Standard Poodles and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

Progressive Retinal Atrophy, or PRA as it is commonly called, can be a confusing and devastating thing to deal with for any pet owner. As it is with any medical ailment, there is a great deal of defense to be had in knowledge. The more you know about PRA, the better able you will be to care for your pet. To help you cope with this devastating illness, here are the ins and outs of PRA for your knowledge.

What is Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)?

PRA is a disease of the retina commonly found in Standard Poodles. This has long been seen as a hereditary disorder and leads to blindness. It was first recognized in the Gordon Setters breed in the early 1900s but since then it has become a devastating illness found mainly in purebred canines, Standard Poodles in particular.

As its name implies, PRA involves the retinal tissue of the dog's eye, located in the rearmost part of the eyeball. The retina is one of the most important parts of the eye when it comes to turning images into actual visual pictures, and so since the retina is affected this disease almost always leads to blindness.

Early PRA Symptoms

In the earliest stages of PRA, your Standard Poodle is probably going to experience difficulty seeing at night, or in dark places. If he or she has not already been diagnosed, this is one of the significant warning signs of PRA. As the disease worsens, daytime vision will be affected. You may notice that the reflection in their eyes is much brighter as this is their body's way of attempting to make up for the condition; by gathering more light so their eye reflects much more brightly, and noticeably so.

Diagnosing PRA

Needless to say, Progressive Retinal Atrophy in Standard Poodles is one of those things that should be diagnosed by a veterinarian. During the examination, your dog's pupil will be dilated using eye drops and an instrument is used to peer into the eye. If there is enough evidence of the ailment that you felt it necessary for your dog to see a veterinarian, it probably will not be difficult to diagnose your pet with PRA if that is in fact the case. The examination required to diagnose PRA is not at all painful for your pet, and they are free to stay awake throughout the whole process.

Treatment for PRA

Unfortunately, there is no treatment option out there at this time for Progressive Retinal Atrophy. The disease can not be hindered or slowed at all, so it almost always leads to blindness. This does not have to be the end of the world, though. As long as your dog's environment remains constant, you would be surprised at how highly adaptable they will be to this condition. Remember, dogs do not rely fully on their vision as people do. You may not even be able to tell that your dog has vision problems unless you move to a new home or rearrange the furniture.

Preventing PRA in Standard Poodles

If you find that your poodles is suffering from this disease, it is important that they do not breed as the disease is genetic and runs through bloodlines. If you have not already done so, now is the time to spay or neuter your pet so as to help get a handle on this devastating illness. Any puppy born in the same litter should be sterilized as well, even if they are not diagnosed with the disease; it can still be bred to their offspring.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy can be a devastating disease, but it is not the end of your poodle's life. If they suffer from it, take heart in the fact that they can and will adapt and do everything you can to make sure to control the spread of this disease through the spaying and neutering of your pet.

	Web www.standardpoodlesusa.com