Text from a Brochure on Day Blindness
contributed by Jolene Gwatking
endorsed by Dr. Rowan Blogg, Opthamologist, Melbourne, Australia.
To Alaskan Malamute Owners and Breeders throughout Australia and New Zealand
and any other country that might be interested:
Several cases of Hemeralopia - Day blindness, (now called Cone Degeneration) have been
confirmed in several Australian States.
Day blindness is, as its name implies, a condition which causes dogs (in this case the Alaskan
Malamute) to be "blind" in bright light. Day blindness is an inherited problem. Progeny inherit this
condition from the genes received from their parents. The genetic defect is recognized by
geneticists as an "autosomal recessive" (i.e.: not sex-linked).
Statistically speaking, for every "affected" Malamute in a litter, there are at least two carriers.
"Affected" Malamutes should never be bred from. But it is the carriers of this condition that are
the real risk to the breed.
What to Look For
Affected Malamutes are quite easily recognized by diligent owners. The condition frequently
begins to manifest itself when a puppy is about 8 weeks old. The observant owner may suspect
the condition, and the following symptoms can be looked for in a puppy.
bumping into or stumbling over things, eg: doorways, children's toys in the yard or hallway;
the coiled hose, pot plants?
stumbling up gutters, bumping into bushes, tripping over rises in pathways?
refusing to, or having trouble negotiating steps into the house (eg: appearing to bump
his/her nose on the first couple of steps)
going out of your home, does it seem like the Mal is "feeling" where the next step is?
does it try to chase a ball but overshoots where it landed, and only finds it by continuing to
sniff the area?
does it growl when strangers approach suddenly without warning?
is it constantly seeking the shaded areas of the yard and is it hard to coax it into sunlight?
does it seem totally disorientated when facing the sun and you call it?
does making a loud noise (eg: clapping your hands) help attract its attention and helps you
in recalling your Mal?
Do all these clumsy symptoms vanish at night?
Remember in the case of puppies, all young puppies are clumsy - but there is a difference
between normal clumsiness, and not seeing properly.
At night, can your Malamute do all these things correctly:
chase the ball into dark areas of the yard and retrieve it every time.
negotiate steps into the house and out again with confidence.
not miss gutters and not slam into the pavement (as it does in the daylight)
Your Malamute could possibly be affected with Day blindness
How will you know?
The condition of Day blindness (Cone degeneration) sometimes can be detected by a veterinary
surgeon, and always by a veterinary Ophthalmologist. If there is any doubt, an Electroretinograph
(ERG) can be undertaken by a veterinary Ophthalmologist. There are several
Ophthalmology/Veterinary Clinics around Australia which have the equipment to perform
ERGs.
Addresses can be obtained by phoning the Australian Veterinary Association in any State.
There is currently no DNA test to identify carriers, although work is currently being undertaken in
the United States. Carriers are generally detected when they are bred together and produce an
affected puppy. It is these carriers that Breeders need to be alerted to. If carriers are bred from, it
means more carriers are produced. To produce an affected malamute, geneticists recognize that
both sire and dam are at least carriers, or worse, at least one is affected.
What needs to be done?
Before action can be taken, information about the extent of the problem is needed. If owners and
breeders talk together openly and exchange information about this, or any other problem
occurring in the breed, then we are in a position to help the dogs.
If people won't work together, then the Alaskan Malamute as we know it, may be doomed to
ill-health in a very short time. It appears from the number of Malamutes already diagnosed with
Day blindness in Australia that the health of the Alaskan Malamute population in this country may
become a major genetic problem here if action is not taken to stop the defect in its tracks.
In America in the late 50's and 60's this problem appeared (and in the mid-60's in England) It
was through the diligent efforts of a few dedicated breeders like Dr. Ken and Mrs. Bourns (in
Canada) - who willingly test bred their kennel stock of Malamutes - that Day blindness was
shown conclusively to be inherited as an autosomal recessive defect.
Australian Malamute stock originated from the USA and if many cases of Day blindness have
appeared now in Australia since the early 90's, in all probability it will appear again elsewhere,
soon!
How can you help?
Talk to owners and breeders about this condition: educate Malamute fanciers who don't know
the condition is here, and encourage the testing of any suspect Malamutes. We may be able to
control this affliction from spreading if we act now, and act quickly.
For the afflicted Alaskan Malamute, the condition is not life-threatening provided it is kept in a
safe, escape-proof yard, and is only ever exercised ON LEAD!
The Malamute's life is threatened though, if the dog is allowed to roam, especially if it becomes
aggressive with members of the public (or family) because of its disability with vision.
What if your Malamute does have this problem?
Some owners may decide to return the puppy to the Breeder, perhaps because they feel they
cannot cope with their pet's disability. The possibility exists that the next puppy if taken from the
same litter as a replacement may also have the condition or be a carrier for the condition.
Certification can be provided by a Veterinary Ophthalmologist to clear the dog of being affected
by the condition. ERG testing can not clear dogs of being carriers of the condition.
Some owners may believe they can cope with caring for a disabled Malamute and with help and
guidance from caring breeders and family and friends, it's possible for the affected pet to lead an
acceptable quality of life - providing the owner has full understanding of the implications of the
problem, and is conversant with training and disciplinary technique's for the Malamute in general.
Support Group
Sometimes owning a disabled Malamute can be a strain - a support group for owners having
difficulties has been established through CAMEO.
How can Malamute Breeders help?
They should check and certify all their breeding stock, to ensure none is affected; and check all
their puppies before sale (including checking those already sold) to ensure they did not breed and
affected Malamute.
Where a known affected dog appears close-up in a pedigree, test breeding of dogs at risk, can
be done in an attempt to clear a dog of being a carrier of the condition. Breeders producing an
affected animal should notify owners with related stock.
Owners of known affected animals and related animals can provide a blood or hair sample to the
study in the United States. Contact CAMEO for details 019 323 737. Pedigrees for analysis
should also be forwarded to: Dr. Rolf Beilharz Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry The University
of Melbourne, PARKVILLE Victoria AUST
If you are not sure of the condition of any Malamute's eyes, please visit your Veterinary Surgeon
urgently, and you will be referred to a Veterinary Ophthalmologist closest to you.
This is a very serious condition and if people won't work together to help the dogs - then the
Alaskan Malamute as we know it will cease to exist. The dogs cannot help themselves.
For more information, contact CAMEO PO Box 1176 Queanbeyan NSW 2620
CAMEO - Concerned Alaskan Malamute Enthusiasts Organization
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