Table: Clinical Guide for Acute Blindness in Dogs - Merck Veterinary Manual

Clinical Guide for Acute Blindness in Dogs

Clinical Guide for Acute Blindness in Dogs

Diagnosis	Clinical Signs	Affected Visual Pathway	Etiology
Sudden acute retinal degeneration syndrome	Acute-onset blindness, dilated pupils, ± PLR^a	Outer retinal layers	Unknown; Miniature Schnauzer and Dachshund have increased risk; increased alkaline phosphatase, ALT, and cholesterol
Optic neuritis	Acute-onset blindness, both eyes affected, dilated pupils, ± PLR	Optic nerve disc, retrobulbar	Part of systemic disease (eg, canine distemper, mycosis [cryptococcosis, blastomycosis], protothecosis, granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis), neoplasia, trauma, orbital cellulitis
Retinal detachment	Acute blindness, hemorrhage	Neurosensory retina	Systemic hypertension, multiple intraocular myeloma
Intracranial disease	Normal eyes, acute blindness ± PLR	Optic chiasm	Pituitary masses, ± paranasal masses, meningiomas, lymphosarcoma
Central blindness	Acute blindness, normal PLR	Optic tracts, occipital cortex	Cardiac arrest during anesthesia, seizures, severe head trauma
Slow vision loss	Progressive loss of vision/PLR	Retrobulbar visual tracts	Hydrocephalus, CNS neoplasia, granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis
^aPupillary light-induced reflexes