Electroretinographic changes after intravenous lipid emulsion therapy in a dog and a foal with ivermectin toxicosis.

The research article discusses the case of a dog and a foal suffering from blindness due to ivermectin poisoning, which improved after being treated with intravenous lipid emulsion therapy. The electroretinography, a method of measuring the electrical responses of cells in the eye, showed significant improvement after the therapy.

Main Findings of the Study

• Two cases were examined in the study, a dog and a foal, both experiencing blindess as a result of ivermectin poisoning.
• Despite the blindess, both animals showed normal funduscopic examinations. The fundus is the interior surface of the eye, and a normal examination would usually indicate the absence of any eye disorders.
• However, the electroretinogram (ERG), a test used to measure the electrical responses of various cell types in the retina, was found to be attenuated in both cases. This demonstrated that the cell dysfunction wasn’t visible in the fundus examination.
• When treated with an intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) therapy, the effects of the poison reduced significantly, demonstrated by the return of normal mentation, menace reflex, and pupillary light reflexes. Furthermore, the ERG levels saw improvement, as did the serum ivermectin levels.

Significance of the Research

• This study is essential as it documents the first known cases of blindness, induced by ivermectin poison, in a dog and a foal where the fundic examinations were normal but the ERG was compromised.
• The improvement in the conditions of the dog and the foal after they were administered ILE therapy pins this treatment method as a potential cure for ivermectin-induced blindness.
• The findings of the study suggest that ERG can be effective in diagnosing ivermectin toxicosis in dogs and horses, even when no disorders are found in the fundus examination.