Nutritional cataracts in a wolf litter treated by phacoemulsification.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical findings in a wolf litter with nutritional cataracts and determine the treatment outcomes after phacoemulsification. PROCEDURE: Bilateral nutritional cataracts were diagnosed in four hand-fed 10-week-old wolves (Canis lupus). The information collected included signalment, physical and ophthalmic examination findings, ocular ultrasonography and electroretinography results, and postoperative outcomes. RESULTS: All four wolves were rejected from the dam and hand raised with a commercial artificial milk replacer from 5 days of age until weaning at 6 weeks of age. At initial presentation, bilateral cataracts were observed in all patients (8/8 eyes), with vision deficits in three of the four wolves. The main ophthalmic anomalies were mature cataracts with lens-induced uveitis (3/8 eyes, two wolves), immature cataracts (1/8 eyes, one wolf), and perinuclear and posterior cortical/subcapsular lens opacities (4/8 eyes, three wolves). Three of the four wolves (six eyes) underwent bilateral one-handed phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. At the last examination 2 months following surgery, all operated eyes (6/6) were visual, Elschnig pearl proliferation was present in 2/6 eyes, and mild posterior capsular opacification was observed in 6/6 eyes. In the nonoperated wolf, the cataracts remained stable and did not affect the visual axis of either eye. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first description of phacoemulsification surgery in wolves. Phacoemulsification is a viable treatment option for captive wolves with nutritional cataracts. Special attention should be paid to hand-raised cubs to ensure that adequate amino acid levels are present in artificial milk.

Effects of topical 0.5% tropicamide and 1% atropine on pupil diameter, intraocular pressure, and tear production, in healthy pet rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of topical application of 0.5% tropicamide and 1% atropine on pupil diameter (PD), intraocular pressure (IOP), and tear production (TP) in healthy pet rabbits. ANIMALS STUDIED: Ten healthy client-owned rabbits. PROCEDURES: A prospective, randomized, blinded, crossover study was conducted. Each animal received one drop of 0.5% tropicamide or 1% atropine in a randomly selected eye. PD, IOP, and TP were evaluated before drug instillation and at 0.25 h, 0.5 h, 0.75 h, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 10 h, 12 h, 24 h, 36 h, 48 h, 60 h, and 72 h post-instillation. Data were analyzed using a paired two-sample repeated measures T-test with Bonferroni correction. RESULTS: In both tropicamide and atropine treated eyes, the mean PD significantly increased from 15 min until 12 h after treatment with a maximum PD at 45 min (+2.7 mm and + 2.4 mm respectively). Following tropicamide and atropine instillation, IOP increased significantly in treated eyes at 45 min (+2.9 mmHg) and 15 min (+5.2 mmHg) respectively, compared to untreated eyes. No significant effects were found on TP, in both tropicamide and atropine treated eyes at any time. No effects were observed in the untreated eyes on any of the parameters evaluated for both drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Topical treatment with 0.5% tropicamide and 1% atropine induced mydriasis in healthy pet rabbits and could be considered as effective options when mydriatic/cycloplegic drugs are required.

Epidemiology and clinical presentation of feline cataracts in france: A retrospective study of 268 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology and the clinical presentation of cataracts in a population of cats in France. PROCEDURES: A review of medical records of cats presented to the Ophthalmology Unit of the National Veterinary School of Alfort between January 2010 and June 2017 was carried out to identify cats affected by cataracts. The signalment of affected cats, medical history, etiology of cataract, age of onset, stage of development, location of opacities, and concurrent ocular lesions were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 2054 cats which were presented to the Ophthalmology Unit of the National Veterinary School of Alfort during the study period, 268 (383 eyes) were diagnosed with a cataract (13%; CI [11.3-14.7]). The median age of all cats affected by cataract was 9.5 years (range: 0.1-18.6 years). Eighteen breeds were represented. The recorded causes of cataract were uveitis (35.8%), congenital (15.7%), aging (10.8%), presumed hereditary (8.2%), trauma (7.8%), lens luxation (3.3%), glaucoma (1.5%) and diabetes mellitus (0.4%). In 16.4% of the cases, the etiology could not be determined. The domestic short-hair was significantly overrepresented in cats with uveitis-related cataract (P < .001). The most common ocular lesions associated with cataracts were lens subluxation or luxation (17.8%), glaucoma (14.9%), and retinal detachment (4.4%). Lens subluxation/luxation and glaucoma were also significantly associated with uveitis-related cataract (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In a French population of referred cats, 13% were affected by cataract. The main causes identified were anterior uveitis, congenital, and aging. Lens subluxation/luxation and glaucoma were associated with uveitis-related cataract.

