Published in Scientific Works. Series C. Veterinary Medicine, Vol. 19 ISSUE 3
Written by Andra ENACHE, Iuliana IONASCU, Pip BOYDELL, Tim SCASE
Ocular melanosis represents an abnormal pigment proliferation that involves the iris, ciliary body, choroid and filtration angle leading to secondary glaucoma. This report presents a Golden Retriever with excessive pigment deposition and corneal infiltration diagnosed with uveal melanoma. A 6 year-old male Golden Retriever presented with a four-week history of corneal degeneration and excessive pigmentation of the right eye. Full ophthalmic examinations and investigations including gonioscopy, ocular ultrasound and magnetic-resonance imaging were performed. Initial ophthalmic examination showed a central area of corneal degeneration, excessive melanin deposition on the right corneal endothelium and slightly irregular pupil with iris degeneration. There were also two melanin clumps on the left corneal endothelium. Initial ultrasound showed a mass posterior to the right iris into the vitreous with blood flow on the anterior margin and bilateral vitreous degeneration. Nonsteroidal and steroidal eye drops and topical interferon-alpha were initiated. MRI scan revealed an intraocular mass ventro-laterally situated posterior to the iris likely to be consistent with uveal melanoma. Fine needle aspirates were nondiagnostic. Enucleation was initially declined and progression was monitored. Six months later, ocular ultrasound showed extensive subretinal invasion. The eye was enucleated and histopathology described uveal melanoma originated within the iris with local infiltration. A low dose oral interpheron-alpha was administered for a long term management. Clinical progress was monitored and one year follow up revealed no signs of metastasis
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