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Breed predispositions to congenital and juvenile cataracts in horses at two academic institutions

Noah M Plotsker1, Rebecca R Bellone2,3, Eric C Ledbetter1

  • 1Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.

Equine Veterinary Journal
|December 14, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Standardbred horses show a significant predisposition to congenital and juvenile cataracts, suggesting a genetic basis. Further research is recommended to explore heritable cataracts in this breed.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Ophthalmology
  • Equine Genetics
  • Animal Ophthalmology

Background:

  • Congenital and juvenile cataracts in horses can have genetic underpinnings.
  • Identifying predisposed breeds is crucial for understanding cataract etiology in horses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate breed predispositions for congenital and juvenile cataracts in horses.
  • Analyze data from two large academic equine referral populations.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective case series analysis of medical records from two institutions (Cornell University and University of California-Davis).
  • Inclusion criteria: horses diagnosed with congenital or juvenile cataracts between 1990-2022.
  • Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and Chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests to determine breed over-representation.

Main Results:

  • A total of 101 horses with congenital or juvenile cataracts were identified (31 from Cornell, 70 from UCD).
  • Standardbreds were significantly over-represented for cataracts at both institutions (p < 0.001 at Cornell, p = 0.03 at UCD).
  • Thoroughbreds were under-represented for these cataract types at both institutions (p = 0.03 at Cornell, p = 0.01 at UCD).

Conclusions:

  • The significant over-representation of Standardbreds suggests a potential genetic basis for congenital and juvenile cataracts in this breed.
  • Further genetic and genomic studies are warranted to investigate heritable cataracts in Standardbred horses.
  • Limitations include potential selection bias inherent in retrospective studies.
Abstract

Keywords:
geneticshorseinheritancelensophthalmologyphacoemulsificationvision

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