[Prolapse of the eyeball in small animals: a retrospective study of 36 cases]

Proptosis of the globe is an ophthalmic emergency, which requires rapid assessment of the situation and immediate medical and surgical therapy. The relevant prognostic signs as well as the medical and surgical management are discussed. A retrospective study of 36 proptosed globes at the Zurich Veterinary School revealed that young animals with a mean age of 5.2 years (dogs) and 4.7 years (cats) are at risk. In the dog both sexes are equally at risk, while tomcats have a higher incidence than females. In ten cases immediate enucleation of the proptosed globe was necessary. The remaining eyes could be replaced. The majority of the repositioned globes were subsequently blind, the cosmetic result, however, was satisfactory according to most owners. Ophthalmic follow-up examinations revealed a large number of long-term damages in repositioned eyes in dogs and cats concerning anterior and posterior segment.