Download Shih Tzu Are Among the Breeds Considered At Risk for Distichiasis

ShihTzu
Vol. 6, No. 1
■
Spring 2012
Shih Tzu Are Among the Breeds Considered At Risk for Distichiasis
W
hen “Harvey,” a young male
Shih Tzu, awoke from sleeping, he often had gummy
eyes. His owners, Jonathan Fowler
and Louise Sherratt of Northwich,
England, diligently wiped the corners
of the eyes clean.
Though Harvey showed minimal
signs of irritation, his owners realized
something wasn’t quite right about
the dog’s eyes. Fowler had researched
the Shih Tzu breed before they acquired
Harvey, so they were aware of the
importance of eye care. Like other
breeds with big eyes and long hair,
Shih Tzu are prone to eye problems.
A visit to the veterinarian provided
the answer: Harvey had distichiasis,
a condition in which extra eyelashes,
or cilia, grow in an abnormal direction
or location along the eyelid. Harvey’s
condition was mild and probably
would have gone unnoticed if Fowler
hadn’t been so attentive.
“The lashes most likely accounted
for the secretions that made Harvey’s
eyes so gummy and required daily care,”
Fowler says. “Fortunately, I don’t think
the condition caused discomfort.”
An Underreported Eye Disease
Other Shih Tzu dogs are not so
lucky. With continued irritation, the
normally clear cornea can become
vascularized, with small blood vessels
running through it, or the cornea may
appear darkened, with a dull or bluish
area. When scarring occurs, the cornea
looks dull, cloudy or white. Left untreated, corneal scarring can lead to loss
of vision or the eye. Dogs that experience corneal ulceration may squint
or rub their eyes due to increased
tearing, redness and discomfort.
Among the 1,038 Shih Tzu examined by veterinary ophthalmologists
from 1991 to 1999 for Canine Eye
Registration Foundation (CERF) certification, 21 percent had distichia, and
1 percent had ectopic cilia, a condition
in which the lashes grow from the
inside of the lid, nearly always irritating
the eye. Similarly, from 2000 to 2008,
of the 824 Shih Tzu examined for CERF
certification, 19 percent had distichia,
and 3 percent had ectopic cilia.
Heather Kaese, D.V.M., DACVIM,
DACVO, a veterinary ophthalmologist
at Eye Care for Animals in Pewaukee,
Wis., says the CERF data underreports
the prevalence of distichiasis. “You
have to consider that the CERF statistics represent dogs that are presented
for evaluation in hopes of using them
in a breeding program. The statistics
do not account for the large number
of dogs that do not have an ocular
evaluation prior to being bred.
“I would estimate that the majority
of Shih Tzu dogs that I examine have
distichia,” Kaese continues. “Not all
these dogs have clinical signs of irritation. Ectopic cilia are far less common
than distichia, but both are more
commonly seen in Shih Tzu than many
other breeds.”
Due to the prevalence of distichiasis in some breeds, the eye disorder
is believed to be hereditary. Other
commonly affected breeds are: Cocker
Spaniel, Bulldog, Boxer, Miniature
Longhaired Dachshund, Flat-Coated
Retriever, Golden Retriever, Pekingese,
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Pug,
Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Samoyed,
Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit
Bull Terrier, Toy and Miniature Poodle,
Boston Terrier, Lhasa Apso, and
Shetland Sheepdog.
Distichiasis usually occurs in young
dogs, some as young as 6 weeks old.
Most affected dogs are diagnosed by
3 years of age. Whether the eye is
irritated depends on the number of
affected lashes, their size, orientation
and stiffness. In most dogs, the distichia, or abnormal eyelashes, grow
from the duct openings of the meibomian oil gland along the smooth surface of the lid margin next to the
eye. Because the oil gland normally
lubricates the eye, the openings are
oriented toward the eye. The distichia
exit from the gland openings, pointing
toward the eyeball and often rubbing
against the cornea.
Detecting Distichiasis
A veterinary ophthalmologist can
detect distichiasis during a routine
eye examination. If the abnormal
lashes are irritating the cornea, the
dog’s eye may by watery and inflamed.
