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Objectives: To report the surgical technique and postoperative outcome of corneal repair with autologous buccal mucous membrane grafts in dogs and cats with descemetoceles, deep corneal ulcers, and perforated corneal ulcers with or without iris prolapse. Animal studied: Twelve cats (13 eyes) and fourteen dogs (14 eyes) were treated. Procedures: Grafts were harvested from the unpigmented superior labial mucosa using a biopsy punch. The corneal lesion was carefully debrided and cleaned. The graft was secured to the healthy cornea with a combination of simple interrupted and continuous 9–0 polyglycolic acid sutures. In 25/27 treated eyes, an overlying pedicle conjunctival graft was also performed. A temporary nictitating membrane flap was used in all cases. The pedicle conjunctival graft was trimmed about 10–20 days postoperatively. The median follow‐up period was 549.2 days (range 14–2691 days). Results: No surgical intra‐operative complications were observed. The ulcers healed and the integrity of the globe was restored in 24/27 treated eyes. Different grades of corneal fibrosis and/or vascularization and/or pigmentation were observed in all cases at the long‐term follow‐up. In two cases, enucleation was performed due to postoperative complications and one animal developed phthisis bulbi. A total of 22/27 treated eyes appeared to have regained effective visual function at the last clinical evaluation. Conclusions: Autologous buccal mucous membrane grafts appear to successfully manage severe corneal ulcers in dogs and cats, providing a useful and economical alternative to other corneal grafts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feline eyelid hidrocystoma is a rarely reported disease of the apocrine glands of Moll that has been variably interpreted as proliferative/neoplastic lesion or retention cyst. The purpose of this paper was to investigate feline hidrocystoma pathogenesis by means of a histological and immunohistochemical study. Nine paraffin embedded biopsies of eyelid hidrocystoma were retrieved from our archives. Histological sections were immunostained with antibodies anti-cytoskeletal proteins and Ki67 antigen. All hidrocystomas were observed in Persian cats, seven males/two females, mean age 9.6 years. Histologically, single or multiple, variably sized cysts expanded eyelid dermis. Cyst was lined by cuboidal epithelium, occasionally raising in papillary structures. Immunostaining was consistent with apocrine gland epithelium (cytokeratin 8/18; 19 and 14 positive). Ki67 immunolabelled nuclei ranged from 5.3 to 20.83%. Although it was not possible to draw a definite conclusion concerning hidrocystoma aetiopathogenesis, the relatively high Ki67-proliferative index observed, suggested a proliferative nature of the lesion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]