Bilateral enucleation in dogs: A review of owner perceptions and satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose To evaluate owner perceptions of the quality of life of their dogs before and after bilateral enucleation and to assess owner satisfaction with the procedure. Methods Medical records of 72 dogs from the Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service (49 dogs) and the Royal Veterinary College (RVC, 23 dogs) that had undergone bilateral enucleation, either in one procedure or at different times, between April 2008 (Willows) or 2012 (RVC) and April 2017, were reviewed. Owners were initially telephoned to determine owner satisfaction, followed by a postal visual analogue scale (VAS) questionnaire evaluating perceptions of their dog's quality of life before and after the bilateral enucleation. Statistical evaluation included Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests and Chi‐squared analysis. Results Of the 72 cases identified, 63 owners (88%) were contacted by telephone and 60 owners (83%) also completed the VAS questionnaire. The mean age at the time of the second or bilateral enucleation was 8.47 years (range 7.1 months‐14.5 years). Cross‐breeds (n = 12, 17%) and Jack Russell Terriers (n = 7, 10%) were the two most represented breeds. Glaucoma was the most common reason for enucleation (139/144 eyes, 97%). Most owners (57/63, 90%) were satisfied with the surgery and would consent to the procedure again. Statistically significant improvements in owner perceptions of their dog's pain level, reaction to facial/ocular palpation, activity levels, and quality of life were identified post‐enucleation. Conclusions Following bilateral enucleation, owners were satisfied with the procedure and perceived their dogs to have a good quality of life.

Comparing the behaviour of dogs before and after enucleation due to glaucoma

“…Clients were satisfied with the choice of proceeding with the surgical procedure and they would elect enucleation again, if this were necessary in the future. This is in agreement with Hamzianpour et al, who reported that owners perceived a significant improvement in the levels of pain and activity of their dogs after the procedure 19 …”

“…A previous study looked into owners' perception and satisfaction after bilateral enucleation in dogs. 19 However, bilateral enucleation presents a different clinical scenario because not only has a significant impact on dogs per se, but also it severely interferes with the owner's facial perception of, and interaction with their dog, which is a very important part of the human-animal bond. 20,21 Another study in horses showed owners' main cause for concern to be the quality of life post-enucleation with concerns over cosmetic appearance also being noted.…”

“…This is in agreement with Hamzianpour et al, who reported that owners perceived a significant improvement in the levels of pain and activity of their dogs after the procedure. 19 In the questionnaire, more owners reported that their pets' unusual behaviour prompted them to seek veterinary advice as opposed to noticing overt pain. This supports Yeates and Main (2019) research which suggests that external parameters (i.e.…”

“…There is limited literature on owner attitudes toward enucleation in dogs. A previous study looked into owners' perception and satisfaction after bilateral enucleation in dogs 19 . However, bilateral enucleation presents a different clinical scenario because not only has a significant impact on dogs per se, but also it severely interferes with the owner's facial perception of, and interaction with their dog, which is a very important part of the human‐animal bond 20,21 .…”

Hello darkness my old friend: Management of blind horses

“…People with phthisical blind eyes often report ocular pain (Doyle et al 2018); enucleation paired with an orbital prosthesis may be performed if pain is intractable (Custer 2000). Owners of 72 dogs who underwent bilateral enucleation were surveyed about their dog's post-operative quality of life, and 96% reported positive benefits including increased activity level and playfulness and lack of aversion to facial/ocular palpation (Hamzianpour et al 2019). A survey of 34 horses who were unilaterally enucleated for a variety of reasons showed that complications were rare and the majority of horses returned to their previous occupation (Utter et al 2010).…”