Healing of experimentally induced corneal ulcers in horses.

The study conducted experiments on corneal ulcers in horses, comparing the treatment effects of topical ointments with untreated eyes. Results showed that while the healing time was similar for both groups, severe complications occurred more frequently in untreated eyes.

Experimental Design

• The experiment was carried out on 10 ponies, where corneal ulcers reaching the anterior third of the stroma were surgically created in both of their eyes.
• In each pony, one eye was chosen arbitrarily to be treated topically with chloramphenicol and 1% atropine ophthalmic ointments thrice daily, while the other eye remained untreated as a control group.
• All ponies were given phenylbutazone orally which served to alleviate any ocular pain they might experience as a result of the experiment.

Measurement and Observations

• To track the progression of the healing process, fluorescein-stained ulcers were measured once a day.
• The study did not find a significant difference in the median healing time between the treated eyes (11 days) and the untreated eyes (13.5 days).
• However, clinical observations revealed that the untreated eyes experienced more severe complications compared to those which were treated with the topical ointments.

Conclusion

• The results of the study suggest that while the topical treatment did not significantly speed up the healing time of the corneal ulcers, it can be beneficial in reducing the risk of complications.
• The findings underscore the importance of topical treatments in managing corneal ulcers in horses, with the potential to prevent further complications and promote horse welfare.