Influence of Age on Ocular Biomechanical Properties in a Canine Glaucoma Model with ADAMTS10 Mutation.

Soft tissue often displays marked age-associated stiffening. This study aims to investigate how age affects scleral biomechanical properties in a canine glaucoma model with ADAMTS10 mutation, whose extracellular matrix is concomitantly influenced by the mutation and an increased mechanical load from an early age. Biomechanical data was acquired from ADAMTS10-mutant dogs (n = 10, 21 to 131 months) and normal dogs (n = 5, 69 to 113 months).

Screening ADAMTS10 in dog populations supports Gly661Arg as the glaucoma-causing variant in beagles.

Purpose: Previously, we mapped the disease locus in the beagle model of autosomal recessive primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) to a 4-Mb interval on chromosome 20, and identified a Gly661Arg variant in ADAMTS10 as the candidate disease-causing variant. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the Gly661Arg variant of ADAMTS10 causes glaucoma by genotyping dogs of various breeds affected and unaffected by primary glaucoma.

Methods: Dogs of various breeds, affected or unaffected with primary glaucoma, were genotyped for the Gly661Arg variant of ADAMTS10, as well as 7 other nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in other genes in the beagle POAG locus that segregate with disease.

Effect of Coherin™ on intraocular pressure, pupil size and heart rate in the glaucomatous Beagle: a pilot study.

Objective: To evaluate effects of Coherin™ on intraocular pressure (IOP), pupil size (PS), and heart rate (HR) in glaucomatous Beagles in single-dose studies in a pilot study.

Materials And Methods: Intraocular pressure, PS, and HR were measured in eight glaucomatous Beagles. One randomly chosen eye received single 50 μL doses of differing concentrations of Coherin™ (treated eye) or vehicle (placebo-treated eye), and the fellow eye served as the untreated control.

Dose response for travoprost® in the glaucomatous beagle.

Objective: To evaluate the changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) and pupil size in 12 Beagles with inherited glaucoma after instillations of 0.033, 0.0033, 0.

Mapping of the disease locus and identification of ADAMTS10 as a candidate gene in a canine model of primary open angle glaucoma.

Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, with elevated intraocular pressure as an important risk factor. Increased resistance to outflow of aqueous humor through the trabecular meshwork causes elevated intraocular pressure, but the specific mechanisms are unknown. In this study, we used genome-wide SNP arrays to map the disease gene in a colony of Beagle dogs with inherited POAG to within a single 4 Mb locus on canine chromosome 20.

The use of amniotic membrane transplantation for ocular surface reconstruction: a review and series of 58 equine clinical cases (2002-2008).

Amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) is an effective clinical therapy for reconstruction of the ocular surface in human and veterinary patients. Amnion is avascular and strong, contains antiangiogenic and antiinflammatory properties and growth factors, and has properties that prevent or decrease fibrosis in healing tissue. Indications for its use are steadily growing and include grafting to replace diseased, missing or excised tissue, patching to support diseased tissue during the healing process and as a substrate for the expansion of epithelial cells for transplantation to the cornea.

Use of a biosynthetic material to repair the surgical defect following excision of an epibulbar melanoma in a cat.

A limbal melanoma was surgically excised from the OS of a 4-year-old castrated male Domestic Short-haired cat (DSH). The resultant scleral defect was repaired by placement of A-cell bio-scaffold material. The patient responded well in the postoperative period with no apparent discomfort, nor any observable complications.

Myocilin protein levels in the aqueous humor of the glaucomas in selected canine breeds.

Objective: To compare aqueous humor myocilin protein levels in dogs with the primary glaucomas to those with the secondary glaucomas, primary cataracts, and diabetic cataracts.

Materials And Methods: Four groups were selected, based on diagnosis by the attending veterinary ophthalmologists and included: primary glaucoma (primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary closed angle glaucoma (PCAG); n = 155); secondary glaucoma (n = 94); primary (presumed inherited) cataract (n = 142), and diabetic cataract (n = 83). A total of 474 samples (187 males, 263 females, 24 unreported) with average ages of 117 months for the males and 101 months for the females were analyzed.

