title: Results of ophthalmologic screening examinations of German Pinschers in Finland--a retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To retrospectively review ophthalmologic findings in German Pinschers in Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty-two German Pinschers that had ophthalmologic examination performed according to the Finnish Kennel Club's Eye Scheme before June 15, 1999.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 154 eye examination reports of 122 dogs were analysed and all described findings were reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Persistent hyperplastic tunica vasculosa lentis (PHTVL) was diagnosed in 8.4% of all cases, and hereditary cataract (HC) in 6.5%. Even higher numbers of similar changes were reported by ophthalmologists; some of the dogs, however, were officially diagnosed as "free of symptoms" of inherited ocular diseases. A relatively high number (4.5%) of dogs had reported changes in Y sutures. A pedigree analysis suggests recessive inheritance for both diseases. Because of missing information about many dogs in the pedigree, an autosomal incomplete inheritance pattern cannot be ruled out in either case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both HC and PHTVL are inherited diseases in German Pinschers. Further studies are needed to determine the importance of the changes found in Y sutures. Discrepancies between the official diagnosis and described changes are probably partially due to the lack of familiarity with the published literature concerning this breed. Further studies are needed to ascertain the inheritance pattern for both diseases. So far breeding with affected animals should be avoided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 57, 00014 Helsinki University, Finland. minna.leppanen@orionpharma.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leppänen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mårtenson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mäki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002386:Cataract / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D015785:Eye Diseases, Hereditary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006965:Hyperplasia; D015994:Incidence; D007905:Lens Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000662:veterinary; D010375:Pedigree; D012189:Retrospective Studies