Re: [pyrnet] scaredy Pyr???

["Janice Swenson" <janices@austin.rr.com>]

On 17 Dec 2000, at 7:25, Judith Stroh Miller wrote:
> A long time breeder suggested 
> an easy preliminary eye test.  Stand about 3 feet in front of the dog 
> holding a dog biscuit and move the biscuit from side to side in front 
> of you and observe if the dog is tracking the biscuit with it's eyes.

No offense but this isn't going to tell you anything unless the dog 
has some serious eye problems.  Most of the eye disorders that 
are in the breed are very subtle to see almost a normal dog that 
does some strange things.  

Sonny went in and did his part and saw an opthalmologist who did 
CERF this week and the biscuit stuff was done with him and he 
tracks to think his eyes are normal.  Intensive checking confirmed 
2, possibly 3 eye disorders.  Multifocal retinopathy has affected his 
peripheral vision and we pretty much knew that and he also has 
PPM which is becoming reported more and more.  What this has 
done has set him up for possible cataracts which can see he has 
spots which may develop into cataracts but they aren't there yet.  

JMHO, when I look at my boy and the problems he has I think it's a 
damn shame what the breeders are doing that aren't checking are 
doing to this breed.  Sonny never deserved the problems he has.  I 
commend any that are checking.  Sonny also challenges anybody 
out there that are owners to have your pyr's eyes checked and 
contribute to the research that is going on in multifocal retinopathy. 
 He already has.  And if you don't check the eyes how are you 
going to know if they are normal or not especially if you have no 
CERF eye checks behind them.  


Janice, janices@austin.rr.com
Lana & Linsey (newfs), Sonny (pyr)  
http://home.austin.rr.com/janices
Hutto, TX