title: Clinical effect of four different ointment bases on healthy cat eyes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the effects of long-term treatment with four different eye ointment bases (OBs) in cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten healthy cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed in two periods. Four different OBs were tested. Hundred grams of OB contained the following: OB-A: 35.17 g liquid paraffin (lp), 64.83 g white petrolatum (wp); OB-B: 10.03 g lp, 84.95 g wp 5.02 g lanolin; OB-C: 18.34 g lp, 51.40 g wp, 25.00 mg KH2 PO4 , 57.00 mg K2 HPO4 , 18.90 g eucerinum anhydricum, 11.28 g water for injections; and OB-D: 70 g unguentum lanalcoli, 20 g lp, 10 g aqua conservans. One eye was treated, and the other served as a negative control. Cats received the OBs TID for 28 days. The two study periods were separated by a 4-month washout phase. Samples for conjunctival impression cytology, swabs for bacteriologic and mycologic examination, and cytobrush samples for FHV-1 and Chlamydophila felis PCR detection were obtained. Both eyes were examined daily. Severity of ocular symptoms was scored using a modified Draize eye irritation test. A total of five eyes were treated with OB-A, five with OB-B, four with OB-C, and five with OB-D.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treated eyes had significantly higher clinical scores. Eyes receiving OB-A had the highest overall clinical score. The results of bacteriologic and mycologic examination concur with the previously published data. All samples tested were negative for FHV-1 and Chlamydophila felis. There was no significant difference between treated and control eyes upon cytological examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The application of OBs resulted in clinical symptoms in treated eyes. The long-term use of ointments is not well tolerated in cats and may lead to ocular irritation.
authors.affiliation: Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Réka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eördögh
authors.affiliation: Department for Pathobiology, Clinical Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schwendenwein
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tichy
authors.affiliation: Department for Pathobiology, Clinical Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.|Department for Pathobiology, Institute of Bacteriology, Mycology and Hygiene, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Loncaric
authors.affiliation: Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nell
mesh_terms: D060433:Administration, Ophthalmic; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002415:Cats; D005123:Eye / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D009823:Ointment Bases / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009823:Ointment Bases
keywords: cat; eye; impression cytology; ocular irritation; ointment base; petrolatum