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A cat presented for deterioration of a superficial corneal ulcer already under treatment. Bacterial keratomalacia with presumed concurrent uveitis was diagnosed. The cat was treated with topical antibiotic, autologous serum and atropine drops, and oral antibiotic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. There was sufficient improvement within the first 24 hours to elect to continue with medical treatment alone. The cat remained hospitalised for 4 days for intensive treatment until the malacia had resolved and the ulceration could be treated at home. Ulceration resolved within 4 weeks This case highlights how corneal ulcers can deteriorate very quickly. It emphasises how thorough investigation can aid in choosing treatment. Some malacic corneal ulcers respond to medical management alone and surgery is not always necessary. Case presentation, patient temperament, initial response to treatment, and owner compliance and financial considerations all play a role in treatment choice for keratomalacia.

A one-year-old female spayed miniature schnauzer was referred to the Kansas State University Veterinary Health Center Ophthalmology Service for evaluation of chronic purulent discharge and conjunctival hyperaemia of the right eye. Two months before presentation, the dog was treated by its primary veterinarian for grass awn foreign bodies in the periocular area. Three visible grass awns were removed, and an associated superficial corneal ulcer healed without complication. However, ocular discharge and conjunctival hyperaemia persisted. Due to the patient’s history and the focal pattern of conjunctival hyperaemia, diagnostic imaging (ultrasound) was recommended to screen for retained plant foreign material. The dog was anaesthetised, and a hyperechoic linear structure was identified in the dorsolateral periocular space on ultrasound examination. The plant material was successfully extracted during a brief conjunctival exploration, and the previously reported clinical signs subsequently resolved over the course of one week.

Case summary A 2-month-old, male kitten was presented for evaluation of unilateral blepharospasm and epiphora involving the right eye. Ocular examination revealed conjunctivitis, a superficial corneal ulcer, reflex anterior uveitis and a haired mass within the dorsal cornea of the right eye. The mass was subsequently removed surgically via a lamellar keratectomy. Histologic evaluation of the mass via light microscopy revealed it to be comprised of normal-haired skin with mild inflammation. One week after surgical removal and medical management of the corneal ulcer, all ocular clinical signs had resolved with minimal corneal scarring. On re-examination 6 months following surgical excision of the mass, the kitten was noted to be comfortable with no significant corneal scarring. Relevance and novel information To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a dorsally located corneal dermoid in a cat.

Purpose To describe a case of superficial keratomycosis caused by Mortierella wolfii (M. wolfii) in a horse. Methods A thoroughbred filly was presented with painful right eye of 2 days’ duration. A superficial corneal ulcer was observed ventrally together with multifocal punctuate opacities axially. Samples were collected by swabbing and scraping the ulcerated lesion and submitted for microbiologic and cytologic examination. Results Microscopic evaluation of debrided corneal tissue revealed the presence of nonseptate fungal hyphae, and culture of a corneal swab yielded fungal growth. Medical treatment with topical antifungal, antibiotic and autogenous serum and systemic anti-inflammatory resolved the problem within 2 weeks. Conclusions Cytologic evaluation of a corneal scraping was useful to make a clinical diagnosis of keratomycosis. Based on the mycological characteristics, the fungus isolated from the corneal lesion was identified as M. wolfii. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case report of equine keratomycosis associated with this fungus, although the organism is known to infect various organs of cattle.

The present paper describes a case of amebic keratitis in a 63-year-old female patient, who had been wearing hard contact lenses to correct myopia. The clinical course was characterized by early superficial corneal infiltrates accompanied by a marked iritis and excruciating pain. Later a ring abscess developed, combined with a disciform infiltration of the deep central stroma and a recalcitrant superficial corneal ulcer. The disease ran a very chronic course over more than 3 months. After various conservative treatments including topical steroids, antibiotics, antimycotic, and antiviral drugs, a penetrating keratoplasty had to be performed. The histopathologic examination of the corneal button revealed many encysted amebas and a few trophozoites which were classified by direct immunofluorescence as belonging to the genus Acanthamoeba (Hartmannella). Six months after keratoplasty the eye was quit without any signs of recurrence. As far as the authors know, this is the first reported case of an amebic keratitis associated with contact lenses.

— The characteristic appearance of superficial corneal ulcer as seen in twenty-nine Boxer dogs (thirty-seven ulcers) is described, together with a graphic table showing age of onset, sex distribution and duration of clinical course. Our findings would suggest that this is a specific disease of the Boxer. The histopathology and treatment is discussed. Resume— Les auteurs decrivent l'aspect caracteristique de l'ulcere superficiel de la cornee tels qu'ils l'ont observe chez vingt-neuf chiens boxers (trente-sept ulceres), et presentent un tableay graphique ou sont inscrits l'âge du debut de la maladie, sa distribution selon le sexe et la duree de son evolution clinique. Leurs constatations tendraient a prouver qu'il s'agit la d'une maladie specifique du boxer. Ils en discutent lihistopathologie et le traitement. Zusammenfassung— Die charakteristische Erscheinungsform des overflachlichen Ulcus corneae, beobachtet an neunundzwanzig Boxerhunden (siebenunddreissig Ulcera) wird beschrieben und in einer graphischen Darstellung das Lebensalter beim Auftreten, die Verteilung auf die Geschlechter und die Dauer der klinischen Behandlung gezeigt. Ihre Ergebnisse lassen darauf schliessen, dass es sich um eine spezifische Krankheit der Boxerhunde handelt. Die Histopathologie und die Behandlung werden besprochen.