Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs and treatment of low tear production in cats
By Uhl, Lisa K et al.·Published in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery·2018·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA, United States·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Clinical features of cats with aqueous tear deficiency: a retrospective case series of 10 patients (17 eyes)
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 6-year-old cat was brought in with eye problems, including redness and discharge, due to low tear production. Tests showed that the cat had a significant deficiency in tear production, which can lead to various eye issues like conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers. Treatment involved using eye drops to mimic tears, along with other medications, but most improvements were temporary. Only a small number of cats showed lasting improvement after treatment. If your cat has similar symptoms, it's important to consult your vet about tear production and possible treatments.
People also search for: cat eye problems · why is my cat's eye red · cat conjunctivitis treatment · low tear production in cats · cat corneal ulcer care
Abstract
Objectives The aim of this study was to describe the clinical findings, diagnostic test results and response to therapy of cats with Schirmer tear test 1 (STT-1) values below the reference interval. Methods The medical records of three institutions were searched for cats with ocular surface disease and STT-1 values <9 mm/min, confirmed at two or more separate visits. Results Ten cats (17 eyes) were included. The mean ± SD (range) age and STT-1 values in affected eye(s) were 6.1 ± 5.7 (0.2–16) years and 2.4 ± 3.1 (0–8) mm/min, respectively. Concurrent ocular surface disease was bilateral in 5/10 cats. Clinical signs included conjunctivitis (14/17 eyes), corneal ulceration (6/17 eyes), non-ulcerative keratitis (4/17 eyes), symblepharon (4/17 eyes), eosinophilic keratitis (3/17 eyes), corneal sequestrum (3/17 eyes), corneal fibrosis (2/17 eyes) and meibomitis (2/17 eyes). Management included: topically applied lacrimomimetics, antiviral drugs, corticosteroids or immunomodulatory drugs; orally administered famciclovir; or surgical procedures, in various combinations. Response to therapy (defined as an increase in STT-1 value of ⩾5 mm/min) was transient (seen at a single reassessment) in 65% of eyes and sustained (seen at ⩾2 consecutive reassessments) in 18% of eyes. Conclusions and relevance Clinical features seen in cats with low STT-1 values are described, although the association between aqueous deficiency and the reported ocular changes is unknown at this time. We encourage clinicians to assess the tear film in cats with ocular surface disease, and initiate therapy with lacrimomimetics if STT-1 values are repeatedly below normal. Such information will further define aqueous tear deficiency in cats, providing a better understanding of disease prevalence, pathogenesis and treatment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612x18810867