The surrounding lid area and “whites”
of the eyes also may be red, and the
dog may blink repeatedly, squint or
rub his face and eyes. On close examination using a slit-lamp biomicroscope to illuminate and magnify the
eye area, the veterinarian will see
one or more small lashes growing
from the normally smooth lid margin.
To get a good look at the distichia, the
veterinarian may anesthetize the eye.
Additional testing to rule out other
eye disorders may include a Schirmer
tear test to assess tear production
and keratoconjunctivitis or dry eye,
another common problem in the Shih
Tzu dog. Fluorescein staining may be
used to detect corneal abrasions, and
the lids are closely examined to rule
out entropion, or rubbing of eyelid
hairs against the eye surface. Progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts are
other possible eye disorders.
Harvey’s veterinarian promptly
plucked some of the hairs that caused
his distichiasis, while cautioning
Fowler and Sherratt that the hairs
would regrow. Due to the mildness
of Harvey’s condition, they opted not
Continued on page 2
Shih Tzu Breeders Urged to Take Health Survey
he American Shih Tzu Club (ASTC) is conducting an online breed health
survey to learn about health concerns in the breed. Breeders and owners
are urged to complete a survey for each Shih Tzu they have owned over
the past 20 years regardless whether the dog is living or has passed away.
To access the survey, go to: www.offa.org/surveys/survey_shihtzu.html.
Results of the survey will be used by the American Shih Tzu Club Charitable
Trust to help determine funding of health research. The Orthopedic Foundation
for Animals is recording and analyzing the information. More than 100
people have completed the survey, and partial results are available online.
T
Distichiasis
continued from page 1
to repeat the process. Instead, they
continued to closely monitor and
wipe away the hairs and gumminess
from the dog’s eyes.
“I routinely see older Shih Tzu dogs
with multiple distichia that have never
shown irritation,” Kaese says. “The
decision not to remove distichia may be
fine for dogs with mild cases. I caution
owners of dogs that are minimally
affected to look for signs of irritation,
particularly tearing and redness. They
should be aware that some dogs do
not act as though they are in pain,
even if the damage is ongoing.”
Dogs with mild cases and minimal
tearing may benefit from ointments
applied two to four times daily to
lubricate and protect the cornea. In
dogs that suffer from irritation, treatment usually consists of removing the
lashes and treating the hair follicles
to prevent the lashes from growing
back. While there is no ideal treatment
for all dogs, choices include cauterization, cryoepilation and carbon
dioxide laser therapy.
Cauterization of the affected
Meibomian gland using heat or an
electrical current can be used with a
moderate number of distichia. This
method isn’t considered the best
choice for a large number of distichia
because destroying too many glands
will remove necessary lipid components of the tear film.
Cryoepilation, the most popular
treatment, destroys hair follicles using
a super-cooled probe. The procedure
freezes the lid margin, often causing
pigmentation of the eyelashes to be
lost temporarily or permanently. The
eyelids will be swollen following the
procedure. Specialized equipment,
general anesthesia and the expertise
of a veterinary ophthalmologist are
required, with treatment ranging from
$1,500 to $2,000, depending on the
geographical area where the procedure is performed.
Since the regrowth of lashes can
occur, particularly in young dogs,
cryoepilation sometimes needs to be
repeated, usually performed at a
THE
HIGH INCIDENCE OF THE
DISEASE IN
SHIH TZU
MEANS
THAT BREEDERS CAN’T SIMPLY
REMOVE ALL AFFECTED DOGS
FROM THE GENE POOL.
THE
BEST ADVICE IS TO REFRAIN
FROM BREEDING AFFECTED
DOGS TO EACH OTHER.
lower cost. Several follow-up visits
are needed to ensure the lashes are
not regrowing.
“The procedure is not 100 percent
on the first treatment,” explains Alan
Brightman, D.V.M., DACVO, of Houston.
“This is because you cannot destroy
a hair if it is not there, and hairs fall
out over time. Even under an operating
microscope, some hair follicles are not
always destroyed.”
