Veterinary ophthalmology最新文献

Purpose: To describe a surgical technique to treat keratoconjunctival symblepharon with a modified simple limbal epithelial transplant (SLET).

Methods: Four cats underwent an autologous modified SLET from a normal contralateral eye to the recipient eye. Patients were scored preoperatively and postoperatively based on the degree of cornea affected and the corneal clarity.

Results: Three of the four cases had significant improvements in both their corneal clarity scores and the amount of cornea occupied by conjunctiva. One case developed a corneal infection in the recipient eye 1 month postoperatively, with minimal improvements being made to the corneal clarity.

Conclusions: This study suggests that autologous limbal transplants can be an effective surgical treatment for unilateral feline keratoconjunctival symblepharon. Compared to published results of surgical removal alone, limbal transplants can result in more corneal clarity and less cornea affected by symblepharon. Further investigation is warranted to refine the procedure as well as determine whether allogenic transplantation is effective in cases of bilateral symblepharon.

Objective: To classify evaporative dry eye disease (EDED) in dogs and trial therapies based upon tear film lipid layer thickness.

Animals: Twenty client-owned dogs diagnosed with EDED.

Procedures: Patients were recruited for retrospective assessment if they were diagnosed with EDED in the absence of other diagnoses that may lead to tear film instability. Tear film interferometry was performed to diagnose a lipid-deficient EDED (LD-EDED; < 30 nm) or idiopathic EDED (I-EDED; > 30 nm). Dogs with LD-EDED were treated with combined topical paraffin and wool fat ointment and oral flaxseed oil. Dogs with I-EDED were treated with combined topical trehalose and hyaluronic acid drops and either topical compounded tacrolimus or cyclosporine. A TFBUT was performed a minimum of 4 weeks later, and these were compared pre- and posttreatment via paired student t-tests and linear regression analysis with Pearson's correlations.

Results: Patients with LD-EDED had a significant and strong correlation between pretreatment lipid layer thickness and pretreatment TFBUT (p = 0.037). Total mean pre- and posttreatment TFBUT was 3.63 ± 2.48 and 10.79 ± 4.83 s (p < 0.001) seconds, respectively (p < 0.001). LD-EDED pre- and posttreatment TFBUT was 3.75 ± 3.05 s and 11.75 ± 3.98 s (p < 0.001), respectively (p < 0.001). Patients with I-EDED had a pre- and posttreatment TFBUT of 3.56 ± 2.63 s and 9.76 ± 4.32 s, respectively (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Dogs with EDED appear to have significantly longer TFBUT following directed therapy.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of feline ulcerative keratitis (UK) and corneal sequestra (CS) in brachycephalic and nonbrachycephalic breeds.

Animals studied: Brachycephalic and nonbrachycephalic cats.

Procedures: Cats diagnosed with UK or CS (Total, 392; UK, 290; CS, 102), between 2013 and 2022, were included. Collected data included signalment, affected eye, lesion characteristics, predisposing factors, and treatment type. UK was classified as superficial (grade 1), stromal (grade 2), or descemetoceles and perforations (grade 3). Sequestra received grade CS or CS_i when associated without or with infectious keratitis, respectively. Disease prevalence and collected data were compared between normocephalic and brachycephalic cats.

Results: Prevalence of UK was 15% (218/1418) in nonbrachycephalics and 36% (72/202) in brachycephalics (p < .001). No significant differences were noted in the prevalence of grades 2 and 3 between brachycephalics and nonbrachycephalics. Brachycephalics were more affected by central/paracentral corneal ulcers (p = .001) or sequestra (p < .001). Corneal vascularization was more frequent in nonbrachycephalics in both UK (non-BC, 67%; BC: 57%) and CS (non-BC, 74%; BC; 52%) groups. Keratoplasty was more frequently conducted in brachycephalics (p < .001). Overall, 38/286 nonbrachycephalic eyes and 3/128 brachycephalic eyes with UK or CS underwent entropion surgery (p = .002).

