Genetic Aspects of Corneal Sequestra in a Population of Persian, Himalayan and Exotic Cats.

Corneal sequestra are ophthalmic lesions that are remarkably common in Persian, Himalayan and exotic cats. In this study, the genetic aspects of this disease were investigated in a population of cats originating from a single cattery. Odds ratios were calculated for parents with affected offspring. The heritability of (owner-reported) corneal sequestra was estimated with a Markov chain Monte Carlo procedure. Well-phenotyped cases and controls were used for a genome-wide association study. Data from 692 cats originating from the cattery, of which 61 were affected, were used. Cats from two specific mothers had significantly higher odds of developing corneal sequestra, but no significant effect of the fathers was found (after correction for the mothers). The heritability of corneal sequestra was estimated to be 0.96. A genome-wide association study with 14 cases and 10 controls did not reveal an associated chromosomal region. The large effect that genetic factors had on the development of corneal sequestra in this study suggests that selective breeding could be an effective way to reduce the prevalence of this condition in these cat breeds.

Normal bacterial conjunctival flora in the Huacaya alpaca (Vicugna pacos).

OBJECTIVE: To describe the bacterial flora of the normal conjunctiva of Huacaya alpacas (Vicugna pacos) and to determine the effect of age and gender on this flora. ANIMALS STUDIED: Fifty Huacaya alpacas. PROCEDURES: After a complete ophthalmic examination, conjunctival swabs were obtained from both eyes and cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Logistic and Poisson regression analyses were used to evaluate the effect of age and gender on bacterial isolation. RESULTS: Four animals were excluded because of signs of external ocular disease. Of the remaining 46 alpacas, bacteria were recovered from 96.7% (89/92) of the eyes. A total of 190 bacterial isolates were cultured with a mean of 2.1 bacterial isolates per eye. The majority of isolates (70%) were Gram-positive. Staphylococcus xylosus (44/190: 23.2%) predominated, followed by viridans streptococci (32/190: 16.8%) and Pantoea agglomerans (24/190: 12.6%). Other frequently isolated bacteria included Rothia mucilaginosa (12/190: 6.3%), Staphylococcus equorum (12/190: 6.3%), Bacillus species (9/190: 4.7%), Moraxella ovis (9/190: 4.7%), and Moraxella catarrhalis (6/190: 3.2%). Statistical analysis showed that alpacas harboring viridans streptococci and Moraxella species were significantly younger. Gender did not significantly affect type of bacterial isolation. There appeared to be no significant effect of age or gender on number of bacteria isolated. CONCLUSIONS: Gram-positive aerobes were most commonly cultured, with S. xylosus and viridans streptococci predominating. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report describing the presence of Moraxella species in the healthy conjunctival sac of alpacas. Alpacas harboring viridans streptococci and Moraxella species were significantly younger.

Intraocular myelolipoma in a dog.

An 8-year-old Scottish terrier was presented with a red and painful right eye. Slitlamp biomicroscopy and ocular ultrasound demonstrated the presence of a large mass in the anterior chamber. Enucleation was performed one week after initial presentation. Histological examination of the eye revealed a relatively well-delineated mass distorting the dorsal iris and occupying most of the anterior chamber. The tumor was composed of fully differentiated adipose tissue and normal hematopoietic cells of the three major blood-forming elements. These findings were most consistent with the diagnosis of an anterior chamber myelolipoma distorting the iris. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report of an intraocular myelolipoma in any species.