Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dry eye and dry nose in dogs with nerve problems 2006-2010
By Matheis, Franziska L et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2012·Equine Department·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Canine neurogenic Keratoconjunctivitis sicca: 11 cases (2006-2010).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs, averaging about 6 years old, were diagnosed with a condition called neurogenic Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), which causes dry eyes and a dry nose on the same side of the face. Most of the cases were thought to be idiopathic, meaning the cause was unknown, while a couple were linked to trauma. Treatment involved using oral pilocarpine eye drops along with other topical medications to help with tear production. After an average of about 125 days of treatment, some dogs showed improvement, while others continued to need ongoing care.
People also search for: dog dry eyes treatment · neurogenic KCS in dogs · pilocarpine for dog eye problems
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:   To describe the clinical data of dogs with neurogenic Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) and an ipsilateral dry nose without other neurologic deficits. PROCEDURE:   The retrospective case study included 11 dogs diagnosed with neurogenic KCS and an ipsilateral dry nose between 2006 and 2010. Medical records were reviewed for breed, age, sex, history, suspected cause of neurogenic KCS, clinical signs, and treatment modalities. Follow-up information was obtained by re-examination of patients or completion of a telephone survey with the referring veterinarian or the owners. RESULTS:   Mean age of the dogs was 6.6 ± 4.5 years. Neurogenic KCS was diagnosed in three females, five spayed females, one male, and two castrated males representing 10 different breeds. Ophthalmic signs of KCS (mean Schirmer tear test [STT] value of 1.9 ± 2.9 mm/min) combined with an ipsilateral dry nose were diagnosed in seven left and four right eyes. The suspected cause of neurogenic KCS was idiopathic in nine and trauma in two cases. Systemic therapy consisted of oral pilocarpine 1-2% eye drops combined with case-specific topical treatment with cyclosporine 0.2% and tear substitutes. Duration of systemic treatment with pilocarpine until healing was 125 days (range 84-204, median 98 days) for five dogs. One dog was lost to follow-up, and the remaining five dogs are still under systemic treatment with pilocarpine. CONCLUSIONS:   Neurogenic KCS with an ipsilateral dry nose seems to be a predominantly idiopathic disease of middle-aged female dogs without breed predisposition, which may be self-limiting in some cases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22051024/