Page 8 - Paws and Hooves - Autumn 2020

A closer look at Ophthalmology
T he RVC ophthalmology team treats dogs, cats and other small animal eye conditions, and also offers a service to the RVC Equine Referral Hospital.
There are a number of different procedures carried out by the team, including cataract surgery and corneal reconstruction surgery. More can be read about the team’s excellent work on restoring the sight of Nesto on page 5.
For nearly 50 years, veterinary ophthalmology
has been progressively refined and microsurgical procedures performed under the operating microscope are now a regular part of surgery. Essential to the provision of these services at the RVC’s hospitals is a new operating microscope. This new equipment would significantly improve the precision and accuracy of surgery while reducing the stress on patients and be a huge asset to the teaching and training of the ophthalmologists of the future.
With the new microscope in place at the RVC Small Animal Referrals Hospital, the existing equipment would be relocated to the Equine Hospital, enabling them to build a brand new state- of-the-art equine ophthalmology department. At the moment, certain equine eye procedures rely on the expensive and time-consuming relocation of
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the existing microscope. This can lead to potential delays in treatment or additional anaesthesia, and sometimes even referral to other hospitals, all of which can be significantly stressful for the horses as well as their owners.
The ACT also recently funded a new therapy within the Ophthalmology team which will transform the treatment of corneal ulcers. Corneal Cross- Linking (CXL) can help dogs, cats and equine patients who are suffering from corneal conditions. The therapy helps corneal tissues to form stronger fibres and has the ability to kill bacteria and fungi, decreasing the need to use antibiotics. Early treatment using this therapy can also halt the progression of corneal deterioration meaning surgical treatment may not be necessary and improving the prognosis for the pet’s eyesight.
The Animal Care Trust is fundraising for this vital new equipment throughout the coming months so please look out for further information if you would like to support us. We will also be approaching foundations and trusts with whom we have built great relationships with as well as local and national businesses to ensure that we can achieve our goal of securing the service and provide much- needed equipment for the Ophthalmology team to utilise over the next decade.
Paws & Hooves Autumn 2020