Conclusion: Brachycephalic cats were more affected by UK and CS. Stromal and perforated corneal ulcers were not more frequent in brachycephalics, but corneal lesions were centrally located and less frequently associated with corneal vascularization than in nonbrachycephalics. An inferotemporal entropion was more often associated with UK or CS in nonbrachycephalics.

Access to veterinary care and careers in veterinary medicine are the foundation of public health. Nevertheless, barriers to the veterinary profession persist. The objectives of this review are to (1) understand the similarities between access to veterinary care and careers in the veterinary profession, (2) identify the intersectional barriers that influence access to care and the profession, and (3) recognize strategies to address intersectional barriers to care and the profession. The literature review scopes relevant publications primarily published between 2003 and 2025. Barriers to accessing veterinary care and the profession are classified as socioeconomic, knowledge-based, and geography-based barriers. The results inform our strategies to address intersectional barriers to veterinary care and careers in the veterinary profession.

Objective: To describe a subconjunctival granuloma caused by Dirofilaria repens in a dog from Rayong province, eastern Thailand, along with the successful treatment outcomes. The causative nematode was identified through morphological examination and molecular techniques.

Animal studied: A 5-year-old female mixed-breed dog was presented with a subconjunctival mass at the temporal part of the left bulbar conjunctiva. The dog lived indoors with its owner.

Methods: A complete ophthalmic examination was performed. The mass was surgically removed and submitted for histopathological examination. During the surgery, a long, slender, white-creamy nematode emerged from the mass, which was sent for parasitology examination and molecular identification. The left eyelids were closed using temporary tarsorrhaphy. Selamectin spot-on and doxycycline were prescribed.

Results: Two weeks after surgery, the temporary tarsorrhaphy was removed. The excision site had healed completely without recurrence. The histopathological examination revealed eosinophilic granulomatous inflammation. A parasitic nematode was identified in the genus Dirofilaria spp. The full-length mitochondrial genome analysis showed 99.8% coverage of Dirofilaria repens sequences.

Conclusion: D. repens infection caused a subconjunctival granuloma in the current case. The treatments, combined with surgical excision and selamectin spot-on, resulted in a good response. The conjunctival wound had healed completely within 2 weeks, without complications or recurrences. To the authors' knowledge, this was the first report of canine subconjunctival dirofilariasis caused by D. repens in Thailand. The vector-borne transmission of D. repens, a zoonotic nematode, via mosquito bites in humans, should be a concern in Thailand, particularly in the eastern region.

Veterinary medicine has long been acknowledged as one of the least diverse health professions in the United States. According to 2023 AVMA data, over 85% of veterinarians identify as white, a figure that remains disproportionately high compared to the general population. In contrast, non-Hispanic white individuals represent about 59% of the U.S. population according to 2020 Census data. This disparity is even more pronounced in veterinary specialty colleges. For example, while Black veterinarians represent only 2% of the profession overall, their estimated representation within board-certified specialties, including veterinary ophthalmology, falls below 1%. Similarly, Latinx individuals make up 5.4% of matched candidates in specialty programs, far below their 19% share of the general U.S. population.

This study aimed to characterize the ocular biometry of the Trichechus manatus manatus applying B-mode ultrasonography across different age groups. Twenty-two animals were assessed employing a portable ultrasound device equipped with a linear transducer. Five ocular parameters were assessed: corneal thickness (CT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), axial lens length (ALL), vitreous chamber depth (VCD), and axial globe length (AGL). Data were statistically analyzed at a 5% significance level based on normality and variance. The mean values (cm) for the right eye of calves, juveniles, and adults were, respectively, CT (0.082 ± 0.012; 0.088 ± 0.011; 0.091 ± 0.010), ACD (0.040 ± 0.005; 0.051 ± 0.008; 0.052 ± 0.007), ALL (0.345 ± 0.028; 0.367 ± 0.016; 0.414 ± 0.020), VCD (1.137 ± 0.076; 1.155 ± 0.062; 1.161 ± 0.089), and AGL (1.606 ± 0.098; 1.663 ± 0.071; 1.720 ± 0.094). Values for the left eye were CT (0.082 ± 0.012; 0.088 ± 0.012; 0.087 ± 0.011), ACD (0.041 ± 0.008; 0.048 ± 0.006; 0.052 ± 0.007), ALL (0.345 ± 0.028; 0.381 ± 0.027; 0.411 ± 0.025), VCD (1.147 ± 0.076; 1.174 ± 0.045; 1.166 ± 0.086), and AGL (1.617 ± 0.086; 1.693 ± 0.062; 1.717 ± 0.095). CT, VCD, and AGL were similar across age groups, while ACD and ALL increased with age. Positive correlations between body length and ocular parameters were significant only in calves. Ocular ultrasonography is, thus, an effective, safe, and reproducible tool for ophthalmic evaluations in T. m. manatus.

