Corneal dermoid in a 3-month old Sokoto gudali cross calf

Abstract

Ocular dermoid is a skin or skin-like appendage usually arising on the limbus, conjunctiva, and cornea. It can be unilateral or bilateral and has been reported in different domestic species of animals including cattle. Three months old Sokoto Gudali/Rahaji cross calf weighing 60kg body weight was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto with the complaint of an observed hairy growth and excessive lacrimation of the left lateral eye. Clinical examination revealed a hairy skin-like growth measuring about 1.5cm by 2cm, extending from 4 o’ clock to 7 o’ clock on the left globe. The calf was sedated with xylazine hydrochloride at 0.25 ml/ 100kg IM and restrained on lateral recumbency. Auriculopalpebral block (ring block) was achieved with 2% lignocaine hydrochloride and superficial keratectomy was performed to excise the tissue. Temporary tarsorrhaphy was performed to aid healing and medial canthus area was left open for topical administration of drugs. Postoperatively, Terra-cotril eye drop (Oxytetracyclin and hydrocortisone) trice daily for three days was administered. Temporary tarsorrhaphy sutures were removed on the 10th day postoperatively. The calf successfully recovered and did not present signs of recurrence on re-examination two months later.

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Sokoto Journal of Veterinary Sciences, Volume 17 (Number 1). March, 2019
90
CASE REPORT
Sokoto Journal of Veterinary Sciences
(P-ISSN 1595-093X: E-ISSN 2315-6201)
http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/sokjvs.v17i1.13
Salisu /Sokoto Journal of Veterinary Sciences, 17(1): 90 - 93.
Corneal dermoid in a 3-month old Sokoto gudali cross calf
MD Salisu
National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria
Correspondence: Tel.: +2348034650036; E-mail: mdsalisu@abu.edu.ng
Copyright: © 2019
Salisu. This is an open-
access article
published under the
terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution
License which permits
unrestricted use,
distribution, and
reproduction in any
medium, provided the
original author and
source are credited.
Publication History:
Received: 02-08-2018
Accepted:15-11-2018
Abstract
Ocular dermoid is a skin or skin-like appendage usually arising on the limbus,
conjunctiva, and cornea. It can be unilateral or bilateral and has been reported in
different domestic species of animals including cattle. Three months old Sokoto
Gudali/Rahaji cross calf weighing 60kg body weight was presented to the Veterinary
Teaching Hospital of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto with the complaint of an
observed hairy growth and excessive lacrimation of the left lateral eye. Clinical
examination revealed a hairy skin-like growth measuring about 1.5cm by 2cm,
extending from 4 o’ clock to 7 o’ clock on the left globe. The calf was sedated with
xylazine hydrochloride at 0.25 ml/ 100kg IM and restrained on lateral recumbency.
Auriculopalpebral block (ring block) was achieved with 2% lignocaine hydrochloride
and superficial keratectomy was performed to excise the tissue. Temporary
tarsorrhaphy was performed to aid healing and medial canthus area was left open for
topical administration of drugs. Postoperatively, Terra-cotril eye drop (Oxytetracyclin
and hydrocortisone) trice daily for three days was administered. Temporary
tarsorrhaphy sutures were removed on the 10th day postoperatively. The calf
successfully recovered and did not present signs of recurrence on re-examination two
months later.
Keywords: Calf, Ocular dermoid, Sokoto gudali, Rahaji, Superficial keratectomy
Introduction
Ocular dermoids are choristomatous skin or skin-like
defects characterized by the overgrowth of normal
benign tissue arising congenitally from the ocular
region and are usually located in limbus, cornea,
conjunctiva, corneoconjunctiva. They have also been
noticed in nictitating membrane and eyelid (Roh et
al., 2014). Dermoids have been reported in dogs,
cats and cattle calves (Bodh et al., 2015) but rarely in
humas and other domestic animals such as horses
and camels (Pirouzian, 2013; Roh et al., 2014).
The cysts are believed to originate from an
incarceration and subsequent growth of embrionary
epithelial cells during the closure of the neural tube,
thus most of these lesions occur along the median
line. However, there are reports of acquired dermoid
cysts secondary to traumatic epithelial dislocations
(Bukar et al., 2008). The increasing size of the cyst
occurs due to normal cell desquamation within the
cyst cavity, leading to secondary signs related to the
compression of adjacent structures (Bukar et al.,
2008).
Being a congenital anomaly, dermoid has been
recorded in different cattle breeds and is believed to
be non-heritable. The condition has been evaluated
and reported exclusively in native Korean, Hereford,
Israeli-Holstein and Nigerian cattle with an
estimated prevalence of 0.35% (Ebbo et al., 2003;
Bukar et al., 2008; Roh et al., 2014; Sarangom et al.,
2016).
In Nigeria, Ebbo et al. (2003) and Akpavie et al.
(2006) reported bilateral corneal dermoid in a calf in

