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Albino

Has an true albino horse ever been reported and proven? I know between Max Sabino, DW, double creams etc. people mistakenly call horses albino and we know that they are not, but I was curious if a true albino had existed in recorded history... someone told me that there had never been a true albino horse born and I wondered if that was in fact true??

accphotography Mon, 02/14/2011 - 12:49

That depends... what is your definition of a true albino?

Cream is a mutation of a gene that is considered an albinism gene and as such some people consider creams albinos genetically (and boy do they fit the looks profile with the exception of the red eyes, which many true albinos don't have anyway).

Krickette Mon, 02/14/2011 - 13:03

I would say no, there is no true albinism gene in horses. As acc said, cream is a mutation of that gene but in my mind that makes it something else on its own and not true albinism.

RiddleMeThis Mon, 02/14/2011 - 15:04

[quote="Krickette"]As acc said, cream is a mutation of that gene but in my mind that makes it something else on its own and not true albinism.[/quote]And why is that? To get albino in ANY species you need a mutation of that gene, so w hy would it make it not albino?

Monsterpony Mon, 02/14/2011 - 15:16

You know, I don't think that 'red eyes' is a truly accurate description of a true albino. The red you are seeing is the light reflecting off an unpigmented tapetum n the back of the eye. These animals (including humans) actually have a pale blue/unpigmented iris.

accphotography Mon, 02/14/2011 - 15:17

Well what are a DDs eyes if not pale blue? :)

Monsterpony Mon, 02/14/2011 - 15:26

That was what I was trying to imply :D Remember that foal with 'red' eyes that was a DD with pale blue irises.

Dogrose Mon, 02/14/2011 - 16:33

I've seen a human albino with bright red eyes (pink/red iris, red pupil). Also a dog with pink irises, a Jack Russell, many years ago. Some albino alleles do have blue eyes (e.g. siamese cats) and there is a gene in rats that turns albino eyes black so you get black eyed himalayan and black eyed ivories etc (the black eye gene slightly darkens the albino coat). Some animals seem to 'albino' fairly easily- especially rodents, in others its almost unheard of.

Threnody Mon, 02/14/2011 - 19:02

I have one of my mother's old college books from back when she was taking pre vet courses. It calls the cream allele pseudo-albino which I always found interesting.

Maigray Wed, 02/16/2011 - 07:39

The red color is caused by the red blood vessels showing through.

Jordie0587 Mon, 02/21/2011 - 01:23

[quote="Dogrose"]I've seen a human albino with bright red eyes (pink/red iris, red pupil). Also a dog with pink irises, a Jack Russell, many years ago. Some albino alleles do have blue eyes (e.g. siamese cats) and there is a gene in rats that turns albino eyes black so you get black eyed himalayan and black eyed ivories etc (the black eye gene slightly darkens the albino coat). Some animals seem to 'albino' fairly easily- especially rodents, in others its almost unheard of.[/quote]

Weeeellll this isn't entirely right because rat/mice eyes are almost entirely pupil. Even in "red/pink" eyes in rats, there is a very tiny blue ring around them lol. Ask me how I know :p Black eyes on white rats are due to a form of leucism which isn't quite the same as albino.

I've talked before about my hate on for Albino doberman breeders, and albino dobermans have blue eyes with pink/red reflecting pupils.

In humans, red eyes in albinos are mostly attributed to malformations in the eye that often go along with albinism. Many human albinos (well animals for that matter, particularly dogs :BH ) have eye malformations and both albinos I've known personally were legally blind.

IMO, cream horses ARE in fact albinos. They may be incompletely expressed albinos, but so are obviously albino dobermans, they are actually cream with white points.

Dogrose Mon, 02/21/2011 - 02:57

I dunno I have pics of rats eyes flashing red where you can see the pupil and iris, its really obvious in roans where the pupil has a red flash and the iris is dark. I probably have pics but they are at home.
Black eyed gene in rats isn't the same as leucism, it expresses in rats that express c locus colours, so you get black eyed himalayan for example, its a newish and complicated gene.