Rabbit and rodent ophthalmology

The fascination of comparative ophthalmology lies in the amazing similarity between the eyes of very divergent species. Yet there are small but significant anatomical, physiological and pathobiological differences between the familiar eyes of the dog and cat and those of the rabbit, guinea pig, mouse and rat which have substantial implications for the treatment of ophthalmic conditions in these animals. Here we seek to outline the differences between rodents and lagomorphs and the more commonly seen dog and cat and discuss the effects these differences have on diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease in these small mammal species. SUMMARY