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Comparison of corneal degeneration and calcific band keratopathy from 2000 to 2013 in 69 horses.
Abstract: To compare signalment, presentation, treatment, and outcome in horses diagnosed with corneal degeneration (CD) or calcific band keratopathy (CBK) at a referral hospital. Methods: Sixty-nine horses (87 eyes) diagnosed with either CD or CBK. Methods: Medical records of horses diagnosed with CD or CBK at the University of California-Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (UCD-VMTH) between 2000 and 2013 were reviewed. Signalment, concurrent ophthalmic diagnoses, previous therapies, diagnostic tests, systemic diagnoses, treatment, follow-up, and outcomes were compared between horses diagnosed with CD or CBK. Age, breed, and gender were compared between the CD/CBK and UCD-VMTH populations. Results: Thirty-three horses (42 eyes) and 36 horses (45 eyes) were diagnosed with CD and CBK, respectively. Horses with CD or CBK were significantly older (P < 0.001) than the UCD-VMTH population with a median age of 16 or 18 years, respectively. Appaloosas were significantly overrepresented in the CD/CBK population (33%) in comparison with the UCD-VMTH population (1.8%, P < 0.001). Equine recurrent uveitis was concurrently diagnosed in 67% and 84% of horses with CD or CBK, respectively. Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) was diagnosed significantly less often in horses with CD vs. CBK (P = 0.03). Chemical chelation with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid was performed significantly less frequently in horses diagnosed with CD (7.1%) vs. CBK (31.1% of eyes) (P = 0.012). Conclusions: Despite some differences, equine CD and CBK are relatively similar conditions and may represent a continuum of disease severity. Horses with PPID should be monitored closely for corneal disease including CBK.
© 2016 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
Publication Date: 2016-01-15 PubMed ID: 26773714DOI: 10.1111/vop.12338Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Age Factors
- Breed Differences
- Case Reports
- Clinical Study
- Clinical Symptoms
- Comparative Study
- Cornea
- Diagnosis
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Treatment
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Ophthalmology
- Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction
- Retrospective Study
- Uveitis
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article is about a study that compared two types of ocular conditions; corneal degeneration (CD) and calcific band keratopathy (CBK) in horses, diagnosed at a University of California-Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital from 2000 to 2013.
Study Methodology
- The researchers carried out a review of medical records of horses at the University of California-Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (UCD-VMTH) diagnosed with corneal degeneration (CD) or calcific band keratopathy (CBK) between the years 2000 and 2013.
- The variables compared among the diagnosed horses were; signalment (the description of the horses), treatment options, other ophthalmic diagnoses, tests carried out, related systemic diagnoses, follow-up procedures and final outcomes.
- The study also compared the age, breed, and gender between horses diagnosed with CD/CBK and the general horse population at the UCD-VMTH.
Study Findings
- A total of 33 horses (42 eyes) were diagnosed with CD and 36 horses (45 eyes) with CBK.
- The horses diagnosed with either of the two conditions were significantly older than the total horse population at UCD-VMTH, with median ages of 16 and 18 years for horses with CD and CBK respectively.
- The breed “Appaloosas” were significantly overrepresented with CD/CBK diagnoses, making up 33% of the cases compared to just 1.8% of the total horse population in the hospital.
- Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU, a leading cause of blindness in horses) was concurrently diagnosed in most of the horses – 67% of horses with CD and 84% of those with CBK.
- Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, a common endocrine disorder in older horses) was diagnosed less frequently in the horses with CD compared to those with CBK.
- Chemical chelation, a type of treatment using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), was performed less frequently in horses diagnosed with CD (7.1%) than in those with CBK (31.1% of eyes).
Study Conclusion
- Equine CD and CBK, despite having some differences, are relatively similar conditions and might signify a continuous range of disease severity.
- It’s recommended that horses diagnosed with PPID should be closely monitored for corneal diseases including CBK.
Cite This Article
APA
Berryhill EH, Thomasy SM, Kass PH, Reilly CM, Good KL, Hollingsworth SR, Maggs DJ, Magdesian KG, Pusterla N.
(2016).
Comparison of corneal degeneration and calcific band keratopathy from 2000 to 2013 in 69 horses.
Vet Ophthalmol, 20(1), 16-26.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vop.12338 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Calcinosis / diagnosis
- Calcinosis / pathology
- Calcinosis / therapy
- Calcinosis / veterinary
- Cornea / pathology
- Corneal Diseases / diagnosis
- Corneal Diseases / pathology
- Corneal Diseases / therapy
- Corneal Diseases / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Male
- Retrospective Studies
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Preston JF, Mustikka MP, Priestnall SL, Dunkel B, Fischer MC. Clinical features and outcomes of horses presenting with presumed equine immune mediated keratitis to two veterinary hospitals in the United Kingdom and Finland: 94 cases (2009-2021). Equine Vet J 2025 May;57(3):598-610.
- Quantz KR, Jongnarangsin KK, Harman CD, Koehl KL, Jacobson AL, Nallasamy N, Shaw GC, Pirie CG, Komáromy AM. Development of Crystalline Corneal Opacities (Steroid Keratopathy) in Dogs After Treatment With Ophthalmic Corticosteroids. Cornea 2024 Dec 1;43(12):1506-1515.
- Morén S, Kallberg M, Strom L. Equine uveitis: Outcome and adverse effects after one or two intravitreal low-dose gentamicin injections. Equine Vet J 2025 Jan;57(1):160-168.
- Crabtree E, Uribe K, Smith SM, Roberts D, Salmon JH, Bower JJ, Song L, Bastola P, Hirsch ML, Gilger BC. Inhibition of experimental autoimmune uveitis by intravitreal AAV-Equine-IL10 gene therapy. PLoS One 2022;17(8):e0270972.
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