UC Davis Seeking Appaloosas For Clinical Trial

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is seeking Appaloosas to take part in a study about Equine Recurrent Uveitis, the leading cause of blindness in horses.

Marked by repeated episodes of inflammation of the eye’s uveal tract, Recurrent Uveitis is eight times more likely to occur in Appaloosas and four times more likely to cause blindness in the breed. This study will attempt to uncover the specific genetic factors associated with the disease in Appaloosa horses.

The only requirement to participate in the study is that the horse must have a known Appaloosa pedigree.

According to UC Davis, the procedures for the study will be as follows:

• Examination of the horse’s eyes by a veterinary ophthalmologist
• Photography of the horse to document coat color and any abnormalities found in the eyes
• Collection of hair samples from the horse’s mane and/or a blood sample to analyze the DNA
• Discussion of the horse’s medical history
• Follow up phone calls or emails may be necessary if any questions about the horse’s medical history arise after the examination.
• If any horse objects to having their eyes examined, to having mane hair pulled, or blood drawn, these procedures would not be performed.

It is estimated that participation will take anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour.  For more information, please contact Dr. Mary Lassaline (lasutter@ucdavis.edu) or Dr. Rebecca Bellone (rbellone@ucdavis.edu).