Cataracts in a population of Bengal cats in France.

OBJECTIVE: To document the clinical appearance and prevalence of cataracts in a French population of Bengal cats. METHODS: Two distinct populations of Bengal cats were examined as follows: (i) 51 animals recruited for evaluation of national prevalence of ocular diseases in an observational study conducted between October 2014 and November 2016 at the Alfort ophthalmology unit; (ii) 12 patients referred for cataract diagnosis examined at a veterinary eye clinic located in central France, between December 2014 and February 2016. Buccal swabs or blood samples for DNA analysis were collected from all patients. The pedigrees of the examined Bengal cats were also investigated. RESULTS: Cataracts were diagnosed in 23 of 51 (45%) cats in the observational study and in all cats in the referral population, mostly bilaterally. Visual impairment was never reported. Age of subjects affected by cataracts ranged from 3 months to 9.6 years (median: 1.9 years). Cataracts were classified as nuclear cataracts (14 of 23 in the observational group and 12 of 12 in the referral group) with a focal, perinuclear, posterior, or complete nuclear pattern, or posterior polar subcapsular cataracts (10 of 23 only in the observational group). An inherited congenital origin appears to be the most likely hypothesis. The pedigree analysis suggests a hereditary component of cataract formation, but further analyses in a larger population or test matings are needed to determine the exact mode of inheritance. CONCLUSION: Presumed inherited cataracts appear to have a high prevalence in Bengal cats in France. The main manifestations are nuclear or subcapsular form, mostly bilateral, symmetrical, and apparently nonprogressive.

Keratomycosis in a pet rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) treated with topical 1% terbinafine ointment.

This report describes the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and medical management of a 2-year-old spayed female dwarf rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) suffering from an ulcerative keratitis and a stromal abscess with a rapid evolution. The diagnosis of fungal keratitis was based on fungal culture identifying the pathogen as Aspergillus fumigatus. Treatment by topical terbinafine was efficacious in resolving the keratomycosis within 8 weeks. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of spontaneous keratomycosis in a rabbit and the first description of successful therapy by terbinafine.

A case of primary choroidal malignant melanoma in a cat.

This report describes the clinical presentation, diagnosis, histological lesions, and prognosis of a primary choroidal malignant melanoma in a 15-year-old cat. The animal was presented for unilateral blindness. On ocular examination, a raised pigmented mass protruding from the posterior pole into the vitreous body was observed by diffuse transillumination and indirect ophthalmoscopy. Ocular ultrasound and computer tomography (CT) scan confirmed localization of the tumor to the posterior segment. The diagnosis of primary choroidal melanoma was confirmed by histopathology after enucleation. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a feline malignant melanoma with a primary choroidal localization without iris involvement.

Bilateral bullous keratopathy secondary to melting keratitis in a Suri alpaca (Vicugna pacos).

An young alpaca was evaluated for bilateral progressive melting corneal ulcers and developped secondary bullous keratopathy during hospitalization. The tragic progression of melting ulcers in both eyes observed in our case leads us to recommend a rapid intensive medical therapy in young and debilitated alpacas presenting a corneal ulcer.