Treatment of corneal squamous cell carcinoma using topical 1% 5‐fluorouracil as monotherapy

The purpose of this report is to discuss the use of topical 1% 5‐fluorouracil as a sole therapy for canine corneal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A 12‐year‐old castrated male pug was evaluated for a well‐demarcated, central, 3 mm in diameter, pale pink, raised, right corneal mass. An incisional biopsy was obtained using a #64 beaver blade after topical anesthesia and without sedation. A definitive diagnosis of corneal SCC was obtained after histopathologic evaluation of the biopsy. Topical 1% 5‐fluorouracil ointment was applied to the right eye four times daily for 2 weeks followed by no treatment for 2 weeks, then treatment again twice daily for 2 weeks. The cornea remained free of recurrence 10 months after cessation of treatment. In dogs affected with corneal SCC, topical 1% 5‐fluorouracil monotherapy may be a viable and cost‐effective treatment option with minimal side effects. This chemotherapy agent may also have an effect on corneal pigmentation. Chronic cyclosporine therapy did not contribute to the pathogenesis of corneal SCC in the case described.     

A cross‐linked hyaluronan gel accelerates healing of corneal epithelial abrasion and alkali burn injuries in rabbits

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of a chemically modified and cross‐linked derivative of hyaluronan (CMHA‐SX) for treatment of corneal epithelial abrasion and standardized alkali burn injuries. Animals Twelve female New Zealand white rabbits in two groups were used. Procedures Bilateral 6‐mm diameter corneal epithelial abrasions were made in each of six rabbits in one group and 6‐mm standardized alkali burn injuries were made in the second group. A 1% CMHA‐SX formulation was applied topically four times per day in right eye of each rabbit for 1 week, and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was placed in left (control) eye of each rabbit. The wound size was determined by staining with 1% fluorescein and photographed at the slit lamp with a digital camera at 0, 1, 2, 3 days postoperatively in the first group and 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 12 days in the second group. Rabbit corneas were collected for histological examination on day 7 in the first group and day 12 in the second group. Results Closure of corneal wound in the abrasion model was complete in the CMHA‐SX treated eye by 48 h. The wound closure rate and thickness of the central corneal epithelium in the CMHA‐SX treated group was greater than in control eyes for both the abrasion and alkali burn injuries. Moreover, the CMHA‐SX treated cornea exhibited better epithelial and stromal organization than the untreated control cornea. Conclusions Chemically modified and cross‐linked derivative of hyaluronan improved corneal wound healing and could be useful for treating noninfectious corneal injuries.     

Surgical correction of congenital entropion in related Boer goat kids using a combination Hotz‐Celsus and lateral eyelid wedge resection procedure

Five related Boer goat kids (≤4 months of age) were presented to the University of Missouri, Veterinary Teaching Hospital (MU‐VMTH) with epiphora and blepharospasm of several weeks duration and commencing prior to 1 month of age in all animals. Clinical examination confirmed euryblepharon and entropion bilaterally in two females and one male and unilaterally in two female kids. Deep stromal corneal ulceration was present in two eyes, and corneal granulation tissue and fibrosis were present in half (5/10) the affected eyes. A combination Hotz‐Celsus and lateral eyelid wedge resection procedure was performed on all affected eyelids. Recheck examinations and long‐term follow‐up confirmed resolution of the entropion, preservation of normal eyelid conformation, and restoration of ocular comfort. Pedigree analysis ruled out sex‐linked and autosomal dominant inheritance patterns; a specific mode of inheritance could not be determined. The Boer goat breed may be at increased risk for the development of entropion. This cases series represents the first report of entropion in the caprine species.