Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How tear collection method affects protein levels in dog and cat eyes
By Sebbag, Lionel et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2018·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Effect of tear collection on lacrimal total protein content in dogs and cats: a comparison between Schirmer strips and ophthalmic sponges.
Plain-English summary
A study looked at how to collect tears from dogs and cats to measure the total protein content, which can help diagnose eye problems. Ten healthy dogs and ten healthy cats were tested using two methods: Schirmer strips and PVA sponges. The results showed that Schirmer strips gave more consistent and reliable measurements, especially in cats, where the protein levels were significantly lower with Schirmer strips compared to PVA sponges. This means that using Schirmer strips is a better option for vets when they need to assess tear protein levels in pets.
People also search for: dog eye problems tear test · cat tear collection methods · Schirmer strips for dogs and cats
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Quantification of lacrimal total protein content (TPC) is an important tool for clinical scientists to understand disease pathogenesis, identify potential biomarkers and assess response to therapy, among other applications. However, TPC is not only affected by disease state but also by the method used for tear collection. Thus, the purpose of this study is to determine the impact on TPC of two methods of tear collection in dogs and cats: Schirmer strips and polyvinyl acetal (PVA) sponges. METHODS: (i) In vivo - Ten healthy dogs and 10 healthy cats were examined. Each animal underwent two sessions, separated by 10 min, in which a Schirmer strip was placed in one randomly selected eye until the 20-mm mark was reached, while a strip of PVA sponge was placed in the other eye for 1 min. (ii) In vitro - Schirmer strips and PVA sponges were spiked with various volumes of four bovine serum albumin solutions (0.5, 4, 10, and 20 mg/mL). In both experiments, the wetted absorbent materials were centrifuged for 1 min, and the TPC was quantified on the extracted fluid using Direct Detect™ infrared spectroscopy. RESULTS: Lacrimal TPC in dogs and cats ranged from 5.2 to 14.6 mg/mL and from 6.2 to 20.6 mg/mL, respectively. In cats, TPC was significantly lower with Schirmer strips vs. PVA sponges (P < 0.001). In dogs, the volume absorbed by PVA sponges was negatively correlated with TPC (r = - 0.48, P = 0.033). The inter-session coefficient of variation was significantly lower with Schirmer strips vs. PVA sponges in both species (P ≤ 0.010). In vitro, both absorbent materials resulted in a 'concentrating effect' of the TPC obtained post-centrifugation, which was most pronounced when the volume absorbed was low, especially for Schirmer strips. CONCLUSION: Schirmer strips provide a repeatable method to quantify lacrimal TPC in dogs and cats, although care should be taken to absorb sufficient volumes of tears to minimize the concentrating effect from the absorbent material.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29490661/