O uso do tacrolimus 0,03% colírio diluído em óleo de oliva ou de semente de linhaça no tratamento de ceratoconjuntivite seca em cães

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of tacrolimus 0.03% eye drops diluted in two types of vehicle, flaxseed oil and olive oil in the treatment of keratoconjunctivitis sicca (CCS) in dogs. 60 dogs were used, twenty healthy dogs as a negative control group and 40 dogs diagnosed with bilateral CCS that were randomly divided into two groups, tacrolimus in olive oil (TO) and tacrolimus in flaxseed oil (TL). The dogs were evaluated monthly with ophthalmologic exams, Tear Test Schirmer (TLS), Break Test Tear Film (TRFL), Fluorescein test (TF), Test of Rose Bengal (TRB) and conjunctival cytology and at the beginning and end of the study with histopathological examination of the conjunctiva .In both groups, clinical signs, TLS, TRFL, TF and TRB showed significant improvement with one month of treatment. At study end in cytological and histopathologic evaluation, both groups showed a decrease of neutrophils, it is more significant in the TL group, and both groups showed an increase of goblet cells. Thus we can conclude that the drops of tacrolimus 0.03% diluted in olive oil and flaxseed oil was effective in the treatment of CCS and the TL group performed better as the decrease in neutrophils. Thus, the linseed oil may be a new alternative as the tacrolimus diluent.