You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

An inherited condition called congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) in Briards was identified in Sweden in 1999 and a case has been reported in the UK (Gould D :Veterinary Record March 17th 2001).

Briards with congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) are born unable to see in poor lighting. In most cases the condition does not get any worse, but progression to loss of vision in daylight has been reported in a few cases. The disorder affects the retina in the eyes and it is caused by a recessive genetic defect which can be detected by DNA testing. 

There is no treatment for the disease, and affected animals should not be used for breeding because they can transmit the gene defect to their offspring.

Updated October 2013