Persistent pupillary membranes (PPM)

[nobarkus]

I was worried because I noticed a small opaque/white spot on Buddy's left iris. I had to look real close to notice it. I called the Basenji rescue and she said that it's a problem Basenjis have but is not anything to worry about. The info on the internet says it's strands but this looks like a spot. Does anybody's Basenji have this?

http://www.upei.ca/~cidd/Diseases/ocular%20disorders/persistent%20pupillary%20membrane.htm

[lvoss]

PPM is usually strands. PPM is common in basenjis.

Since you are seeing a spot, I don't think it is PPM. Could he have had an eye injury? Rally had a cloudy spot while her eye was healing from a cat scratch.

Also there are basenjis with punctuate cataracts and endothelial opacities.

[lvoss]

Best thing to do is get a CERF exam if you want to know for sure what is going on.

[Patty]

I've heard of something similar which turned out to be a calcium deposit. Is this possible Ivoss? Also could you tell me what are endothelial opacities? Are the particular to Basenjis?

[nobarkus]

I was thinking maybe he had some collision at the dog park playing too rough. It's on the iris. He doesn't seem bothered by it or any squinting. I made an appointment at the vision vet.

[noodle]

I have experience of the problem you have described. I had her eyes tested and yes it was PPM. It is not causing any problems and her vision is fine. There are varying degrees of PPM so I think the best thing to do is get a CERF exam.

[nobarkus]

@noodle:

I have experience of the problem you have described. I had her eyes tested and yes it was PPM. It is not causing any problems and her vision is fine. There are varying degrees of PPM so I think the best thing to do is get a CERF exam.

Did yours look like a spot?

[tanza]

@nobarkus:

I was worried because I noticed a small opaque/white spot on Buddy's left iris. I had to look real close to notice it. I called the Basenji rescue and she said that it's a problem Basenjis have but is not anything to worry about. The info on the internet says it's strands but this looks like a spot. Does anybody's Basenji have this?

http://www.upei.ca/~cidd/Diseases/ocular%20disorders/persistent%20pupillary%20membrane.htm

And even excessive PPM rarely ever causes problems…. while certainly a big consideration when breeding, as far as pets, not a worry... PPM gets smaller from birth to reaching adult age. Excessive PPM can look like a spot as when they are born and open their eyes, sometime the eye is totally covered with a blue film... this get smaller as the pup grows..

[lvoss]

@Patty:

I've heard of something similar which turned out to be a calcium deposit. Is this possible Ivoss? Also could you tell me what are endothelial opacities? Are the particular to Basenjis?

I don't know if it is particular to basenjis. I have met one basenji who has been diagnosed with this during a CERF exam. He looks like he has small spots that are opaque. You wouldn't notice it at a distance only if you got a good look at his eyes.

I have heard similar opacities can be cholesterol and they can be caused by hypothyroidism.

[nobarkus]

@tanza:

And even excessive PPM rarely ever causes problems…. while certainly a big consideration when breeding, as far as pets, not a worry... PPM gets smaller from birth to reaching adult age. Excessive PPM can look like a spot as when they are born and open their eyes, sometime the eye is totally covered with a blue film... this get smaller as the pup grows..

That's what Karen said from the rescue. She saw 1 that was really bad. I'll take a magnifying glass I have and take a closer look. It's actually a kind of hazy spot.

[noodle]

@nobarkus:

Did yours look like a spot?

Yes, an opaque spot.

[nobarkus]

@noodle:

Yes, an opaque spot.

Yes, that's it.

[noodle]

http://www.petmedsonline.org/ppm-persistent-pupillary-membrane-dogs.html
http://www.vmdb.org/dx1.html
http://www.upei.ca/~cidd/Diseases/ocular%20disorders/persistent%20pupillary%20membrane.htm
I found the above articles quite helpful for a basic understanding of PPM (if that is what he has).

[Quercus]

Yes, many basenjis have small opacities from remnants of PPM strands that once attached to the cornea. It won't effect the dog at all.

[Nemo]

Is it on the iris or the cornea? Nemo has hazy semi-opaque spots on both of his corneas. It's corneal dystrophy and the harmless form. He had PPM as a puppy too but it isn't the visible kind. There are some other threads on the forum about it.

[Basenjimamma]

I noticed to that Otis has a slight film/spot but only in certain lights, and this morning when I took him to the vet he looked t his eyes and said they looked OK, letting me know that he isn't CERF or anything like that, but as far as he sees Otis eyes are OK. I hoep Buddy;s eyesight isn't in danger, and that he will grow out of it..

[noodle]

Thats how I first noticed the PPM - only in certain lights. Best to get these things checked by a specialist.

[nobarkus]

Thanks All!

[tanza]

Yup, always good to have a base line eye exam by a specialist. And again, very, very rarely does PPM cause long term problems… just needs to be certainly looked at very carefully when Breeding. My OJ had PPM that even as an adult you could see with the naked eye... one of the reasons that I never bred him... it does run in his pedigree

[Basenjimamma]

I made an appointment for Otis to get his CERF done next thursday..it turned out being very affordable, only $35. Now when I look at his eyes I see nothing, and I have looked him up and down..typical. That doesn't mean anything I know, but I am hopeful