OCULAR BLASTOMYCOSIS IN DOGS - 73 CASES, 108 EYES (1985-1993)

Objective-To evaluate clinical signs of ocular blastomycosis in dogs, to determine response of blastomycosis-infected eyes to treatment with systemically administered amphotericin B and ketoconazole, and to ide ntify prognostic indicators of successful antifungal treatment. Design -Retrospective study. Animals-73 dogs. Procedure-Medical records were reviewed for all dogs with confirmed blastomycosis and ocular disease seen al our hospital between 1985 and 1993. Results-6 eyes had anterio r segment disease, 24 had posterior segment disease, and 78 had endoph thalmitis. 40 eyes were treated with a combination of amphotericin B a nd ketoconazole, and 16 of the 40 responded favorably. However, 16 of the 24 eyes that were not severely affected responded favorably, but n one of the 16 eyes that were severely affected did. Clinical Implicati ons-Dogs with blastomycosis had posterior segment disease, without com plete retinal separation, had a good prognosis for retaining vision. R esults of histologic examination suggested that secondary glaucoma was a manifestation of endophthalmitis and was indicative of a grave prog nosis for response to antifungal and antiglaucoma treatment.