Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs and scans in 12 cats with eye movement problems
By Hamzianpour, Negar et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2018·Department of Clinical Science and Services, United Kingdom·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Clinical signs, imaging findings, and outcome in twelve cats with internal ophthalmoparesis/ophthalmoplegia.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old male cat was brought in with signs of abnormal behavior and eye movement issues, known as internal ophthalmoparesis/ophthalmoplegia. After imaging tests like MRI and CT scans, the vet found a mass in the cat's head, and two cats were diagnosed with multicentric lymphoma through further testing. Unfortunately, all twelve affected cats were euthanized due to worsening symptoms and concerns about their quality of life, with the average time from diagnosis to euthanasia being just over three days. This case highlights the serious nature of these symptoms and the need for thorough diagnostic testing.
People also search for: cat eye problems · cat abnormal behavior · cat lymphoma treatment · cat euthanasia decision · internal ophthalmoparesis in cats
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the clinical signs, imaging findings, and outcome of feline internal ophthalmoparesis/ophthalmoplegia. PROCEDURE: Medical records were reviewed from 2008 to 2015. Inclusion criteria included cats that presented with internal ophthalmoparesis/ophthalmoplegia, underwent diagnostic imaging, and had follow-up information available. RESULTS: Twelve cases of feline internal ophthalmoparesis/ophthalmoplegia were identified. Nine cats were unilaterally affected, and three cats were bilaterally affected. Affected cats had a median age of 10.54 years (range 5.75 to 13.17), and both sexes of varying breeds were affected (nine males; three females). Clinical signs including abnormal mental status (n = 9; 75%) and additional neurologic abnormalities (n = 10; 83%) were observed. Magnetic resonance imaging and/or computed tomography (MRI/CT) of the head were performed in ten cats, revealing a mass lesion in all cases with varying locations. Multicentric lymphoma was diagnosed in two cats via abdominal ultrasound and cytology. All twelve cats were euthanized due to deterioration of clinical signs and/or quality-of-life concerns. Median time from diagnosis to euthanasia was 3.5 days (range 0 to 80 days). CONCLUSIONS: Feline internal ophthalmoparesis/ophthalmoplegia rarely presents as the sole clinical sign in a referral hospital. Advanced imaging (MRI/CT) may be necessary to reach a definitive diagnosis in these cases. However, abdominal ultrasound would be advocated in cats with systemic clinical signs as a less expensive and less invasive diagnostic test to further investigate the possible etiology of internal ophthalmoparesis/ophthalmoplegia prior to advanced imaging. Feline cases with internal ophthalmoparesis/ophthalmoplegia associated with other intracranial signs and/or systemic clinical signs have a poor prognosis.
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/29284192/