Hyphema in Cats
Hyphema, or blood in the anterior chamber of the eye, is a common condition among cats. However, hyphema is a clinical sign and not a specific disease in itself.
Symptoms and Types
The symptoms of hyphema are dependent on the extent of bleeding, whether vision has been impaired, and whether your cat has other systemic diseases.
The most common signs found during a physical examination are:
- Blood within the anterior chamber of the eye
- Corneal edema or corneal lesions
- Intraocular Pressure (IOP) may be elevated
The most common causes of hyphema are:
- Injury, trauma to the eye or head
- Severe retinal detachment
- Hypertension, hyperthyroidism, systemic deficiencies
- Infection by parasites
- Bleeding of the vessels, vasculitis, uveitis, uveal neoplasia, and particularly lymphoma
- Ocular defects - retinal dysplasia, glaucoma, etc.
Hyphema can also be indicative of various ocular and systemic deficiencies. Therefore, diagnosis and proper treatment is very important.
Hyphema is diagnosed through hematology and blood biochemistry, lab tests, and diagnostic imaging using X-rays and ultrasound tests.
A complete medical history is taken and a thorough physical examination is performed to include or exclude possible causes.
Common diagnostic tests and procedures include:
- Complete blood count with platelet count
- Serum biochemistry to measure serum levels in protein
- Coagulopathy tests to assess blood coagulation functions
- Blood pressure
- Urinalysis, to exclude kidney diseases
- Chest and abdominal X-rays
- Ocular ultrasounds (ultrasonography) to investigate the anterior portion of the eye and include or exclude possibilities of retinal detachment, lens displacement, abnormal masses, and vitreal hemorrhage
Other advanced tests that may be performed include abdominal ultrasounds, X-rays of the head and eye orbit to detect traumatic injuries, and hormonal tests (assays) of the adrenal glands. To detect bone marrow cancer, a bone marrow aspirate - the liquid found within the bone marrow - may also be done.
A cell that aids in clotting
Anything having to do with the eye
A term for a type of neoplasm that is made up of lymphoid tissue; these masses are usually malignant in nature
The prediction of a disease’s outcome in advance
Something that is related to the whole body and not just one particular part or organ
Any inflammation of a blood vessel or lymph.
A medical condition in which the uvea becomes inflamed.
The colored layer around the pupil
Extreme loss of blood
To make something wider
a) inhaling b) getting out fluid or gas by the act of sucking.
Veterinary term used to indicate the space behind the cornea of the eye and in front of the iris; contains liquid.
A condition in which growth and development are not up to normal standards
The collection of fluid in the tissue
In veterinary terms, used to refer to the front of the body.
A disorder that has resulted from intraocular pressure
Hemorrhage into the back of the eye