SaberTails
IWinter2015
www.pbgv.org
23
testresultsweremixedup.IamcertainthatIsegregated
thesamples,butitmakesmewonderwhethertherewasa
mix-upattheAHT.
IemailtheAHTandask:
“Whatstudyhaveyoudoneregardingtheaccuracyofthetest,
andisthatinformationavailableforreview?CanIrepeatthe
test?Ifso,howdoIdothat?Simplyordermoretestkits?For
myaffecteddog,Iamlookingforinformationregardingfuture
pressuretestingandcare.Myaffecteddogis11monthsold.
GiventheabilitytoidentifythePOAGgenesoearlynowin
PBGVs,isthereanyfollow-upresearchorhasanyonealready
developedrecommendationsregardingearlycareandtreatment
thatmayhelpdelaytheonsetofglaucoma?Hastherebeenwork
doneinthisarearegardingBeaglesorotherbreedswithPOAG
testingthatcannowbeappliedtoPBGVs?Whatresources
wouldyourecommendthatmyvetandIreviewandusein
mydog’scare?”
Igetareplythatmyinquiryhasbeenforwardedtothe
relevantpersonnelforreply.
WetakeGemmeintothelocalvetwhodoeshavea
tonometer.Forreference,webringBijou,whotestedclear.
Thevethasatonopen,whichisatonometerthatshe
pressesagainsttheeyeballtomeasuretheocularpressure.
Shetestseacheyethreetimes.Gemmetests18,15and15in
thelefteye,and13,19and14intherighteye.Thatseems
likeasignificantvariationtome,anddoesnotgivemealot
ofconfidenceinthetests,butthevetisnotconcerned.In
contrast,Bijou’spressuresare7,4and6inthelefteyeand
11,13and13intherighteye.Thatalsoseemslikealotof
variation,butinmymind,Bijou’slowerpressuresconfirm
thatIdidnotmixupGemme’sandBijou’sDNAsamples.
ThisvettellsusGemme’spressuresarenormal.She
recommendstestingpressureseverysixmonths,andthatwe
shouldgiveGemmeprescriptioneyedropsifthepressures
gethigh,somethingmorethan20.
Ourregularvetgetsbackfromvacationandcallsme.I
bringGemmeinandwetalk.Wereviewtheresultsofthe
pressuretests,andhetellsmehewilltalkwiththespecialists
atIowaState.Heagreeswiththesix-monthprotocolandto
givedropsifpressuresrise,butIknowhewillresearchit.
IgetanemailresponsefromAHT.Iamtoldthatthe
researchregardingtheDNAtestiscurrentlybeingwritten
upforpeer-reviewpublication.Inotherwords,wecan’tsee
theinformationregardingtheaccuracyofthestudyuntilit
ispublished.Icanrepeatthetestbyorderingitagaininthe
usualway.Myquestionsregardingclinicalcareforayoung
dogtested“affected”willbeforwardedtooneoftheAHT
ophthalmologists.Idon’texpecttohearfromtheAHT
ophthalmologistsaboutGemme’sfuturecare,because
thatisnottheirjob.
IdecidetokeepGemme’sappointmentatIowaState.
TheDr.EugeneandLindaLloydVeterinaryMedical
CenterattheIowaStateUniversityCollegeofVeterinary
Medicineisateachingclinic,soGemmeisfirstexamined
byavetstudentwithanassistant.Theexamincludes
measurementofGemme’spressures,thistimewitha
Tonovet.TheTonovetisamoreaccuratetonometerthat
measuresthepressuresbyshootingasoftprojectileatthe
eyeballandmeasuringhowtheprojectilebouncesback.She
alsomeasuresGemme’stearproduction,andlooksinside
Gemme’seyeballwithalargelens.Igothroughmylistof
questions,andthestudentleavestheroomtodiscuss
Gemme’scasewiththespecialist.
ThespecialistisDr.RachelAllbaugh,anassistant
professorofveterinaryophthalmology.Dr.Allbaughrepeats
theexam,explainingassheworks.Wethengothoughmy
questions.WhatIlearnconfirmsthatitwasnotonlyagood
ideatokeeptheappointment,itwascriticallyimportant.
Theexamresultsaregoodnews.Gemme’spressuresare
14intherighteye,12intheleft.Herretinasandocular
nervesappearveryhealthy.Hereyesshownodamagefrom
elevatedpressures.Atthistime,shedoesnothaveglaucoma.
NowDr.Allbaughsurprisesmebyrecommendingthatwe
startprescriptioneyedropsnow.Sheexplainsthatunlike
Gemmeasasmallpupalreadylovedtohunt.