Diagnostics and clinical characteristics uveitis in dogs

Abstract

One of the most common diseases of the organ of vision is uveitis of various etiologies, characterized by a violation of the blood-ophthalmic barrier, and, as a result, the development of destructive and often irreversible processes in the iris, choroid, retina and vitreous body, which negatively affects the quality of vision and may lead to its complete loss.  The article presents data on clinical cases of uveitis of exogenous and endogenous origin in dogs. A set of general and special diagnostic measures – ophthalmic and biomicroscopy of the eye, biochemical studies, diagnostic criteria for assessing the state of the vascular tract were carried out. Based on the data obtained, a complex of therapeutic measures in dogs with uveitis was carried out and their effectiveness was evaluated.  The research indicates that all dogs are prone to the disease, regardless of breed or age. The causes of uveitis were traumatic factors – purulent keratitis, open injuries and ulcers of the cornea (exogenous uveitis); and uveitis on the background of internal diseases – renal failure, hepatitis or pancreatitis (endogenous uveitis). Clinical studies diagnosed a mild, moderate and severe degree of development of the disease, which in all cases were characterized by blepharospasm, photophobia, lacrimation, corneal edema and conjunctiva of the eye. Specific clinical signs of the disease have also been identified. In all cases, a pain response, miosis, iris edema, Tyndall effect, pericorneal injection of blood vessels were recorded. With the development of severe endogenous uveitis, clouding of the vitreous body was found in 22,2% of cases. Hyphema, precipitates, hypopion, fibrin accumulation in the anterior chamber of the eye were diagnosed in 33,3% of dogs with severe illness, both endogenous and exogenous in origin. With exogenous mild to moderate uveitis, changes in the deep structures of the eye were absent.  The influence of systemic diseases of the body (hepatorenal syndrome, renal failure) on the development of endogenous uveitis is based on changes in the blood serum of such indicators as ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, urea and creatinine.  All dogs underwent complex treatment taking into account the peculiarities of the course of uveitis. The use of uveitis mydriatic (atropine 1%), steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Dexamethasone 0,1% and Diftal 0,1%), antibiotics (novocaine-antibiotic retrobulbar blockade, Phloxal 0,3%), immunostimulants (Cycloflora) in the drug therapy regimen) and antioxidants (Ascarutin) made it possible to achieve disease remission in 83,3% of dogs.