Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog eye pressure readings differ at home versus clinic settings
By Barrow, Ruth Pentlarge et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2026·Department of Surgical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The White Coat Effect Influences Intraocular Pressure Measurements in Dogs: Comparing Tonometry Values Obtained in the Clinic Versus Home.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements in dogs were significantly higher when taken at the veterinary clinic compared to measurements taken at home. In 40 normotensive dogs, the average IOP was 15.7 mmHg in the clinic but dropped to 14.2 mmHg at home and further to 12.9 mmHg after 10 minutes of being in the home environment. This suggests that stress from the clinic can temporarily raise IOP readings. Pet owners should be aware that their dog's IOP might be lower at home, and this could affect how veterinarians interpret these measurements.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of clinic versus home environments on intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements in normotensive dogs. ANIMALS: Forty client-owned normotensive dogs. METHODS: In a prospective crossover study, 40 normotensive dogs were included following a complete ophthalmic examination. IOPs were measured in both eyes for each dog using a TonoVet rebound tonometer by a single observer. IOPs were measured in the clinic after the ophthalmic examination, and in the home upon initial entry by the observer (t = 0) and 10 min later (t = 10). Paired t-tests were performed to compare IOP in the clinic versus home and adjusted p < 0.05 followed by the Holm-Šídák correction were considered significant. RESULTS: Mean IOP in the clinic (15.7 mmHg ±2.7) was significantly higher than mean IOP in the home at both t = 0 (14.2 mmHg ±2.2; p < 0.0001) and t = 10 (12.9 mmHg ±1.9; p < 0.0001). Mean IOP in the home at t = 0 (14.2 mmHg ±2.2) was significantly higher than mean IOP in the home at t = 10 (12.9 mmHg ±1.9; p = 0.0001). There was no significant effect of testing site sequence on IOP. CONCLUSION: IOPs measured by tonometry in the clinic are elevated relative to IOPs obtained in the home, by up to 10 mmHg in one eye in this study. Changes in IOP may be rapid, as seen with the significant reduction in IOP over 10 min of acclimation in the home setting. Veterinarians should consider these findings when interpreting IOP values, especially in dogs that are stressed by the clinic environment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41242971/