Bilateral Uveitis and Hyphema in a Catalina Macaw (Ara ararauna × Ara macao ) With Multicentric Lymphoma.

A 20-year-old, female Catalina macaw (Ara ararauna × Ara macao ) was presented with bilateral uveitis and hyphema. The hyphema initially improved with 0.12% prednisolone acetate ophthalmic drops (1 drop OU q4h for 7 days), but the hyphema recurred after the drops were tapered. The bird subsequently developed inappetance, weight loss, regurgitation, and lethargy and was euthanatized 24 days after initial presentation. Necropsy revealed marked splenomegaly and hepatomegaly, with significant mucosal ulcerations of the proventriculus and petechiation associated with both kidneys. Histopathologic examination revealed multicentric lymphoma, with neoplastic cells observed in ocular, splenic, hepatic, renal, proventricular, intestinal, pancreatic, and choanal tissue. Neoplastic lymphocytes effaced the iris, ciliary body, and the choroid of the eyes, and neoplastic lymphocytes were attached to the corneal endothelium and infiltrated the sclera, episclera, and conjunctivae. Immunohistochemical results indicated that the neoplastic lymphocytes were CD3(+) and CD79a(-), which is consistent with T-cell lymphoma.

Effects of topical corticosteroid administration on intraocular pressure in normal and glaucomatous cats.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of topical corticosteroid (CCS) therapy on intraocular pressure (IOP) in normal cats and cats with primary feline congenital glaucoma (FCG). ANIMALS STUDIED: Five normal and 11 FCG cats were studied in two cohorts. PROCEDURES: IOP was measured by a single, masked observer, once daily, 3-5 days/week throughout the course of CCS treatment and for up to 11 days after treatment discontinuation. One eye per cat was randomly assigned for treatment twice daily with CCS; balanced salt solution (BSS) applied to the contralateral eye served as a control. Differences between eyes and between weeks of the study period were calculated for each cat. A positive response to CCS was defined as a consistent >15% or >25% higher IOP in the treated relative to control eye in normal and FCG cats, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 8 of 11 FCG cats responded to topical CCS after 1-5 weeks of treatment with an increase in IOP relative to the untreated eye (maximum IOP discrepancy of 56 mmHg). Two of five normal cats responded to topical CCS with an appreciable, but clinically unimportant increase in IOP in the treated eye (maximum IOP discrepancy of 6.4 mmHg). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that the incidence of steroid-induced IOP elevation in cats is lower than that of previously published feline studies. Cats with preexisting compromise in aqueous humor outflow may show a greater, clinically relevant response to topical CCS than normal cats.

Management of spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects (SCCEDs) in dogs with diamond burr debridement and placement of a bandage contact lens.

Objective To describe the outcome of canine spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects (SCCED) treated with diamond burr debridement (DBD) and bandage contact lens placement (BCL). Animal studied Forty eyes of 36 dogs presenting to a single private practice. Procedures A retrospective review of medical records was performed. Cases were eligible for inclusion if they were newly diagnosed with SCCED by a veterinary ophthalmologist and treated with DBD/BCL. All patients received a complete ocular examination followed by DBD using a battery-powered, handheld motorized burr (Algerbrush(®) , Alger Equipment Company, Lago Vista, TX, USA). A BCL was placed post-debridement in all patients. Data were analyzed for sex, age, breed, duration of clinical signs prior to DBD; number of debridements required before healing was achieved; contact lens retention, complications attributed to DBD, and additional surgical interventions were required to achieve healing. Results The median time to first recheck examination was 7 days (IQR 7-9 days) with 28/40 (70%) of cases healed at this examination. The mean time to second recheck examination was 15.5 ± 5.5 days with 37/40 (92.5%) healed by this examination. The median time to final recheck examination was 19 days (IQR 18-35.5 days) with a range of 18-52 days. All cases resolved by the third and final recheck examination. A second DBD/BCL was performed in 5/40 (12.5%) of cases. The BCL retention rate was 95% over all examination time points. No case required a keratectomy or other surgical intervention to achieve healing. The only complication observed was one case of suspected bacterial keratitis post-DBD/BCL. Conclusions Results suggest that DBD/BCL is safe and effective for treatment of canine SCCED.

Principles underlying chromatophore addition during maturation in the European cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis.

The goal of this work was to identify some of the principles underlying chromatophore growth and development in the European cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis. One set of experiments used a regeneration model to follow the re-growth of black chromatophores for 30 days following excision of a small piece of fin tissue. A separate set of experiments tracked and analyzed the addition of new fin chromatophores during a month of normal, undisturbed growth. We also followed the development of individual chromatophores from their initial appearance to full maturation to determine whether their color type was fixed. Based on the results of these studies, we propose five guiding principles for chromatophore growth and maturation. (1) The three chromatophore cell types--black, reddish-brown and yellow--are present at different spatial frequencies in the cuttlefish fin. (2) During normal growth, new chromatophores are inserted at a higher spatial frequency than existing (control) chromatophores of the same color type. (3) In regenerating tissue, new black chromatophores are initially added at low spatial frequencies. As regeneration continues, new black chromatophores appear at increasing spatial frequencies until they are inserted at a spatial frequency higher than that observed in control tissue, similar to the way in which chromatophores were observed to be added in normally growing tissue. (4) All chromatophores first appear as pale orange cells and slowly darken into their respective color types without passing through intermediate color stages. (5) New black chromatophores undergo a doubling in size as they mature, while reddish-brown and yellow chromatophores do not grow at all after they are inserted in the dermis.