Despite similar symptoms and blood test results to Cushings disease, evaluation of dogs with SARDS did not reveal any tumors in the pituitary or adrenal glands, and recent work has indicated significant differences in the clinical and laboratory test parameters between the two diseases. Diagnosis
Examination with an ophthalmoscope will initially show no changes, but in a few months atrophy of the retina will resemble the appearance of progressive retinal atrophy. Pathologically, there is a loss of the rod and cone cells followed by degeneration of other layers of the retina. The retinal degeneration appears to be related to apoptosis of these cells. SARDS must be distinguished from other causes of sudden blindness that have no visible pathology, including retrobulbar optic neuritis, a tumor at the optic chiasm, or other central nervous system diseases. Electroretinography is useful to definitively diagnose SARDS. Treatment
While there is no unilateral treatment for SARDS researchers at the Iowa State University led by Dr. Siniša Grozdanić, ISU Veterinary Ophthalmologist have successfully restored vision in two dogs who have been in 2007 successfully treated through an experimental treatment by intravenous immunoglobin (IVIg). "Although the dogs wont be catching any Frisbees, they can navigate and not bump into objects,", Dr. Grozdanić notes.Various immunosuppressive treatment regimens have been tried, but are not consistently effective. Treatment regimens with adrenal steroids and thyroid hormones have been proposed, but as of 2016 no controlled, peer reviewed studies had investigated the effectiveness of such treatments. == References ==
Dermatosis papulosa nigra generally emerges in adolescence and is rarely in persons younger than 7 years. See also
List of cutaneous conditions

References
External links
eMedicine.com article on DPN