Progressive Retinal Atrophy - All types (PRA)

Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a group of heritable diseases affecting the retina. They cause blindness and each breed has a specific pattern of inheritance and age of onset. Download our free health checklist:
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The outcome of PRA is similar in all breeds, with initial night blindness and slow deterioration to complete vision loss. Affected eyes are usually not painful unless a secondary problem occurs such as uveitis or cataract. There are many classifications of PRA but the easiest is the age of onset. 

Early-onset PRA occurs when night blindness is present from birth and complete blindness by 1-5 years of age. Late-onset PRA is where night blindness occurs some time over 1-year-old and full blindness occurs later in life. 

Dogs generally adapt to the blindness well but certain precautions should be taken for their safety such as keeping on a lead when walking. Balls with bells or similar can be used for mental stimulation. 

Genetic classification is also used. PRA can be recessive, dominant or X-linked inherited. DNA tests are available for many types of PRA but not for all breeds yet. Therefore ophthalmological examination of the eye is still considered the mainstay of diagnostic testing. 

Classifications of PRA:

Progressive Retinal Atrophy crd1PRA -  Early onset
Progressive Retinal Atrophy - crd3PRA (Glen of Imaal Terrier Type)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy - erd (Norwegian Elkhound Type)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy - Late Onset (Basenji Type)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy - rcd1 (Sloughi)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy - rcd1a (Irish Setter)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy - rcd3 (Corgi/Crested Type)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy - rcd4 (Late Onset)
Generalised PRA 1 (Golden Retriever)
Generalised PRA 2 (Golden Retriever)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Mastiff)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Puli Type)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Shetland Sheepdog)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy PRA1 (Papillon Type)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy crd SWD
Progressive Rod Cone Degeneration (prcd) - PRA
Retinopathy (Vallhund Type)