Treating distichiasis on a budget

RE: Treating distichiasis on a budget

Dinu Catilina — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 16:04:10 GMT

Sorry for resurrecting an old subject but I have a dog with extremely stubborn distichiasis. We do a few every year, mainly bulldogs and we have decent results with cryotherapy.

On this one however we did cryo twice and now he has them again, either the same old ones growing or new ones, I can't be certain. We got about 2 months between surgeries.

Am I not being brave enough and don't freeze the eye lid deep enough?

Is it worth considering other options?

I saw some case reports from Pip Boydell where a combination of surgery and cryo worked well. Unfortunately we can't ask him directly, does anyone have any experience with it?

Thank you in advance.

P.S. I checked for ectopic cillia and there are none.

Re: Treating distichiasis on a budget

Gareth Dowdeswell — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 22:05:20 GMT

Thanks for the replies, another vet did the initial plucking so hopefully we didn't both miss ectopic cilia but will definitely have another look if things aren't improving. Not too familiar with lid splitting but will look that up. We only have a giant cauterising iron used for cat ear tips but our sister branch has a proper electro surgery unit so think that may be the best option.

[quote user="Gareth C."]

Where do you work (ie geographically )?

Also if has good thick lids then lid splitting is an option

[/quote]

In south London. Have tried to refer the owners to other charity clinics but think they're struggling with eligibility criteria.

Re: Treating distichiasis on a budget

Robert Lowe — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 10:58:01 GMT

[quote user="John Flynn"][/quote]

not sure i've got the answer, but i think plucking them likely only to make worse as will have small sharp hairs more likely to cause ulcer instead of longer ones more flexible and possibly less irritant?

Viscotears or equivalent might help to reduce irritation if not looking to do anything surgically? At least initially and reassess in couple of months?

Sometimes worht checking carefully with magnification for ectopic cilia in case not actually the distichiasis causing the irritation/ulcer?

+1 for ectopic cilia. Cost is anaesthetic plus a scapel blade to remove so quite cheap.

If distichiasis then cryosurgery should also be quite cheap if you have access to it

Re: Treating distichiasis on a budget

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 22:16:20 GMT

I'm no opthalmologist but the technique of incising over the meibomian glands on the inner side of the lid requires little more than a scalpel (and preferably but not essentially some magnification), works, and is easier for the tyro than "lid splitting".

Re: Treating distichiasis on a budget

Gareth C. — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 21:20:41 GMT

Where do you work (ie geographically )?

Also if has good thick lids then lid splitting is an option

Re: Treating distichiasis on a budget

Emily Nightingale — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 18:16:35 GMT

Hi- very briefly- I'd re-anaesthetise and cauterise the follicle if you have access to a cautery iron?, send home with a carbomer gel and clinagel BID to prevent any scar tissue causing corneal problems, and warn the owners it might re-occur (but in my experience, this method means the hair doesn't regrow)

Good luck! (hoping you have a cautery iron...or could beg/steal/borrow one from somewhere?)

Re: Treating distichiasis on a budget

John Flynn — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 18:15:40 GMT

Viscotears or equivalent might help to reduce irritation if not looking to do anything surgically? At least initially and reassess in couple of months?

Sometimes worht checking carefully with magnification for ectopic cilia in case not actually the distichiasis causing the irritation/ulcer?