Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surveying veterinary ophthalmologists to assess the advice given to owners of pets with irreversible blindness.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary record
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Somma, Andre Tavares et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Medicine · Brazil
Plain-English summary
A recent survey of veterinary eye specialists looked into how they handle cases of pets that are permanently blind and what causes this condition. Out of 108 veterinarians who responded, most noted that glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness, followed by progressive retinal atrophy (a genetic condition that affects the retina) and retinal detachment. Pet owners often worry about how their pet's blindness will affect their quality of life, as well as issues like depression and adapting to their environment. Common advice given to owners includes keeping the home environment stable, using sounds to help guide their pets, and ensuring they stay away from dangerous areas. The survey highlights that while there are many recommendations for helping blind pets, nearly a third of veterinarians do not suggest using additional resources or literature on the topic.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The primary purpose of this survey was to determine how veterinary ophthalmologists manage cases of irreversible blindness and to report the most common causes of blindness. METHODS: Respondents completed a questionnaire sent by email with the cooperation of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists and the Latin American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. The questionnaire was developed containing 12 questions with both open and closed multiple-choice response options. RESULTS: One hundred and eight veterinary ophthalmologists answered the questionnaire. Of the respondents, 83 per cent had graduated for more than 10 years. Glaucoma (63.56 per cent) was the main cited cause of blindness, followed by progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) (17.80 per cent) and retinal detachment (6.78 per cent). The major concerns of owners refer to the impact of blindness on quality-of-life, (39.31 per cent), followed by depression and anxiety (20 per cent), and environment adaptation (11.72 per cent). General recommendations include avoidance of changes in the domestic environment (18.45 per cent), use of auditory stimulation (14.09 per cent) and avoidance of dangerous areas (12.75 per cent). Almost 31 per cent of professionals do not recommend the use of literature on how to deal with blind pets. CONCLUSIONS: The survey determined glaucoma and PRA as the most common causes of irreversible blindness in pets. Several recommendations that are frequently given to owners of blind pets are presented.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32532841/