Intranictitans tacking for replacement of prolapsed gland of the third eyelid in dogs.

Objective: To evaluate a new procedure for fixation of prolapsed nictitans glands to the cartilage of the nictitans that will not interfere with the mobility of the nictitating membrane.

Methods: A prospective clinical trial utilizing a nonabsorbable suture to anchor the prolapsed gland to the cartilage of the third eyelid was undertaken. Fifteen eyes of 10 dogs were included in the study.

Aqueous humor myocilin protein levels in normal, genetic carriers, and glaucoma Beagles.

Objective: The gene (myocilin: MYOC) has been attributed to be involved in over 6% of inherited types of human glaucoma, the highest correlation for any gene to date. This study determines myocilin protein levels in the aqueous humor (AH) of normal laboratory quality, genetic carrier (offspring of normal laboratory quality and POAG Beagles), and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) Beagles.

Materials And Methods: Eighteen dogs were used and classified as either normal, carrier or having mild, moderate or advanced POAG.

Angiopoietin-like 7 secretion is induced by glaucoma stimuli and its concentration is elevated in glaucomatous aqueous humor.

Purpose: To investigate the possibility that Angiopoietin-like 7 (ANGPTL7) protein is involved in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.

Methods: Primary human trabecular meshwork (TM) cells and corneoscleral explants were stimulated with either dexamethasone (DEX) or transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta), and ANGPTL7 protein secreted into culture medium was determined by Western blot analysis. The effect of stable overexpression of ANGPTL7 in transfected immortalized TM cell lines on collagen expression was investigated by immunocytochemistry.

Corneal transplantation for inflammatory keratopathies in the horse: visual outcome in 206 cases (1993-2007).

Objective: To evaluate the visual outcome of three techniques of corneal transplantation surgery in treating severe inflammatory keratopathies in the horse.

Design: Retrospective medical records study.

Animals Studied: Medical records of 206 horses that received corneal transplantation surgery at the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Center from 1993 to 2007 were reviewed.

Ocular manifestations of endocrine disease.

Small animal patients with endocrinopathies are at risk of developing many ophthalmic conditions resulting from endocrine hormone imbalances. Diabetic animals frequently develop cataracts but can also have numerous other ocular problems, including uveitis, keratopathy, retinopathy, and the effects of lipid derangements and systemic hypertension. Cushing's patients can develop complications from hyperlipidemia and hypertension and sometimes present with corneal disease.

Endothelin-1, nitric oxide, and glutamate in the normal and glaucomatous dog eye.

Purpose: To document differences in the levels of the endothelin-1 peptide, nitric oxide, and glutamate in aqueous humor and vitreous in the dog eye with spontaneous glaucoma compared to the normal dog eye.

Methods: Samples of aqueous humor and vitreous from enucleated normal eyes (n = 21) of 14 dogs and glaucomatous eyes (n = 8) of eight dogs were collected. Levels of endothelin-1, nitric oxide, and glutamate were measured by enzyme immunoassay.

Immunocytochemical localization of smooth muscle actin-containing cells in the trabecular meshwork of glaucomatous and nonglaucomatous dogs.

Purpose: It has been recently demonstrated that trabecular meshwork (TM) cells within the canine iridocorneal angle (ICA) contain smooth muscle actin (smA) and possess contractile abilities that probably alter aqueous outflow. As the number of trabecular meshwork cells in glaucomatous canine eyes have been found to be less than those in age-matched nonglaucomatous eyes, we hypothesize that the sub-population of TM cells that contain smooth muscle actin will also decline with age. We also hypothesize that a greater loss of these cells will be observed in glaucomatous eyes than in nonglaucomatous eyes of the same age.

Immunolocalization of myocilin protein in the anterior eye of normal and primary open-angle glaucomatous dogs.

Objective: The presence of myocilin was investigated in a colony of Beagles, a canine model for inherited primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). The myocilin protein was localized in the normal and glaucomatous canine eyes by immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry.