Another possible treatment is carbon dioxide laser therapy. This procedure, which costs from $1,500 to
$2,000, uses a laser to vaporize the
hair and its follicle. Even the smallest
power laser beam can cause scarring
in the very thin eyelids, thus the pro-
cedure may not be appropriate for all
Shih Tzu.
“Unless you only treat a few eyelashes, I feel that this method causes
too much damage or scarring of the
eyelids,” Kaese cautions. “In most
Shih Tzu, the hairs are present in
large numbers and can run from one
edge of the lid margin to the other.”
Effective treatments can help
Shih Tzu suffering from distichiasis
irritation to live more comfortably.
Though the genetics behind the disease is not known, researchers at
Clarion University in Pennsylvania
have begun collecting pedigree information and blood samples from
affected dogs of all breeds to determine the mode of inheritance. In
humans, distichiasis associated with
lymphedema has been mapped to a
mutation in a single gene, but there
is no evidence that the same gene is
the culprit in dogs.
Aside from avoiding breeding dogs
from at-risk bloodlines, there is no
way breeders can guarantee a litter
won’t produce affected dogs. The
high incidence of the disease in Shih
Tzu means that breeders can’t simply
remove all affected dogs from the
gene pool. The best advice is to refrain
from breeding affected dogs to each
other. Hopefully one day researchers
will pinpoint the gene or genes that
cause distichiasis. ■
Purina appreciates the support of
the American Shih Tzu Club and
particularly Carlene Synder, chair
of the Health, Education and
Research Committee, in helping to
identify topics for the Purina Pro
Club Shih Tzu Update newsletter.
Pro Club Members Will Enjoy Convenience of Program Changes
A
mong the benefits of being a
member of Purina Pro Club is
receiving Puppy Starter Kits to
send home with the owners of new
puppies. Pro Club members also enjoy
receiving checks for Purina brand dog
food when they redeem Purina Points.
Two recent changes will provide greater
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for Pro Club members to enjoy these perks.
Ordering Purina Dog Food Checks
Dog breeders and owners particularly enjoy ordering Purina brand dog
food checks for $7 to help offset the
costs of feeding the dogs in their kennel.
Pro Club members previously were
limited to ordering checks in sets of
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“Pro Club members who order large
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more accommodating so members
How to Reach Purina Pro Club
o view your Purina Point balance
and order Puppy Starter Kits,
Pro Club members should visit
www.purinaproclub.com or call
1-877-PRO-CLUB (1-877-776-2582)
between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central
time Monday through Friday.
T
no longer have to wait to accumulate
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in preset multiples of 10 checks.”
A set of 10 Purina brand dog food
checks can be ordered for 7,000 Purina
Points. Only one $7 check can be used
with the purchase of any 17 pound or
larger bag of Purina brand dog food.
Members should allow three to five
weeks for processing and delivery
of checks.
Puppy Starter Kits Food Coupons
The Purina brand puppy food coupon
that Pro Club members receive when
they order Puppy Starter Kits now pro2
vides greater flexibility to breeders. The
coupon still will cover the entire cost of
most small bags of Purina brand puppy
food but also may now be redeemed
toward the purchase of a large bag.
Along with the important information about caring for puppies that comes
in the Puppy Starter Kits, the Puppy
Starter Kit food coupon enables breeders
to fill the complimentary sample food
bags to give to each new puppy owner.
Pro Club also supplies a dollars-off
coupon as part of the Starter Kit for
the new owner to continue feeding
the Purina puppy product of his or her
choice — Purina Pro Plan, Puppy Chow
or Purina ONE brand puppy foods.
