Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dry eye in dogs treated with hyaluronic acid and tacrolimus effects
By Barbosa, Sirlene de F et al.·Published in Veterinary research communications·2025·School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Tear crystallization patterns in dogs with evaporative dry eye disease treated with hyaluronic acid and tacrolimus.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 54 dogs with dry eye disease were treated with different protocols involving a gel (sodium hyaluronate) and a medication (tacrolimus) to see which worked best. The dogs' tears were analyzed over 45 days to check for improvements in their condition. The treatment given four times a day showed the most significant improvement in tear quality, while the other treatments also helped but to a lesser extent. Overall, using these treatments helped the dogs' eyes feel better and improved their tear production.
People also search for: dog dry eye treatment · sodium hyaluronate for dogs · tacrolimus eye drops for dogs
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of three treatment protocols for evaporative dry eye disease (EDED) in dogs by analyzing tear crystallization patterns using the Rolando and Masmali scales. Fifty-four dogs with EDED were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: G1 (0.30% sodium hyaluronate + 0.03% tacrolimus twice daily), G2 (0.30% sodium hyaluronate four times a day), and G3 (0.30% sodium hyaluronate twice daily). Tears were collected using Schirmer strips, centrifuged (25830 g for 10 min), and analyzed using polarized light microscopy on days 0, 15 and 45. Crystallization patterns were classified based on the Rolando and Masmali scales. G1 and G3 showed a predominance of Rolando type II and Masmali grade 2 patterns. G2 exhibited a higher frequency of type III patterns (58.3%) at baseline and showed a significant improvement over time: Rolando (D0 vs. D45, P < 0.001), Masmali (D0 vs. D15, P = 0.021; D0 vs. D45, P < 0.001). G3 also showed significant improvement on the Masmali scale (D0 vs. D45, P = 0.005; D15 vs. D45, P = 0.021). Tear ferning proved useful for monitoring therapeutic response in canine EDED, with improvements noted following hyaluronic acid administration two to four times daily.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41217651/