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Ophthalmic examination findings and intraocular pressures in wild‐caught African giant pouched rats ( Cricetomys spp. )
Author(s) -
Heller Amanda R.,
Ledbetter Eric C.,
Singh Bhupinder,
Lee Danielle N.,
Ophir Alexander G.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
veterinary ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.594
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1463-5224
pISSN - 1463-5216
DOI - 10.1111/vop.12534
Subject(s) - medicine , ophthalmology , intraocular pressure , phthisis bulbi , slit lamp , glaucoma
Purpose To report ophthalmic examination findings and intraocular pressures ( IOP s) in wild‐caught African giant pouched rats ( Cricetomys ansorgei and gambianus ) from Tanzania and Ghana. Procedures After being placed under general anesthesia for examination, slit‐lamp biomicroscopy before and after pharmacologic mydriasis and indirect ophthalmoscopy was performed. Eyes were fluorescein stained and IOP s measured by rebound tonometry using the TonoVet ® . Results Thirty‐two sexually mature pouched rats (64 eyes) were examined, including 16 males and 16 females. The mean IOP (± standard deviation) was 7.7 (±2.9) mmHg. Fluorescein staining was negative in all eyes. One or more ocular abnormalities were detected in 21 pouched rats (35 eyes). These ocular lesions included the following: lens opacities ( n = 23 eyes), persistent pupillary membranes ( n = 5), chorioretinal scarring ( n = 3), corneal vascularization ( n = 2), palpebral margin defect with focal trichiasis ( n = 2), phthisis bulbi ( n = 1), and posterior synechiae ( n = 1). Lens opacities included incipient anterior cortical opacities ( n = 7), immature cataract ( n = 6), incipient nuclear opacities ( n = 5), punctate pigment on anterior lens capsule ( n = 2 eyes), incipient suture tip opacities ( n = 2), and hypermature cataract ( n = 1). Conclusions Ocular abnormalities were common in the evaluated population of giant pouched rats; however, most of the detected lesions were mild and believed to have minimal impact on vision. Rebound tonometry with the TonoVet ® was a reliable and simple technique to measure IOP s in the anesthetized pouched rats.