Retinal Folds, also called Retinal Dysplasia (RD), is observed in many dog breeds without any pathological consequence.

 

However in the Labrador Retriever breed as well as in Samoyeds, Retinal Folds can be associated with a more severe syndrome, the Oculo-Skeletal Dysplasia (OSD).

 

Clinical signs of OSD are skeletal malformations comprising shortened limbs (dwarfism) as well as blindness at early age. Blindness results from a partial or complete detachment of the retina and cataract due to a generalised malformation of the retina. The mode of inheritance is still not fully understood but an autosomal-dominant trait with incomplete penetrance is assumed.