Eye removal following parotid duct transposition surgery: A survey of current practice among veterinary...

Identify dogs that required removal of an eye that had previously undergone a parotid duct transposition (PDT) and secondly to characterize demographics, surgical technique, and outcomes associated with it.

An online survey was distributed to American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) and Veterinary Ophthalmology (VOPH) listservs asking members to report the breed, reason for eye removal, time between surgeries, surgical technique, complications, and additional therapy instituted for dogs requiring removal of an eye subsequent to PDT surgery.

Sixteen dogs fit the inclusion criteria. Small breeds (<15 kg) made up 80% of the study population. Time between surgeries was <6 months (1/16), 6 to 12 months (7/16), and ≥1 year (8/16). Reasons for eye removal included: advancing corneal disease (6/16), discomfort (6/16), reaction to saliva (4/16), decreased saliva production (2/16), glaucoma (1/16), orbital neoplasia (1/16), and endophthalmitis (1/16). Surgical techniques included: transection of the parotid duct without ligation (2/16), ligation (9/16), and reversal of the PDT with reimplantation into the mouth (5/16). Complications reported were two dogs who underwent duct ligation experienced prolonged dilation of the duct that resolved with medical therapy (1/2) or without additional therapy (1/2).

Ligation of or reversal of the PDT with reimplantation into the mouth are appropriate adjunctive surgical techniques when removing an eye that previously underwent PDT surgery. Two dogs with nonfunctional PDT had complication-free eye removal with transection without ligation. Prolonged dilation of the duct is possible after eye removal with duct ligation and may resolve with time or medical management.