BLOG DISCLAIMER

**DISCLAIMER** Please note: I am not a veterinarian, and the purpose of this blog is solely to educate, provide resources, and share Reo's story. In this blog, I will present research and information on the theories of SARDS to which I subscribe, along with my own narrative. If you think your dog may have SARDS, or adrenal exhaustion/Plechner Syndrome, please seek veterinary care right away!

If you are just beginning your SARDS education, I suggest you start with the blog post from August 22, 2011 entitled "SARDS Resources". If you'd like to know our trials, tribulations, and joys from the beginning, start with "But first...Reo!" and click chronologically on from there.

If you would like to read my suggestions as to how I would approach treatment for a newly-diagnosed dog, check the November 16, 2011 post "If I had another SARDS dog" (and then read my blog more fully for appropriate context).

Though we have decided to suspend Reo's retinal protection supplements in September 2012 (see September 16, 2012 post "Decision for Reo") due to the fact that she had very little remaining vision, I am still strongly supportive of our treatment approach, and know that it changed Reo's health and longevity in a positive way. Feel free to comment and ask me any questions - I am happy to help if I can!

Update: Reo became an angel on October 21, 2014. She had a profound kidney infection, causing acute kidney failure, and she was unable to recover. The contributing factors to her decline are covered in my February 16, 2015 blog post "Farewell to Reo".

Though I do not regularly update this blog any longer, much of the information is still relevant (though some of the links may be out of date). Feel free to join the conversation at "SARDS Dogs United" on Facebook.




Saturday, September 7, 2013

New article discussing the Melan-100 for SARDS screening

09/07/13 - All is well in our household - I have been busy lately with Miniature Pinscher rescue activities, which is rewarding yet challenging!  I will write another post once Reo has her follow-up appointment at the ophthalomologist in a couple of weeks.

I wanted to post because there is a new article in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Science coming out from a group in Japan that discusses the Melan-100 colorimetric PLR device that is often used by ophthalmologists to help diagnose SARDS, PRA, and other eye diseases.

This is the abstract:

To determine the efficacy of a colorimetric pupil light reflex (PLR) device (Melan-100®, U.S.A.) in dogs of sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS; 16 cases), progressive retinal atrophy (PRA; 10 cases) and optic pathway disease (6 cases). The colorimetric device detected PLR abnormality in 32, 16, and 9 eyes with SARDS, PRA and optic pathway disease, respectively, whereas white light detected PLR abnormality in 18, 11 and 9 eyes with SARDS, PRA and optic pathway disease, respectively. SARDS dogs displayed miosis, while optic pathway disease dogs displayed mydriasis by blue light examination. Thus, colorimetric PLR may be a useful method for determining whether electroretinography (ERG) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be performed for dogs with acute blindness.

The full text of the article is available (though because it is a pre-print copy, it does not look as pretty as a published article - there are line numbers in the left margin) at this link:  https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jvms/advpub/0/advpub_12-0363/_pdf

It looks like the authors agree that an ERG is very important for accurately diagnosing SARDS:

"Although the colorimetric PLR device is useful as a screening test, it is risky to diagnose these abnormalities with this method alone. It is necessary to diagnose SARDS, PRA, and optic pathway disease via funduscopic examination, ERG, and MRI."