“Our purpose in changing the
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breeders,” Hoffman says. “The change
was made in response to our breeders
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The new product coupons were
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in February 2012. ■
Purina-Sponsored Dog Shows*
June to August 2012
Event
Date
Location
Fargo-Moorhead Kennel Club Dog Show
Mississippi Valley Kennel Club/Rhineland Kennel Club
Dog Shows
June 1-3
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Rolla Kennel Club Dog Show
June 15-17
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June 15-17
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Cocker Spaniel Club of America National Specialty
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Reliant Park World Series of Dog Shows
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Purina Pro Plan Introduces Canine Performance Training Treats
D
og trainers and handlers realize firsthand
the importance of
using food rewards to
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Pro Plan Training Treats are formulated without corn, wheat, artificial
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to a pet nutrition consultant, call
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from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central time
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Purina-Sponsored Sporting Events*
June to August 2012
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Professional Kennel Club (PKC) National Championship
Purina All-Age & Top Shooting Dog Awards
Hunting Retriever Club Annual Meeting
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* This table lists some, but not all, upcoming sporting events sponsored by Purina.
3
‘Peyton’ Leads the Pro Plan Champions Cup Award Program
G
CH Wynmoor Champagne
Supernova, a 5-year-old English
Springer Spaniel campaigned
by professional handler Robin Novack
of Jackson, Mich., is leading the Pro
Plan Champions Cup standings with
123 points earned through April 30.
The No. 4 dog in the country,
“Peyton,” was bred by Billie and
Charlie Kerfoot of Vinton, Va., Erin
Professional handler Robin Novack is shown
with “Peyton,” an English Springer Spaniel.
Kerfoot of Yakima, Wash., and Ruth
Kirby of Earleton, Fla. He is owned by
Beth Fink of Medina, Ohio, Celie
Florence of Southern Shores, N.C.,
Erin Kerfoot, Ken Goodhue-McWilliams
of Norco, Calif., and Delores Streng
of Farmington, Mich.
The winner of 22 Bests in Show,
Peyton recently outperformed more
than 2,500 dogs to win the Atlanta
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and he captured a Sporting Group
Three at the Westminster Kennel Club
Dog Show. In 2011, Peyton won the
English Springer Spaniel Field Trial
Association National Specialty and
Best of Breed at the AKC National
Championship. In June 2011, he became
the second dog in history to win backto-back Bests of Breed at the Eastern
English Springer Spaniel Club Specialties.
The yearlong Pro Plan Champions
Cup award program is based on points
tabulated from Bests in Show and
Group placements at more than 200
Purina-sponsored all-breed dog shows
in 2012. Three-year-old Black Cocker
Spaniel GCH Casablanca’s Thrilling
Seduction took top honors in last
year’s program. This year’s winner
will be announced in early 2013.
The Pro Plan Champions Cup winner
will receive a $10,000 cash prize, an
original oil painting by dog portrait
artist Linda Draper and a keepsake
Pro Plan Champions Cup trophy. A
permanent Pro Plan Champions Cup is
displayed at the Purina Event Center in
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engraved with the winners’ names.
Cash prizes also will be awarded
to the top-placing dogs as follows:
• Second place, $5,000
• Third place, $2,500
• Fourth place, $1,250
To view a tabulation of individual
dog’s points and a listing of qualifying
shows, please visit the Purina Pro Club
website at www.purinaproclub.com. The
Pro Plan Champions Cup is sponsored
by Purina Pro Plan brand dog food. ■
2012 Pro Plan Champions Cup Standings
Dog
Breed/Variety
Points Earned*
GCH Wynmoor Champagne Supernova
GCH Mt. View's Ripsnorter Silver Charm
GCH Szumerias Wildwood Silver Six Pence
GCH Starline’s Chanel
GCH Babheim’s Captain Crunch
GCH Marlex Classic Red Glare
GCH Banana Joe Van Tani Kazari
GCH Afterall Painting The Sky
GCH Jaset’s Satisfaction
GCH Of Skyline Captain Hook
English Springer Spaniel
German Wirehaired Pointer
Kuvasz
Whippet
German Shepherd Dog
Miniature Pinscher
Affenpinscher
Wire Fox Terrier
Standard Poodle
Skye Terrier
123
114
82
77
71
67
66
64
62
57
*Points earned through April 30, 2012
PuriNa Pro Club Shih Tzu update
Point balance may not reflect current account
activity. For your detailed account activity, go to
www.purinaproclub.com
Points Available Through April 30, 2012
Your Purina Points Summary
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