Rolling Dog Farm Blog

Following Carmel’s eye exam last week, our vet in Helena, Dr. Brenda Culver, consulted with our veterinary ophthalmologist, Dr. Bill Yakely of the Animal Eye Clinic in Spokane, Washington.  Brenda had also sent Dr. Yakely some photos I had taken of Carmel’s eyes, including the one above. 

It turns out that Carmel has a corneal dystrophy.  This is a fairly rare condition that includes a number of different types of dystrophies, depending on which part of the cornea is involved.  Some breeds are more disposed to corneal dystrophy than others.  Beagles are more likely to get a stromal corneal dystrophy, which affects the stroma, or thickest layer, of the cornea.  Some ophthalmologists call the cornea the "windshield" of the eye, and there are five layers to it.

In many cases these corneal dystrophies do not cause blindness and are not painful, though Carmel is clearly different.  Her corneal dystrophy has caused a diffuse corneal edema, or fluid, to completely cloud the eye.  She is, in effect, blind from an obstruction.  And her eyes hurt.

Dr. Yakely told Brenda that corneal transplants are not currently an option for the stromal corneal dystrophy, though there is research going on in academic circles on this problem.  So Brenda is contacting a veterinary ophthalmologist at a veterinary teaching hospital who is involved in this research to see what else we could do for Carmel.  It is entirely possible that without the edema obstructing her vision, she could see just fine.

At this point that’s all we know — stay tuned for further updates!