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Bilateral Blindness in a Cat After a Dental Procedure, Suspected to Be Due to Segmental Chorioretinal Ischaemia Necrosis

Cleo Guerreiro, Christine Heinrich, Karen Walsh

Background
Ophthalmic complications following dental procedures in cats are rare but have been reported in association with excessive jaw opening, which may restrict blood flow through the maxillary artery. This study presents a case of suspected segmental chorioretinal ischaemia necrosis leading to acute blindness in a cat following a dental procedure, with fundoscopic abnormalities documented over time.

Methods
A 5-year-old female domestic shorthair cat developed sudden-onset bilateral blindness three days after a routine dental procedure involving tooth extractions. Ocular examination confirmed absent pupillary light responses and segmental wedge-shaped retinal lesions. Differential diagnoses included angioinvasive pulmonary carcinoma, but systemic evaluation, including thoracic radiographs, was unremarkable. The cat’s vision and retinal changes were monitored over a 13-month follow-up.

Results
Initial fundoscopy revealed non-rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with white-grey subretinal effusions. Four weeks later, these regions developed segmental chorioretinal necrosis with pigmentation changes. Partial visual recovery was observed, and at the 13-month follow-up, the fundoscopic lesions remained stable without further deterioration. The findings suggested transient maxillary artery blood flow restriction as the likely cause of chorioretinal ischaemia.

Limitations
This is a single-case report, limiting generalizability. The exact degree and duration of jaw opening during the procedure were not recorded. Additionally, no advanced imaging, such as fluorescein angiography, was performed to further characterize retinal blood flow disruption.

Conclusions
This case suggests that prolonged or excessive jaw opening during dental procedures in cats can lead to transient maxillary artery compression, resulting in segmental chorioretinal necrosis and vision loss. The findings highlight the need to minimize jaw opening time during procedures and further investigate the vascular impact of dental positioning in small feline patients.

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