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Management of Haws Syndrome in Cats With Gastrointestinal Diet: A Case Series
Bar Fruchter1, Sharon Kuzi1, Yamit Soueid1
1Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
Insights
Dietary management with a prebiotic-enriched gastrointestinal diet improved Haws syndrome (HS) in cats, potentially by addressing gut dysbiosis. This approach showed promise for ocular and gastrointestinal signs in feline HS cases.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Gastroenterology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Haws syndrome (HS) in cats presents with third eyelid protrusion and ptosis, often linked to gastrointestinal issues.
- Gut-brain axis disruption and dysbiosis are implicated in the development of Haws syndrome.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical outcomes of cats with Haws syndrome treated with a specialized gastrointestinal diet.
- To explore the potential role of gut dysbiosis in Haws syndrome and its response to dietary intervention.
Main Methods:
- Five cats diagnosed with spontaneous Haws syndrome were included.
- Ophthalmic, physical, and fecal examinations were performed, alongside phenylephrine testing.
- Cats received a prebiotic-enriched gastrointestinal diet for three months.
Main Results:
- Ocular signs temporarily improved with phenylephrine, suggesting sympathetic neuropathy.
- Gastrointestinal symptoms resolved in 2 out of 3 affected cats within 14 days.
- Ocular signs resolved in all cats within 39 days and did not recur during follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Dietary management with a prebiotic-enriched gastrointestinal diet may benefit cats with Haws syndrome by targeting gut dysbiosis.
- This dietary approach showed positive outcomes for both ocular and gastrointestinal signs.
- The diet may be insufficient for refractory cases or those with persistent gastrointestinal symptoms.
Background:
Haws syndrome (HS) in cats is characterized by bilateral protrusion of the third eyelid and ptosis, often accompanied by gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as diarrhea. Emerging evidence suggests disruption of the gut-brain axis, linked to GI microbiota dysbiosis, may play a role in HS development.
Objective:
To describe the clinical features and outcomes of five cats with HS managed with a gastrointestinal diet targeting presumed dysbiosis.
Methods:
This study included five cats diagnosed with spontaneous HS. Each cat underwent thorough ophthalmic and physical examinations, as well as fecal Giardia testing and pharmacological testing with 1% phenylephrine. All cats were managed with Hill's Gastrointestinal Biome diet for 3 months.
Results:
Ocular signs transiently resolved following topical administration of 1% phenylephrine, indicating sympathetic neuropathy. Physical examinations were unremarkable, except for diarrhea in 3/5 cats. Fecal tests for Giardia were initially positive in 4/5 cats and became negative in 3 upon recheck. GI symptoms resolved within 4 to 14 days in 2/3 cats with diarrhea, although only partial improvement was noted in one. Ocular signs resolved in all cats within 11 to 39 days and did not recur during the follow-up period of 327 to 438 days.
Conclusion:
The improvement in ocular and GI signs following dietary management with a prebiotic-enriched gastrointestinal diet suggests that this approach may be beneficial for cats with HS, potentially by addressing underlying GI microbiota dysbiosis. However, it may be insufficient in refractory cases or when GI symptoms do not fully resolve.
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