Retinal detachment secondary to vitreoretinopathy in two closely related warmblood horses.
Abstract: To describe the clinical, diagnostic imaging, and histopathological findings of two visually impaired closely related horses and to identify a possible cause. Methods: Two warmblood horses, with a common dam and sire, were presented to the ophthalmology department of Liège for investigation of impaired vision. Information collected included physical and ophthalmic examination findings, results of ocular ultrasound, electroretinogram, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and histopathology. Ophthalmic examination, ocular ultrasound and MRI revealed a complete retinal detachment (RD) in the left eye and vitreous synaeresis in both eyes of both horses. Electroretinograms showed a normal response in both right eyes but a total loss of the retinal response in their left eyes. Histopathologic examination revealed multifocal retinal dysplasia in both left eyes. Conclusions: In these two horses, RD has likely been caused by the congenital posterior segment abnormalities of the vitreous and the retina. A vitreoretinopathy is highly suspected and is possibly hereditary in these closely related siblings.
Publication Date: 2021-11-19 PubMed ID: 35070863PubMed Central: PMC8770175DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2021.v11.i4.18Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Case Reports
- Blindness
- Case Reports
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Findings
- Congenital Disorders
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Etiology
- Electroretinography
- Equine Health
- Genetics
- Heritability
- Histopathology
- Horses
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Ophthalmology
- Retina
- Ultrasound
- Veterinary Medicine
- Warmblood Horses
Summary
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This study investigates the clinical and diagnostic findings of two closely related horses suffering from impaired vision, ultimately attributing the horses’ condition to a likely hereditary form of vitreoretinopathy that has resulted in retinal detachment.
Methodology
- The researchers included two warmblood horses in their study, both of which had the same parents and were experiencing visual impairment.
- The horses were examined at the ophthalmology department of a university in Liège, Belgium.
- Various methods were employed to identify the cause of the horses’ impaired vision, including:
- Physical examination
- Ophthalmic examination (eye examination)
- Ocular ultrasound
- Electroretinogram (a test used to measure the electrical responses of various cell types in the retina)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Histopathology (the study of changes in tissues caused by disease)
Results and Findings
- Through thorough examination of the horses, the team made several important findings:
- Using ophthalmic examinations, MRI, and ocular ultrasound, the researchers discovered that both horses suffered from complete retinal detachment in their left eyes, as well as vitreous synaeresis (the shrinking of the vitreous humour, the clear gel-like substance that fills the space between the lens and the retina) in both eyes.
- Electroretinograms showed normal responses in both horses’ right eyes, indicating that these eyes were functioning properly. However, the test showed a complete loss of retinal response in their left eyes, pointing to the cause of the horses’ visual impairment.
- Histopathologic examinations revealed abnormal development, or dysplasia, in multiple areas of the retina in both horses’ left eyes.
- The researchers concluded that the retinal detachment experienced by the two horses was likely caused by congenital posterior abnormalities in the vitreous and the retina, a condition referred to as vitreoretinopathy.
Conclusion
- Given the fact that the two horses are siblings and both were found to have the same condition, the vitreoretinopathy is most likely hereditary.
- The study provides significant insights into the potential genetic basis for vitreoretinopathy, which could have applications in both veterinary and human medicine in managing and preventing this condition.
Cite This Article
APA
Vercruysse E, Naranjo C, Sauvage A, Vandersmissen M, Grauwels M, Monclin S.
(2021).
Retinal detachment secondary to vitreoretinopathy in two closely related warmblood horses.
Open Vet J, 11(4), 672-679.
https://doi.org/10.5455/OVJ.2021.v11.i4.18 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Ophthalmology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
- IDEXX Laboratories, Barcelona, Spain.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
- Department of Medical Imaging, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Retina / pathology
- Retinal Detachment / diagnosis
- Retinal Detachment / etiology
- Retinal Detachment / veterinary
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest
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