The use of a "horizontal centrifugation protocol" to prepare autologous platelet-rich fibrin membranes for corneal reconstruction surgery in dogs with complicated corneal ulcerations: A case series.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this case series was to describe the effect of autologous PRF membrane for corneal reconstruction surgery in dogs. PRF membranes made from two healthy dogs unrelated to the current case series were used for PRF histologic analyses. ANIMALS: Seven dogs with complicated corneal ulcerations. PROCEDURE: A complete ophthalmic examination, hematology, and fibrinogen analysis were performed pre-surgery. A PRF clot was made from autologous blood in a serum tube after centrifugation in a horizontal Bio-PRF® Centrifuge at 700 × g for 8 min. The PRF clot was processed in a PRF-Box® into a PRF membrane. The PRF membrane was sutured to the corneal ulcer bed. Each dog had a follow-up at days 5-7, 12-14, and 30-40 post-surgery. A final long-term follow-up was performed as well. RESULTS: A positive outcome with healing and a "good" quality PRF membrane was seen in six out of seven dogs. One dog had a fibrinogen level below normal range and the PRF membrane was of "poor" quality. This dog developed a descemetocele 13 days post-surgery and needed rescue surgery. Mean healing time for all dogs was 9 ± 5.5 days. Minimal scarring, corneal pigmentation, and vascularization were observed at the final long-term follow-up 288 ± 44 days post-surgery. CONCLUSION: PRF membrane was successful as graft material for corneal ulceration reconstruction surgery. Low fibrinogen appeared to have negative effect on the quality of the PRF membrane, showing the importance for the surgeon to evaluate the quality of the PRF membrane prior to surgery.

B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma of the nictitating membrane as the first presenting sign in a 2-year-old Springer Spaniel.

B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma is an aggressive malignant disease. Necropsy and microscopical examination revealed widespread disease with a high proliferation index. This is the first reported case of B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma presenting in the ocular region and only the second reported lymphoma of the nictitating membrane.

Prevalence and heritability of distichiasis in the English Cocker spaniel.

BACKGROUND: Canine distichiasis is a well-known cause of ocular irritation and excessive lacrimation (secretion of tears) in the dog. The term distichiasis originates from the Greek words di and stichos meaning two and rows, respectively, and as the name implies, the condition is characterized by an additional row of cilia, which erupts on the eyelid margin. Many purebred dogs are known to be predisposed to the condition, with many affected individuals within the populations. Even though the problem is widespread, the exact mode of inheritance and the heredity has not been studied extensively. However, some degree of genetic influence has been assumed, due to the high incidences within specific breeds. In the present study we have examined a cohort of English Cocker spaniels in Denmark to determine the prevalence and heritability of the disease. RESULTS: Data from English Cocker spaniels with an ECVO eye examination registered between 2004-2013 were included in the study. The number of dogs examined during this period was 799, and the prevalence of distichiasis within this cohort was estimated at 49.31 % with a gender predisposition that females are more likely to get distichiasis than males. The correlation between the distichiasis status of the parents and their offspring revealed a significant association between the breeding combination of the parents and the occurrence of distichiasis in the offspring (p <0.0001). A relative risk (RR) ranging from 1.3 to 1.8 demonstrates that offspring of two affected parents are more likely to be affected than offspring descending from either one or two unaffected parents. The heritability was estimated to be moderate to high, i.e., 0.22 to 0.51. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of distichiasis in English Cocker spaniels from Denmark, examined in 2004-2013 was shown to be extremely high. The relative risk of developing the disease was 1.3 and 1.8 for offspring of one or two affected parents respectively. This together with the moderate to high heritability of the condition indicates that selective breeding could be used to reduce the incidence of distichiasis.

Keratoacanthoma of the spectacle in a Boa constrictor.

ANIMAL STUDIED: A Royal Boa constrictor presented with retained spectacle of the right eye and a tumor-like appearance of the left eye. PROCEDURE: The snake was euthanized, the head fixed in buffered formaldehyde, and histologic examination of both spectacles and both eyes performed. RESULTS: The left orbital rim encircled a solid, scaly mass projecting 5-6 mm from the spectacular area. A cup-shaped tumor with a central keratin plug was observed microscopically. There was a thickening of the proliferating squamous epithelium, with squamous eddies and single cell keratinization. A few mitotic figures were seen in the basal layers but the tumor showed no infiltrative growth. The same morphology was observed in the right eye but to a lesser extent. The remaining parts of the eye were normal. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis was keratoacanthoma and this is the first reported keratoacanthoma of the spectacle in a reptile. Keratoacanthoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis when trying to remove retained spectacles from a reptile eye.