Olfaction evaluation in dogs with sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate olfaction in dogs with sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) compared with sighted dogs and blind dogs without SARDS as control groups. Animals Studied: Forty client-owned dogs. Procedure: Olfactory threshold testing was performed on three groups: SARDS, sighted, and blind/non-SARDS using eugenol as the test odorant. The olfactory threshold was determined when subjects indicated the detection of a specific eugenol concentration with behavioral responses. Olfactory threshold, age, body weight, and environmental room factors were evaluated. Results: Sixteen dogs with SARDS, 12 sighted dogs, and 12 blind/non-SARDS dogs demonstrated mean olfactory threshold pen numbers of 2.8 (SD = 1.4), 13.8 (SD = 1.4), and 13.4 (SD = 1.1), respectively, which correspond to actual mean concentrations of 0.017 g/mL, 1.7 × 10−13 g/mL and 4.26 × 10−13 g/mL, respectively. Dogs with SARDS had significantly poorer olfactory threshold scores compared with the two control groups (p