Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Detecting and monitoring fungal eye infections in dogs with confocal
By Ledbetter, Eric C et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2016·College of Veterinary Medicine, 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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: In vivo confocal microscopy for the detection of canine fungal keratitis and monitoring of therapeutic response.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of seven dogs with fungal keratitis, which causes eye problems like redness and discharge, were examined using a special imaging technique called confocal microscopy. This method helped diagnose the condition and monitor how well antifungal treatments were working. The dogs showed improvement with treatment, including reduced fungal presence and better eye health, and none experienced a recurrence of the infection after stopping medication. This study highlights how effective confocal microscopy can be for diagnosing and tracking treatment progress in dogs with eye infections.
People also search for: dog eye infection treatment · fungal keratitis in dogs · how to treat dog eye problems
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe in vivo corneal confocal microscopy of dogs during the clinical course of fungal keratitis and correlate findings with clinical evaluations and an ex vivo experimental canine fungal keratitis model. ANIMALS STUDIED: Seven dogs with naturally acquired fungal keratitis and ex vivo canine corneas experimentally infected with clinical fungal isolates. PROCEDURES: Dogs with naturally acquired fungal keratitis were examined by in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy. Initial confocal microscopic examinations were performed to assist in establishing the diagnosis of fungal keratitis. Serial confocal microscopic examinations were performed to guide antifungal chemotherapy. Confocal microscopy images of canine corneal fungal isolates were obtained by examination of experimentally infected ex vivo canine corneas to corroborate in vivo findings. RESULTS: Fungi cultured and detected by PCR from canine corneal samples included Candida albicans, Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti, Malassezia pachydermatis, and a Rhodotorula sp. Linear, branching, interlocking, hyperreflective structures were detected by confocal microscopy in dogs with filamentous fungal keratitis and round to oval hyperreflective structures were detected in dogs with yeast fungal keratitis. Antifungal chemotherapy was associated with a progressive reduction in the distribution and density of corneal fungal elements, alterations to fungal morphology, decreased leukocyte numbers, restoration of epithelial layers, and an increased number of visible keratocyte nuclei. No dogs had a recurrence of fungal keratitis following medication discontinuation. Confocal microscopic fungal morphologies were similar between in vivo and ex vivo examinations. CONCLUSIONS: In vivo corneal confocal microscopy is a rapid method of diagnosing fungal keratitis in dogs and provides a noninvasive mechanism for monitoring therapeutic response.
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/26061232/