Clinical and diagnostic substantiation for treatment of chemical corneal burns in dogs and cats

Abstract

Burn injury refers to chemical burns of the cornea and is common in dogs and cats. The research targets were 40 animals (20 dogs and 20 cats). The research was carried out at the Department of Veterinary Surgery of the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology - MVA named after K.I. Skryabin from 2022 through 2023. The research methods included a general clinical examination, an ophthalmic examination using a binocular head loupe and a slit lamp, and a sodium fluorescein solution test. The risk factors for the occurrence and development of chemical burns of the cornea in small domestic animals were revealed, and the most common causes of burn injury to the cornea were described. Dogs and cats of brachycephalic breeds are most susceptible to chemical burns of the cornea; the most common types of chemical reagents that cause corneal burns are household chemicals. The differential diagnostic criteria for chemical burns of the cornea have been systematized taking into account the location, type and time of application of the chemical, as well as complications arising as a result. The most severe type of burn is the one that affects the limbal zone leading to the development of limbal cell insufficiency and, as a consequence, more severe complications. The proposed treatment regimen for chemical burns of the cornea based on the size and location of the defect has shown its effectiveness and consistency. With timely treatment, taking into account the clinical picture and a prognosis based on it, it is possible to preserve not only the eyeball as an organ, but also to achieve complete restoration of the morphofunctional characteristics of the cornea.