Ophthalmic findings associated with Australian tick paralysis (holocyclotoxicity) in hospitalized domestic dogs and cats

OBJECTIVE

To describe ophthalmic findings in hospitalized canine and feline patients with tick paralysis (TP) and investigate possible predisposing factors.

ANIMALS STUDIED

Forty-seven dogs and 28 cats hospitalized with TP assessed with an ophthalmic examination performed by an ABVO resident.

METHODS

Dogs and cats were hospitalized with TP from October 2021 to January 2022 and had an ophthalmic examination performed by an ABVO resident. Patient signalment data, information regarding tick number and location, hospitalization duration, medications used, and patient paralysis grades were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed to correlate findings.

RESULTS

Corneal ulcers developed in up to 34.8% of dogs and up to 42.9% of cats hospitalized with TP. An absent palpebral reflex ipsilaterally increased the odds of a concurrent corneal ulcer being present by 14.7× in dogs and 20.1× in cats (p < .0001). Palpebral reflexes were absent in 38.3% of dogs and 35.7% of cats hospitalized with TP and were correlated with more severe gait paralysis (p = .01) and respiratory paralysis (p = .005) in dogs, and respiratory paralysis in cats (p = .041). STT-1 findings <10 mm/min were present in 27.7% of dogs and 57.1% of cats examined and were associated with increasing gait paralysis (p = .017) and respiratory paralysis (p = .007) in dogs, and increasing gait paralysis in cats (p = .017).

CONCLUSIONS

Simple corneal ulcers, loss of a complete palpebral reflex, and reduced STT-1 scores frequently occurred in dogs and cats hospitalized for TP. The frequency of these findings increased as the degree of patient paralysis increased.