A case of chemical/ alkali burn in the eye of a dog

Year 2020, Vetexpo-2019, KHVD-2019, 61 - 61, 31.03.2020

Müge Bircan Akkartal , Ali Evren Haydardedeoğlu

Abstract

A 2-year-old female unvaccinated dog was brought to our clinic with the complaint of squinting after
contact with slaked lime. Symptoms such as severe pain, corneal edema, blepharospasm and
keratoconjunctivitis were noted at the initial consultation. In ophthalmologic examination, under local
anesthesia (Alcaine 5%, Alcon, USA) confirmed the contact of slaked lime with the eye and a severe
chemical (alkali) burn as a result. Affected eye contaminated with slaked lime were rinsed thoroughly with
'normal' saline followed by an application of fluorescein stain in order to determine the level of damage on
the cornea. All of the corneal surface was positive fluorescein and intraocular layers could not be observed
due to severe corneal edema. The treatment included administration of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid
regularly for a week. Ofloxacin, acetylcysteine and cyclopentolate drops was started. An eye lubricant that
contains hyaluronic acid (Dryex %0.15, Abdi Ibrahim, Turkey) was also added to the treatment for dry
eye. Elizabethan collar was applied. The patient were asked to revisit every 5 days. Although severe
inflammation and pannus developed on the cornea for the first 10 days after the incident, inflammation and
opacity started to resolve visibly on the upcoming days. The therapy continued for a total of 20 days with a
few alterations on the number of applications of the medications along the way and the next week.
Fluorescein staining was repeated at the end of the therapy and the result was negative. In order to resolve
the chronic keratitis and corneal vascularization, the patient was put on a 10-day-long local dexamethasone
(Onadron, I.E. Ulagay, Turkey) therapy with doses being reduced gradually. The use of anti inflammatory
drug helped with the cornea being transparent again and reversed the capillary formation that contributed
to healing process. The patient regained vision after treatment.

Keywords

Dog, chemical-burn, corneal-ulcer

References

• .