Retinal atrophy syndrome in Burmese cats
Retinal atrophy is one of the genetic diseases of Burmese cats. Retinal atrophy is a very disappointing disease for cats because it is a form of blindness, but the incidence of this disease is very high. Very few, so all cat lovers may wish to rest assured. What should you do if your cat suffers from retinal atrophy? Let me tell you about the symptoms of retinal atrophy below.
Introduction to diseases
PRA is a genetic disease. The inheritance of this disease-causing gene in most cats is due to recessive autosomal inheritance. Dogs carrying the PRA disease gene continue to transmit the disease-causing gene to their descendants. However, they do not develop every generation. Cats may take several generations to colonize.
Therefore, there is a family where the cat has a disease and the disease needs to be treated. Catching the spread of growth-avoidance early is difficult, especially in cats with late-onset hereditary retinal degeneration, because by the time a cat approaches middle age, it may have grown several times and its offspring have spread throughout the world, unless the cat is in Early testing of DNA is performed before young people are mated to determine whether mutations in the PRA gene are involved before a decision is made about mating.
This disease is caused by retinal degeneration. Over time, cats can become completely blind. There are currently no adjustments available, but if the cat lives indoors, even a blind cat may adapt well and may live longer if the furniture is not constantly moved and its position changed. There are many atypical lesions in PRA, one of which is dominant inheritance. The other is recessive inheritance, but no one knows whether it can be sustained.
Symptoms of disease
After gradually losing sight in this situation, the cat can still adapt and not be unusual in the habitual environment. Blindness becomes more obvious once the furniture is rearranged or in an unfamiliar environment. Signs may vary depending on the type of PRA and how quickly the disease progresses. In all cases, PRA is painless and looks normal from the outside, that is, no redness, sobs, or squinting.
Feeders may experience changes in their behavior, such as a reluctance to walk up and down stairs or walk in dark hallways. This is a characteristic of night blindness, and daytime vision is no problem. As the disease progresses, the owner may see the pupils dilate and reflect light from the back of the eye.
Because blindness develops slowly, owners may not notice all the signs unless the cat is in an unfamiliar environment and the blindness is more obvious. In some cats, the lens of the eye may also become cloudy or less visible.
The veterinary ophthalmologist performs a careful examination of fundus lesions under the eyes. An experienced physician will understand the stages and signs of retinal degeneration, understand pupillary nerve reflexes and eye conditions, and then operateUse an ophthalmic slit lamp to check for other eye complications. , and the best tool for confirming electroretinography and early diagnosis and treatment of reduced retinal function has been narrowed down.
Because the disease is a genetic defect, drug treatments have so far been ineffective, and no blinding drugs or drug treatments are needed. There are currently other studies overseas, such as the help of gene modulation, neuroprotective drugs and antioxidant nutrient infusion.
Excessive supplementation of antioxidant nutrients is a helpful method to delay degeneration rather than being counterproductive. This is like people eating good food or Yin Baoshan. Preserved nutritional tablets work the same way, and although it's impossible to directly treat the disease, national reports suggest antioxidants may slow the progression of a variety of degenerative diseases with less side effects.
【Comments】
At home, you must pay attention to the home care of blind cats to help the cats lose their sight and avoid accidents. In the early stages of PRA retinopathy, the pupil becomes enlarged and dilated, continuously refracting light, and the pupil cannot regulate the amount of light entering the eye.
Therefore, it is necessary to avoid going out when the sun is hot, otherwise ultraviolet rays will accelerate oxidative damage and degradation of the retina and lens.
For those who have a history of PRA in a predatory feline family or in other family members, regular or early professional ophthalmology examinations are required.
The veterinary ophthalmologist will conduct a detailed examination of the fundus lesions to understand the stage of retinal degeneration and to understand the pupillary reflection and visual status, and electroretinography is the best tool for early diagnosis and treatment of retinal degeneration.
When breeding your cat, be sure to check it out. Cats also need to be vaccinated regularly. Some genetic diseases are untreatable. If you cat lovers choose to have kittens, you must do a good job in preparation. of.
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