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How Beagles Can Get Blue Eyes
While Beagle puppies can be born with blue eyes, as the dog matures their eyes will often change to a brown color. But if a Beagle is a purebred, it won’t have the nesseary genes for blue eyes at all.
That being the case, the only way for a purebred Beagle to get blue eyes is if there is a mutation in the dog’s genes.
On the other hand, Beagles that are a mixed breed can potentially have blue eyes. Two notable dog breeds that often have blue eyes are Huskies and Border Collies.
Therefore, having a Beagle that is mixed with one of those breeds, or any breed with a predisposition towards blue eyes, increases the likelihood of having a Beagle with blue eyes.
The Merle Gene In Beagles
There are other ways Beagles can have blue eyes, one of which is if they possess the Merle gene. The Merle gene primarily affects the color of a dog’s coat. Not only does this gene affect the coat and skin pigmentation, but it can also cause dogs to have blue or other other oddly colored eyes.
Dog breeds more commonly seen with Merle coats are Australian Shepards, Collies and even Great Danes.
While a Merle gene isn’t common in Beagles, much like blue eyes, it’s not impossible for the gene to present itself. If a Beagle is mixed with a dog that has the Merle gene that, might increase the chances for blue eyes in the Beagle.
The Merle Gene can also cause dogs to have green eyes. However, the two traits together can be signs of potential health problems. A dog with both green eyes and the Merle gene has significant potential for health issues with both hearing and sight.
Albinism and Blue Eyes in Beagles
Since blue eyes are a result of lacking pigmentation, albinism is another cause of blue eyes in Beagles. Albino dogs are often listed at higher prices because they’re rare.
Unfortunately, while albinism is an easy way to tell if a dog has the genes neccesary for blue eyes, it also indicates that there’s a potential for health problems.
Albino dogs tend to be more expensive to take care of and can present major health issues, mainly light sensitivity and a greater risk for skin cancer.
They might also have smaller eyes, develop poor vision or even go completely blind, along with having shorter lifespans. Needless to say, caring for a dog with these problems requires great effort and expense.
Despite the risks, albino dogs can still live a rich fulfilling life as long as they get the proper care. However, albinism is often misdiagnosed and gets confused with dogs that have the Merle gene or just happen to have white fur.
There are also situations where a dog’s coat just naturaly has white spots, which can lead to some confusion.
Beagles, for example, can have white fur around their eyes, which might have an affect on their pigmentation. It’s another rare pigmentation for Beagles, but not impossible.
Over time, adult Bealges have the potential to ultimately develop blue eyes. Unfortunately, if this does occur for a Beagle, there’s a very high chance that it is the result of eye disease, in which case a veterinarian should be alerted immediately to look further into it.
Heterochomia in Dogs: 3 Different Variations
Heterochomia is caused by the lack of pigment in one eye, and causes a dog’s eyes to have two different colors. It’s often hereditary, but can also be caused by a injury or other health related problems. Heterochromia also manifests in different ways.
The first variation is heterochromia iridis, which describes eyes that are two entirely different colors.
Sectoral heterochromia is when only parts of the iris is blue.
Lastly, central heterochromia is when the blue coloration originated around the pupils and radiates out, sometimes in a spikey pattern that mixes wtih the other eye color.
Generally dogs with dappled or a Merle coat are likely to have heterochromia. However, there are some breeds of dogs that are just more likely to have it.
Huskies, for example, are not only naturaly capable of having blue eyes, but are also more likely to have heterochromia iridis.
Contray to common belief, natural heterochromia doesn’t cause issues with sight or hearing. As long as the heterochromia is natural, there are no ties to serious medical problems.
However, as stated previously, if a dog owner notices a sudden change in their dog’s eyes they should definely go to a veterinarian.
Ultimately, most dogs have brown eyes, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have other eye colors.
Unless you have a dog breed that naturally has eyes of another color, it’s always a good idea to go to a veterinarian and make sure their eye color is not a result of any sort of health defect.