My dog might have PRA and go blind- any advice?

[ReRegRhonda]

I've just re regged here after hackergate on a new email, I have had helpful advice on this forum before and could do with some now.

We considered studding my Lhasa apso 20 months old due to his lineage etc. took him for a progressive retinal atrophy test as you do to ensure he was clear before studding. The vet told us his retinas are already really bad and he will be blind in the next 6-12 months . Obviously heartbroken as he is only so young. She's retesting him in 6 months to ensure it is a progressive atrophy and not just idiopathic.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to care for a blind dog properly? Or any experience with PRA? Particularly if your dog was diagnosed young.

Has anyone heard of ocu glo antioxidant supplements? I'm told they are good for slowing retinal atrophy but I don't know what's for the best.

Do I need to change his diet?

Thanks for the help.

This dog is all over all kinds of stud websites and appears not to be a registered breeder!!! I can't quite believe it

And updated their stud advert to say 'gpra clear' in the title just after i told them the news. WOW. I wouldn't be surprised if they already knew this. Their eye cert is over two years old according to the kc site.

Were you looking at the assured breeder list? Without arguing about the ins and outs of it, there are quite a few very good, committed breeders who have opted out of the scheme. I understand their reasons.

I think you should contact the breed society and talk it through with them. I wonder if they already know he's at the very least a carrier. I have no idea why anyone would use a stud dog in your breed without checking their eye test certs were in date - I just don't understand the logic of the bitch owner.

I'm not sure if they can breed from the line. I can't find a link now but I remember with my dog, I reported it myself and it went straight on a database whether the breeder liked it or not.