PetCaseFinder

Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Dog eye inflammation causing corneal swelling and treatment options

By Mayes, Melaney A et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2022·William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed

PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →

Original publication title: Canine endotheliitis: Clinical characteristics, advanced imaging features, and treatment.

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A group of four dogs with swollen corneas and inflammation were diagnosed with a condition called endotheliitis, which caused their eyes to appear cloudy. They all underwent thorough eye exams and advanced imaging techniques to confirm the diagnosis. The dogs responded well to treatment with topical anti-inflammatory medications, and two of them also received an additional medication called netarsudil to help manage their symptoms. Ongoing treatment was necessary to keep the inflammation under control and prevent flare-ups.

People also search for: dog eye problems · corneal swelling in dogs · endotheliitis treatment for dogs

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical findings, multimodal corneal imaging features and treatment in canine patients diagnosed with endotheliitis. ANIMALS STUDIED: Four canine patients met inclusion criteria for bilateral corneal disease with endothelial inflammation and secondary corneal edema that responded to topical anti-inflammatory treatment. METHODS: The patients selected underwent a complete ophthalmic examination with emphasis on the cornea including ultrasound pachymetry (USP), Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT), in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), and digital slit lamp photography. RESULTS: All patients in this study demonstrated thickened corneas due to edema with USP and FD-OCT. With IVCM, mild to severe polymegathism and pleomorphism of corneal endothelial cells, reduced endothelial cell density, hyperreflective keratic precipitates (KPs), and extracellular debris as well as hyporeflective pseudoguttata were observed. With FD-OCT, hyperreflective KPs were commonly observed on the inferior cornea. Clinical examination and advanced imaging results were consistent with a diagnosis of endotheliitis. All patients initially responded to topical anti-inflammatory treatment and required continued therapy; two patients also received topical netarsudil, a rho-associated coiled-coil kinase inhibitor. CONCLUSION: Endotheliitis should be considered for canine patients with bilateral edema that is most severe in the inferior cornea. Careful inspection of Descemet's membrane-endothelial complex should be performed for KPs or inflammatory debris. Chronic administration of topical anti-inflammatories may be necessary to prevent flare-ups of endotheliitis.

Find similar cases for your pet

PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.

Search related cases →

Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34971485/