![]() We conducted a questionnaire targeted at owners whose dogs had historically suffered from SARDS. Further clarification of the types of systemic comorbidities with SARDS would help substantially in the clinical counseling provided to owners at the time of diagnosis. ![]() The course of systemic disease following vision loss in SARDS remains unreported, although one study suggested that greater than 50% of dogs with SARDS die or are euthanized within 1 year of diagnosis. Because no controlled, prospective, peer-reviewed studies of these medications have been reported, an initial step of retrospective evaluation of treatment outcome might aid in planning and development of controlled clinical studies. Although combination therapy is proposed to be more effective than monotherapy in restoring vision, 1 this has not been objectively evaluated. Anecdotally, monotherapy with oral corticosteroids is ineffective in restoring vision. A small prospective study of treatment with the immunosuppressive medication mycophenolate mofetil failed to improve vision in dogs with SARDS after complete vision loss. The outer retina is already degenerate at the time of presentation to a veterinary ophthalmologist, which raises concerns for the potential efficacy of treatments that aim to restore vision. There are few studies reporting the success rate of therapeutic intervention to recover vision in dogs with SARDS. The timeframe between onset of systemic clinical signs and vision loss has not been described in detail, yet has been suggested to either precede vision loss or coincide with vision loss. Typical associated signs and clinical findings include polyuria, polyphagia and weight gain, and laboratory findings consistent with liver damage and endocrinopathy, Differences between SARDS and canine pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism have recently been described. The systemic clinical signs and clinicopathologic abnormalities associated with SARDS have been well characterized in numerous studies. Whether there are differentiating features about these more protracted cases of vision loss remain to be determined. ![]() However, other studies have reported a small proportion of dogs that take greater than 4 weeks to lose vision. Vision loss is described as sudden in onset one study reported that 100% of 26 dogs went blind within 4 weeks. ![]() Sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) is associated with irreversible vision loss in dogs. ![]()
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