An electroretinogram protocol for toxicological screening in the canine model.

A five-step electroretinogram protocol was developed for the dog to be used as a painless screening test for ocular effects of drugs or pesticides. Standard conditions of frequency band width, stimulus intensity, dark adaptation time and non-confounding anesthesia method were selected to allow analysis of wave components. The protocol demonstrated an acceptable level of inter-subject variability for compiling an age appropriate database, and for the detection of possible retinal component toxicities in chronic dog studies.