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Research Article: Retrospective evaluation of the prevalence of known and presumed hereditary eye diseases in a population of Labradoodles referred for ophthalmic screening examinations in the Netherlands

Date Published: 2026-06-08

Abstract:
The popularity of designer crossbreed dogs, including Labradoodles, has increased markedly in recent years. This retrospective study evaluated ophthalmic findings and the prevalence of known and presumed hereditary eye diseases (KP-HED) in Labradoodles presented for European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ECVO)-certified screening in the Netherlands. ECVO Certificates from Labradoodles examined between January 2014 and December 2024 by a single ECVO diplomate were retrospectively reviewed. Screening consisted of slit-lamp biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy following pharmacologic mydriasis. The prevalence of each KP-HED was calculated relative to the total number of dogs examined. A total of 1,182 Labradoodles (940 females, 242 males; median age 27.8 months, range 4.2–131.7 months) were included. Ninety-two dogs (7.8%) were affected by at least one KP-HED, resulting in 96 diagnoses. The most prevalent conditions were iris-to-iris persistent pupillary membrane (PPM; 4.7%) and distichiasis (2.5%), followed by cataract (0.5%), multifocal retinal dysplasia (MRD; 0.2%), and other lens opacities (0.2%). All cataracts were classified as later-onset and included cortical (0.4%), posterior polar (0.2%), and nuclear (0.08%) subtypes. The most common additional finding was the presence of tiny pigment dots on the central anterior lens capsule (3.9%). Overall, the prevalence of vision-threatening KP-HED in this population was low, indicating a generally favorable ocular health status. However, the relatively higher prevalence of iris-to-iris PPM and distichiasis compared to progenitor breeds suggests a potential influence of genetic background and breeding practices. These findings support the continued use of ophthalmic screening to guide breeding decisions.

Introduction:
The popularity of designer crossbreed dogs, including Labradoodles, has increased markedly in recent years. This retrospective study evaluated ophthalmic findings and the prevalence of known and presumed hereditary eye diseases (KP-HED) in Labradoodles presented for European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ECVO)-certified screening in the Netherlands.

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