Univ. of Missouri
Molecular Genetic Causes for Canine Lens Luxation and Glaucoma

This research project, funded by a number of Breed Clubs including PBGVCA and the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), began in early 2002 at the University of Missouri (Principal Investigator Gary Johnson, DVM, PhD). The Health and Rescue Foundation of PBGVCA is providing funding for PBGVCA to participate in this research project. PBGVCA membership supports this project by providing DNA samples of affected dogs and families of those dogs to the PBGV DNA Bank at the University of Missouri.

Kasmin Davis, DVM, Club liaison on this project received a progress report the first year of the study in mid 2003, and prepared the following summary of the report for the June 2003 Saber Tails.

"One of the objectives of the study was the collection of DNA from individual dogs with lens luxation and/or glaucoma and their relatives. The total number of samples collected is 589, including 75 dogs with lens luxation and 34 dogs with primary glaucoma. Six samples were collected from dogs with both conditions. Pedigree data from five families of PBGV's having members affected with either lens luxation or glaucoma were provided in the summary. Affected dogs and relatives are not named in the pedigrees but are identified by numbers assigned by the researcher. Other breeds for whom family analyses were provided were Basset hounds, Finnish Lapphunds, Welsh Terriers, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Sealyham terriers, Jack Russell Terriers and Miniature Bull Terriers. Some of the DNA samples have been shared with the Animal Health Trust in Great Britain.

"One of the goals of the project was to establish a web site for lens luxation and glaucoma. This web site is now up and running at www.caninegeneticdiseases.net.

"Future goals include the examination of individual dogs with lens luxation/glaucoma to better determine the specific phenotype of each affected dog. Ultimate goals are to develop informative marker assays for candidate genes for lens luxation/glaucoma and to begin global mapping with markers from the canine genome linkage map in canine lens luxation and glaucoma families."