Bacteriological findings in cases of progressive ulcerative keratitis in UK dogs
Robert Goss and others, Eye Veterinary Clinic, Herefordshire
Ulcerative keratitis is one of the most common ocular diseases in dogs; damage to the physical barrier provided by the corneal epithelium results in increased susceptibility to infection with opportunistic bacteria. The authors investigated the bacterial isolates found in 148 cases of canine progressive ulcerative keratitis, as well as their resistance patterns to the main topical antimicrobial agents. They found that Streptococcus canis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius were the most commonly isolated bacteria. Many isolates showed resistance against neomycin, fusidic acid and tetracycline, but most were sensitive to gentamicin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and chloramphenicol. They recommend combination antimicrobial therapy in these patients, pending the results of bacterial culture and sensitivity tests.
Veterinary Ophthalmology, 27, 330-346
Ocular findings in geriatric horses and donkeys in the UK
Ria Chalder and others, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Improvements in veterinary care have meant there is an increasing proportion of geriatric animals aged 15 years or older in the UK equid population. There is little information in the literature about the prevalence and nature of ocular conditions in this group. The authors carried out full ophthalmic examinations on 50 horses and donkeys aged between 15 and 33 years. They reported pathological findings in 84 percent of the eyes examined. These include cases with conditions such as cataracts, focal chorioretinopathy and senile retinopathy. However, in most instances, the pathologies observed did not appear to be interfering with the animal’s quality of life.
Equine Veterinary Journal, 56, 121-130
Quantity and quality of tear production in the eyes of Shih-Tzu dogs
Rebeca Costa Vitor and others, University of Santa Cruz, Brazil
As a breed, Shih-Tzus are particularly susceptible to ocular diseases such as corneal ulcers and dry eye disease. The authors investigated a range of parameters relating to the eye environment to identify possible reasons for this predisposition. They measured eyelid blink frequency, Schirmer tear test (STT) results, tear film break-up time (TBUT), fluorescein test results and Masmali tear ferning test (TFT) grades in 28 dogs. Results showed that most Shih-Tzus had STT values within the normal range for dogs, but there was a high prevalence of eyes showing abnormal TFT grades and low TBUTs. This shows that despite adequate aqueous production, these dogs may have poor pre-corneal tear film quality, which may make them vulnerable to dry eye disease.
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 66, 3
Prevalence and clinical findings in Greyhounds with retinopathy
Petra Price and others, Pet Eye Care, Wellington, New Zealand
A series of cases of generalised retinal degeneration has been reported in young male Greyhounds in Australia and a similar condition has also been identified in retired racing Greyhounds in the United States. The authors investigated the presence of fundic lesions in the eyes of Greyhounds in the Manawatu/Whanganui region of New Zealand. They examined 200 dogs and found retinopathy to varying degrees in 25 per cent of this group. Males were more likely to be affected than females. Assessment of visual reflexes suggests that the lesions significantly affected retinal function. As the condition may impair both racing performance and quality of life, the authors suggest that systematic veterinary examination of the eyes of racing Greyhounds should be introduced.
Veterinary Ophthalmology, 27, 298-309
Pain scoring systems in hospitalised horses with ocular disease
Dayna Jodzio and others, University of Florida
Chronic ocular discomfort may contribute to the development of complications in horses with eye diseases. Therefore, it is particularly important to identify painful conditions as soon as possible. Recognising signs of pain in horses can, however, be challenging for owners and veterinary staff alike. The authors evaluated the use of two pain scoring systems, the horse grimace scale (HGS) and the behaviour pain score (BPS) in 65 horses hospitalised with various ocular conditions. Tests were carried out daily until the horses were discharged after exclusively medical management (29 cases), ophthalmic surgery (28) or enucleation (8). Horses requiring enucleation had greater increases in HGS and BPS scores than those treated medically and bigger increases in BPS scores than those that underwent surgery. These scoring systems do appear to be a useful tool in managing these cases.
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 38, 388-397
Locally aggressive third eyelid lymphoma in a dog
Vanessa Pereira and others, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Lymphoma is the commonest form of haematopoietic neoplasm in dogs, but lesions are rarely found in the third eyelid. Those cases that have been reported have involved slow growing masses affecting the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. The authors describe a case in a 10-year-old intact female Poodle that presented with a two-month history of a nodule on the left third eyelid. The nodule was surgically removed, but local recurrence was detected 19 days later, during which time the lesion had infiltrated the globe. The dog was euthanised due to its deteriorating clinical condition. Neoplastic lymphocytes were identified on post-mortem examination.
Topics in Companion Animal Medicine, 60, 100864
Tissue graft technique used in treating corneal endothelial dystrophy
Conan Chen and others, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Jersey
Corneal endothelial dystrophy (CED) is a painful condition involving thickening of the cornea, bullae formation and ulcerative keratitis. Various surgical approaches to treating CED have been developed, including a recently described technique known as Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty. The authors used this method in a 1.5-year-old Tibetan Terrier. Corneal tissue harvested from an Airedale Terrier that had died one day earlier was implanted using a polycarbonate carrier and insertion device. Non-absorbable 10-0 Ethilon sutures were applied dorsally and ventrally to anchor the graft to the adjacent recipient stroma. Within four months post-operation, the cornea had become clearer, allowing partial restoration of the patient’s sight.
Case Reports in Veterinary Medicine, 7497643
Effect of pH modification on absorption of an antimicrobial ophthalmic solution
Ahmed Ibrahim and others, Assiut University, Egypt
Equids have prominent eyeballs, which increases the risk of experiencing ocular trauma. In some countries, a topical tobramycin solution formulated for human use is used empirically by veterinary practitioners to control bacterial infections resulting from eye injuries in horses and donkeys. However, the product is formulated with a pH that matches human tears (about 7.4 whereas the normal pH of equid tears is around 8.4), so the standard treatment may be less effective in these species. The authors adjusted the pH of tobramycin solution so it was isotonic with that of donkey tears before administering it into the eyes of healthy animals. Their findings show that at the slightly higher pH, tobramycin was absorbed at a higher concentration in the tears and aqueous humour of donkeys, and it remained available for longer.
BMC Veterinary Research, 20, 218
