References
Recognising and treating uveitis in donkeys
Abstract
There is a paucity of information in the veterinary literature regarding ophthalmic disease in the donkey. Uveitis is a potentially blinding condition, which warrants prompt diagnosis and treatment. Clinical signs associated with uveitis include epiphora, aqueous flare, miosis, corneal oedema, keratic precipitates and vitreal inflammation, posterior synechiae formation, cataract formation, lens luxation or subluxation, peripapillary scarring and retinal detachment. Treatment is aimed at suppressing the uveal tract inflammation, through the use of both topical and systemic medications. Surgical intervention may also be considered, with appropriate patient selection. This article describes the clinical signs, diagnosis and management of uveitis in the donkey.
Uveitis is a common ophthalmic condition encountered in horses, with an estimated prevalence of 2–25% in the USA and 8–10% in Europe (Schwink, 1992). In the UK, Chandler et al (2003) reported findings from 83 geriatric horses, and found five animals to show signs of previous inflammatory disease of the iris, consistent with previous uveitis. Reports from the National Equine Health Survey 2013 reported a uveitis prevalence rate of 0.3% (Slater, 2014).
Data surrounding ophthalmic assessment and disease in the donkey are scarce, with only a small number of papers reporting on normal ophthalmic parameters in this species, namely tonometry values (Selk Ghaffari et al, 2017; Hibbs et al, 2019; Ali et al, 2020) and Schirmer Tear Test 1 values (Selk Ghaffari et al, 2017). A study investigating the prevalence of uveitis in a population of donkeys in the UK has been published, with a reported prevalence rate of of 2.9% reported (Bradley et al, 2020).
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting UK-VET Equine and reading some of our peer-reviewed content for veterinary professionals. To continue reading this article, please register today.