Sokoto Journal of Veterinary Sciences, Volume 17 (Number 1). March, 2019
91
Sokoto state, Nigeria while Bukar et al. (2008)
reported a 0.32% prevalence in Borno state, Nigeria.
Most reported cases of ocular dermoid in Nigeria are
bilateral and in Freizian crossed or pure Sokoto
Gudali breeds. However, this case is unilateral and in
a Sokoto Gudali/ Rahaji cross, hence the need to
report. Similarly, reporting this case will further
update the prevalence record of ocular dermoid (uni
or bilateral) so that detailed researches can be
conducted to ascertain reasons behind the increase.
Case Management
Case history and clinical examination
Three months old Sokoto Gudali/ Rahaji cross calf
weighing 60kg body weight was presented to the
Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Usmanu Danfodiyo
University, Sokoto with the complaint of hairy
growth and excessive lacrimation of the left eye.
Clinical examination revealed rectal temperature,
pulse and respiratory rates of 39.6Oc, 69 beats/min
and 18 cycles/min, respectively. On further physical
examination, the calf was in good body condition.
The visible mucus membrane was pink and the
capillary refill time was less than two seconds. There
was a hairy skin-like growth measuring about 1.5 cm
by 2 cm, extending from 4:00 to 7:00 o` clock on the
left globe (Plate I). The affected eye tested positive
to pupillary light reflex.
Management
Post clinical examination, calf was prepared for
surgical excision of dermoid cyst. The eye was
prepared for aseptic surgery by clipp scrubbing using
chlorhexidine gluconate (Savlon®) and application of
mild antiseptic solution. The calf was sedated with
xylazine hydrochloride at 0.25 ml/ 100 kg (Xylazine
20 inj, KEPRO®) IM and restrained on the table on
right lateral recumbency. Auriculopalpebral and
Peterson nerve block (ring block) and local
infiltration with 2% lignocaine hydrochloride
(PAUCO®) was performed to achieve regional
analgesia and anaesthesia.
Superficial keratectomy was performed as described
by Hickman & Walker (1980). The tissue was rasped
with forceps and the dermoid cyst was completely
excised by surgical blade (Plates II), by careful
dissection to avoid injury to the anterior chamber of
the eye. Temporary tarsorrhaphy was performed
and medial canthus area was left open for topical
infiltration/administration of drugs (Plate III).
Postoperatively, oxytetracyclin and hydrocortisone
(Terra-Cotril® Pfizer) eye drop was administered
three times daily for three days. Tarsorrhaphy
sutures were removed 10 days postoperatively. The
calf successfully recovered and was re-examined
after two months to rule out any possibility of
recurrence. Visual re-examination for tissue
regrowth, lacrimation and pupillary light reflex did
not reveal any evidence of possible recurrence of
dermoid cysts.
Discussion
Ocular dermoids are choristomatous skin or skin-like
appendages that arise usually on the limbus,
conjunctiva and cornea (Roh et al., 2014). The
developmental processes precisely involved in the
pathogenesis of ocular dermoids are not clearly
known. However, metaplasia of mesenchyme (of
primarily neural crest origin), resulting in abnormal
differentiation of the surface ectoderm, is
considered the most likely mechanism (Greenberg et
al., 2012). The resulting dermoid usually consists of
ectodermal elements (keratinized epithelium, hairs,
sebaceous and apocrine glands), and mesenchymal
elements (fibrous tissue, fat and cartilage) combined
in different proportions (Roh et al., 2014).
Dermoid occurs sporadically in numerous cattle
Plate I: Dermoid cyst on the left eye of a Sokoto gudali
cross calf
Plate II: Excised dermoid cyst from a Sokoto gudali
cross calf

Sokoto Journal of Veterinary Sciences, Volume 17 (Number 1). March, 2019
92
breeds and can be unilateral or
bilateral that may contain many
elements of normal skin tissues as
reported previously (Roh et al.,
2014). These tissues or hair follicles
usually irritate the eye and the
animal suffers from chronic
epiphora, conjunctivitis or keratitis
and may even cause visual
impairment (Nuh et al., 2012).
Ocular dermoids in cattle have a
low estimated prevalence of 0.002
% – 0.4 % (Sarangom et al., 2016). It
has been reported in cattle of many
breeds worldwide, with a similar
Plate III: The calf in lateral recumbency with temporary tasorrhaphy post
dermoid excision surgery
low prevalence in all breeds. There are otherwise
few reports of bilateral ocular dermoids in calves,
each describing single or low numbers of animals
and some reports on nasal dermoids (Greenberg et
al., 2012; Sarangum et al., 2016). Of these bilateral
cases, inferonasal corneoconjunctival dermoids were
most commonly reported, followed by nasal canthal
dermoids (Meher et al., 2005). Ebbo et al. (2003) and
Akpavie et al. (2006) both reported a case of
bilateral corneal dermoid in a calf in Sokoto state,
Nigeria while Bukar et al. (2008) also reported its
occurrence in Borno state, Nigeria.
Corneal dermoid in Sokoto Gudali/ Rahaji cross as
observed in this case, presented signs such as
presence of skin-like hairy growth on the cornea,
epiphora. It corroborates the findings of Ebbo et al.
(2003), that ocular dermoid is common in cattle
particularly calves. However, this case is unique
because it is reported in a Sokoto Gudali cross and is
unilateral.
This case equally support the findings of Roh et al.
(2014) that surgical excision of the tissue could result
to full recovery of the eye provided physical
examination (pupillary light reflex) does not reveal
visual impairment.
Management of uni or bilateral corneal dermoids in
cattle varies greatly with the type of dermoids
(corneal, conjunctival or their combination), the age
of the animal affected and the severity of the
condition. It generally involves a surgical removal of
the abnormal growth, but in a situation where visual
impairment has resulted from chronic epiphora,
conjunctivitis and keratitis, there is barely little that
can be done. It is thus recommended that urgent
attention be given to such severe cases to avoid
visual impairment in the affected animals.
Acknowledgement
The author appreciates the immense contribution of
Prof JB Adeyanju, Dr AS Yakubu and Dr A Adamu in
managing the case. The Director, Veterinary
Teaching Hospital, Usmanu Danfodiyo University
Sokoto, is also appreciated by permission to publish
the case.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.
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