Unilateral optic nerve hypoplasia and hydrocephalus in a Pekingese

A 3-year-old, castrated male Pekingese was examined 2 days after automobile-induced trauma. Multiple pelvic injuries and visual deficits in the right eye were identified. During a subsequent postmortem examination, multiple pelvic fractures were confirmed; however, there was no evidence of head injury. Both globes were bilaterally symmetrical and grossly normal. The intraorbital and intracranial portions of the right optic nerve were threadlike and rudimentary in appearance, while the left optic nerve was grossly normal. Moderate dilatation of the left lateral ventricle was noted. Microscopically the right optic nerve and left nerve tract contained few identifiable nerve fibers. The right optic disc was depressed, and there was thinning of the optic nerve fiber and ganglion cell layers of the retina. No microscopic abnormalities were evident in the left optic nerve, optic disc, retina and right optic tract. The histologic changes in the right eye are consistent with optic nerve hypoplasia. The relationship between the optic nerve/optic tract lesions and the hydrocephalus is unknown.