Background and objective: Conjunctival lymphoma is rare in dogs, with most cases exhibiting the B cell phenotype. Concurrent cutaneous and conjunctival T cell involvement is exceptionally uncommon. This case report describes a dog with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma that presented with chronic conjunctivitis and conjunctival T-lymphocyte infiltration.

Animal studied: A 15-year-old spayed female Chihuahua presented with a 3-month history of bilateral conjunctivitis that was unresponsive to conventional therapy.

Procedures and results: Physical examination revealed severe conjunctival inflammation extending into the corneal limbus and perinasal depigmentation. Conjunctival cytology revealed the presence of mixed inflammatory cells. Histopathological examination of the nasal skin confirmed an epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma with dense atypical lymphoid infiltration. Immunohistochemistry revealed CD3-positive, CD79α-negative cells. Conjunctival biopsy demonstrated lymphocytic infiltration with a similar immunophenotype, although cellular atypia was minimal and mitotic figures were rare. The patient was initially managed with topical corticosteroids, followed by oral prednisolone, and the patient survived for 191 days post-diagnosis.

Clinical significance: This case underscores the need to consider neoplastic disease in dogs presenting with chronic conjunctivitis, particularly when mucocutaneous lesions are also present. The identification of T-lymphocyte-predominant conjunctival infiltration in a dog with confirmed cutaneous T-cell lymphoma suggests either an early stage of neoplastic involvement or a reactive inflammatory process. These findings emphasize the value of careful diagnostic evaluation, including tissue biopsy and immunohistochemistry, when managing refractory ocular inflammatory conditions.

Objective: To identify bacterial communities and quantify endotoxin within different lot numbers and brands of commercially available sterile ophthalmic trypan blue solution commonly used during canine cataract surgery; with the ultimate goal of improving our understanding of possible factors associated with post-operative fibrin web (FW) formation.

Procedures: Five samples from two production lots of three different brands of trypan blue (30 samples total) and reagent controls were collected for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction, 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) sequencing, sequence analysis, and classification. All samples underwent conventional aerobic and capnophilic bacterial culture. Assays for endotoxin quantification included fluorogenic, kinetic chromogenic, and turbidimetric methods. Statistical analysis assessed DNA concentration, microbial richness, and alpha (α) and beta (β) diversity.

Results: an-blue (4/10), VisionBlue (3/10), and MONOBLUE Saf-R (3/10) all cultured at least one organism in each lot number from the enrichment broth. Genera cultured included Staphylococcus spp., Lysinibacillus spp., Bacillus spp., and Micrococcus spp. Analysis of sequencing data revealed no significant difference in α-diversity but significant differences in weighted and unweighted measures of β-diversity (Bray-Curtis and Jaccard distances) between an-blue and VisionBlue samples. Differential abundance testing found Halomonas and Saccharofermentans to be genus-level biomarkers. Dominant families recovered from sequencing included Bifidobacteriaceae, Christensenellaceae, Clostridiaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillaceae, Oscillospiraceae, Propionibacteriaceae, WCHB1-41, and Streptococcaceae. Endotoxin quantification could not be performed at clinically relevant dilutions.

Conclusions: Significant brand-specific differences in relative abundance of shared bacterial taxa were noted between an-blue and VisionBlue. Halomonas and Saccharofermentans were identified as genus-level biomarkers.