Methods: Paraffin- and plastic-embedded specimens from the anterior uveas of 10 Beagles with inherited glaucoma (3 months to 13 years old) and 6 age-matched normal dogs were sectioned, and were then incubated with primary antibody, rabbit polyclonal antihuman MYOC IgG, overnight at 4 degrees C.

Proteinases of the cornea and preocular tear film.

Maintenance and repair of corneal stromal extracellular matrix (ECM) requires a tightly coordinated balance of ECM synthesis, degradation and remodeling in which proteolytic enzymes (proteinases) perform important functions. There are natural proteinase inhibitors present in preocular tear film (PTF) and cornea simultaneously with proteinases that prevent excessive degradation of normal healthy tissue. Disorders occur when there is an imbalance between proteinases and proteinase inhibitors in favor of the proteinases, causing pathologic degradation of stromal collagen and proteoglycans in the cornea.

Combined keratectomy, strontium-90 irradiation and permanent bulbar conjunctival grafts for corneolimbal squamous cell carcinomas in horses (1990-2002): 38 horses.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of postoperative beta-irradiation with strontium-90 as an adjunctive treatment to superficial keratectomy and permanent bulbar conjunctival graft for removal of equine corneolimbal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), in decreasing recurrence rate.

Study: The retrospective case study included 38 horses diagnosed and treated for SCC of the eye that involved the limbus and/or cornea. The patients were treated between 1990 and 2002, with strontium-90 irradiation immediately after corneal and conjunctival graft surgery.

Amniotic membrane transplantation for corneal surface reconstruction after excision of corneolimbal squamous cell carcinomas in nine horses.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness and effectiveness of permanent amniotic membrane transplantation as an adjunctive treatment to superficial keratectomy alone or combined with strontium-90 irradiation for treatment of equine corneolimbal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to decrease corneal scarring and recurrence rate.

Study: The retrospective case study included 11 horses (n = 12 eyes) diagnosed and treated for ocular SCC that involved the limbus and cornea. Nine of those horses (n = 9 eyes) were treated between 2002 and 2006, with superficial lamellar keratectomy alone or combined with strontium-90 irradiation and followed by placement of a permanent amniotic membrane graft in the surgical defect.

Pars plana vitrectomy for the treatment of ophthalmomyiasis interna posterior in a dog.

Unilateral chorioretinitis caused by ophthalmomyiasis interna posterior in a 5-month-old, female spayed Dachshund is reported. Larva removal by pars plana vitrectomy was performed after an unsuccessful photocoagulation of the organism. The larva was intact after surgical removal and was identified as a first stage instar Cuterebra spp.

Comparison of the effects of topical administration of a fixed combination of dorzolamide-timolol to monotherapy with timolol or dorzolamide on IOP, pupil size, and heart rate in glaucomatous dogs.

Objective: To determine whether the combination multiple-dose dorzolamide-timolol administered topically has any greater effects on the reduction of intraocular pressure, pupil size, and heart rate in dogs with glaucoma than do either timolol or dorzolamide alone.

Procedure: Applanation tonometry, pupil size, and heart rate measurements were made at 7 a.m.

Evaluation of clinical characteristics and bacterial isolates in dogs with bacterial keratitis: 97 cases (1993-2003).

Objective: To evaluate clinical characteristics and breeds affected with bacterial keratitis and compare patterns of resistance in bacterial isolates over time in dogs.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Animals: 97 dogs with bacterial keratitis.

Ocular effects of topical 0.03% bimatoprost solution in normotensive feline eyes.

Objective: The current study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of topically applied bimatoprost, an ocular hypotensive lipid, on intraocular pressure (IOP) and pupil size (PS) in healthy cats.

Animal Studied: Nine European Shorthair cats free from clinically relevant ocular abnormalities were used in the study.

Procedures: Pretreatment baseline measurements of IOP and PS were obtained bilaterally at 8 am, 2 pm, and 8 pm for five consecutive days (days 1 to 5).