Corneal innervation in mesocephalic and brachycephalic dogs and cats: assessment using in vivo confocal microscopy

Kafarnik, Christiane; Fritsche, Jens und Reese, Sven (2008): Corneal innervation in mesocephalic and brachycephalic dogs and cats: assessment using in vivo confocal microscopy. In: Veterinary ophthalmology, Bd. 11, Nr. 6: S. 363-367

Abstract

Objective:  To determine the density of the canine and feline corneal neural network in healthy dogs and cats using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM).

Animals examined:  A total of 16 adult dogs (9 Mesocephalic breeds, 7 Brachycephalic breeds) and 15 cats (9 Domestic Short-haired cats (DSH), 6 Persian cats) underwent IVCM.

Procedure:  Animals were examined with a confocal corneal microscope (HRTII/RCM; Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II/Rostock Cornea Module®, Heidelberg Engineering, Dossenheim, Germany). The investigations focused on the distribution of the corneal nerves and quantification of central subepithelial and subbasal nerve plexus.

Results:  The corneal stromal nerve trunks, subepithelial and subbasal nerve plexus were observed. The nerve fiber density (NFD) quantified in nerve fiber length in mesocephalic dogs were 12.39 ± 5.25 mm/mm2 in the subepithelial nerve plexus and 14.87 ± 3.08 mm/mm2 in the subbasal nerve plexus. The NFD of the subepithelial nerve plexus in DSH cats was 15.49 ± 2.7 and 18.4 ± 3.84 mm/mm2 in the subbasal nerve plexus. The subbasal NFD of DSH cats was significantly higher than in mesocephalic dogs (P = 0.037). The subepithelial NFD in brachycephalic dogs, and Persian cats were 10.34 ± 4.71 and 9.50 ± 2.3 mm/mm2, respectively. The subbasal NFD measured 11.80 ± 3.73 mm/mm2 in brachycephalic dogs, and 12.28 ± 4.3 mm/mm2 NFD in Persian cats, respectively. The subepithelial and subbasal NFD in Persian cats were significantly lower than in DSH cats (P = 0.028, respectively, P = 0.031), in contrast to brachycephalic vs. mesocephalic dogs.

Conclusion:  The noninvasive IVCM accurately detects corneal innervation and provides a reliable quantification of central corneal nerves.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Tiermedizin > Veterinärwissenschaftliches Department > Lehrstuhl für Anatomie, Histologie und Embryologie
• Themengebiete: 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik > 590 Tiere (Zoologie)
• ISSN: 1463-5216
• Sprache: Englisch