Hundreds of new genes linked to blindness and other vision disorders have been identified in a screen of mouse strains. Many of these genes are likely important in human eye vision and the results could help identify new causes of hereditary blindness in patients. The work is published Dec. 21 in Nature Communications Biology. The research team was led by Dr. Bret Moore, resident at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.
Researchers at the University of California, Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital recently performed a study to determine if intensive medical management offered a viable treatment alternative to surgery for feline patients with severe deep ulcerative keratitis.
K-9 Officer Blitz, a 5-year-old German shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix with the Sanger Police Department, was performing routine training exercises with his handler and partner Corporal Brandon Coles when tragedy struck. While retrieving an item from under a car, Blitz caught his eye socket on the tailpipe, causing extensive damage. As Blitz bled profusely from around his right eye, Coles rushed him to a local veterinary clinic.
Bentley, an approximately 6-year-old male Maltese mix, was brought to the UC Davis veterinary hospital by the Underdog Animal Rescue after they saved him from a potentially non-adoptive situation (and facing euthanasia) at a county shelter. While at the shelter, Bentley was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes by the county’s veterinarian. His foster mom reported he was able to see shadows and get around the house reasonably well, but would occasionally bump into things if the furniture was moved or things were out of place. She also believed him to be deaf, as he has never responded to his name or any type of noise. To improve Bentley’s quality of life and to give him the best chance for adoption, she decided to bring him to the ophthalmology specialists at UC Davis.
Arrow, a 2-year-old male Dachshund mix, was playing in his family’s back yard when his owners, Deborah and George Smith, heard a crying yelp. Upon investigating, they found him standing still in the yard with a 3-inch twig protruding from his right eye socket. They immediately brought him to the nearest veterinary emergency room where veterinarians sedated him, and told the Smiths they needed to bring Arrow to the ophthalmology specialists at the UC Davis veterinary hospital if there was any chance of saving his eye.
