5 and 9 weeks of age.It affects both eyes, and one eye may be worse than the other.Generally, the disorder does not worsen as the dog ages unless the retina detaches.Retinal detachment usually results in blindness of that eye.
Optigen can now determine the genotype of the breeding adult as affected, normal eyed carrier, and normal eyed noncarrier.This knowledge allows breeders further control and responsibility in the selection of breeding stock to avoid producing puppies with Collie Eye Anomaly after the parents have been Optigen tested.
Affected dogs have less than normal vision and unless very severe, it is difficult to tell by their actions.In other words, most Collies with Collie eye retain adequate functional vision thus allowing the disorder to go unnoticed.
Only selective breeding of normal animals will significantly reduce the incidence of Collie eye.
Some Descriptive Terms
Choroidal hypoplasia:Pale areas in the rear of the inner eye.These represent defective formation of the retina and the middle, vascular layer of the eyeball and cause blind visual spots in the vision field.
Colobomas: These are pits or cave-like defects in the inner surface of the back of the eyeball due to the defective formation during fetal development.
Retinal Detachment: The pulling away of the retina from the underlying tissue layers on which it rest.
Find The Right Dog for You
Let's face it. While there is a good bit of info about choosing a dog on the internet, most of it is written by people trying to SELL you a dog. So let's start with, I'm NOT trying to sell you a dog. This series of posts are intended for informational purposes only. So let's get started.
Things to Consider: For the purpose of these discussions I will be examining the world of pure bred dogs. While there are many wonderful mixed breed dogs out there waiting to be adopted, I'm going to be teaching you what I know about the pure bred dog. In a future article, I will also discuss the individual dog and how to assess temperament. That discussion will also apply to the mixed breed dog.
There are many theories about the intelligence of the dog. The majority of dog owners know that their dogs are very bright: these owners can tell any number of stories that demonstrate the animal's high intelligence. In addition to the clever ways in which dogs outwit their owners, canine intelligence shines when dogs are asked to perform the tasks for which they were bred. For instance, the Border Collie is exceptionally quick to learn how to herd a flock of sheep, and only risk appearing stupid when you ask him to scent out a bird. The bird dog who finds the bird naturally, without training, is labeled extremely intelligent. Yet this same genius will look dumb, and probably get trampled, if allowed to mingle with a flock of sheep.
Collie and Dog Articles
Let's face it. While there is a good bit of info about choosing a dog on the internet, most of it is written by people trying to SELL you a dog. So let's start with, I'm NOT trying to sell you a dog. This series of posts are intended for informational purposes only. So let's get started.
There are many theories about the intelligence of the dog. The majority of dog owners know that their dogs are very bright: these owners can tell any number of stories that demonstrate the animal's high intelligence. In addition to the clever ways in which dogs outwit their owners, canine intelligence shines when dogs are asked to perform the tasks for which they were bred. For instance, the Border Collie is exceptionally quick to learn how to herd a flock of sheep, and only risk appearing stupid when you ask him to scent out a bird. The bird dog who finds the bird naturally, without training, is labeled extremely intelligent. Yet this same genius will look dumb, and probably get trampled, if allowed to mingle with a flock of sheep.