The Sealyham is a lucky dog, indeed.
Owned, bred and loved by a small but devoted number of human beings,
the breed is also among the healthiest of purebred dogs. There are very
few genetic diseases that affect the breed. Of those, lens
luxation is currently the only disease threatening our
dogs that really worries us.
What is the ASTC doing about lens luxation?
In the past several years the ASTC has developed two programs to help reduce
the prevalence of lens luxation in the breed.
-
The club is involved
in a DNA research project with Dr. Gary Johnson at the University of
Missouri. Using blood samples from affected Sealys and their close
relatives, Dr. Johnson's goal is to identify the primary gene involved
in the disease. That research includes several other terrier breeds as
well.
-
The club created the
SIGHT registry, a data base that now includes more than 125 Sealyham
terriers, as well as their parents. The purpose of the registry is to
include as many dogs as possible. As the registry grows, breeders will
be able to use the data to lower the risks of producing affected dogs.
And owners will be able to learn whether a particular dog may be at
higher risk for the disease than realized. An owner can then watch that
dog more carefully for any of the symptoms of the disease and seek
treatment earlier.
What Can You Do?
1) Have your dog’s eyes examined every 1-2 years.
2) Know the Symptoms of lens luxation
and the location of the nearest veterinary
ophthamologist in case of emergency. Ask your veterinarian or see this
list.
ACVO Clinic List
on the CERF website.
If you see these symptoms call your vet immediately!!:
-
Excessive pus-like matter in the corner of the eye
-
Indications of pain or discomfort in the eye
-
Changes in the inside appearance of the eye
3)REGISTER YOUR DOG WITH THE SIGHT REGISTRY!!
How to Register your dog
(For more info go to the
SIGHT Registry homepage
)
1) Eye Exam (optional):
You can register your dog without an eye exam. Simply fill out the
SIGHT registration form
and send it to the registry.
However, we strongly encourage eye exams for Sealys every 1-2 years. You can
have your veterinarian do a basic eye exam.
Or you can schedule a CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) eye exam
for your dog. This is a standand exam done by any ACVO ophthalmologist
(American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists). The cost is usually
$20-40. If there is no ophthalmologist in your area, ask your regular
veterinarian for an exam. You can register your dog with SIGHTwith a
standard veterinary eye exam, but this is not a substitute for a CERF
exam by a veterinary ophthalmologist.
Download a SIGHT Registry Application Form
(Acrobat PDF)
SIGHT Registry homepage
The Sealyham Terrier SIGHT Registry
