Bilateral central upper eyelid colobomas in two Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia) cubs

Anderson, Chelsea E.

Bilateral central upper eyelid colobomas in two Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia) cubs

Abstract

A litter of two snow leopard cubs, one male and one female, were born in May 2013 at a zoo in the United States. At 35 days of age, keepers observed that both cubs had bilateral central upper eyelid defects resulting in partial exposure of the cornea, which posed a risk for exposure keratitis and corneal ulceration. Such defects are known as eyelid colobomas, defined as a defect in ocular tissue due to failure of part of the fetal fissure to close (Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, 2013). Blepharospasm, defined as spasmodic winking caused by involuntary contraction of an eyelid muscle, usually in response to irritation or pain, was also noted bilaterally in both cubs at this time as well (Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, 2013). The cubs were otherwise healthy, had no abnormalities on limited physical examination, and were both still nursing their mother. Zoo keepers and the veterinary staff were diligent in checking for ocular deformities due to a prior litter of snow leopard cubs, born to the same female, that were affected with central eyelid colobomas in 2011 and reported histories of this condition in captive snow leopards worldwide.

Journal / Series

Senior seminar paper
Seminar SF610.1 2014

Date Issued

2013-10-30

Keywords

Snow leopard -- Abnormalities -- Treatment -- Case studies

Types

term paper