Short and long term effects of 1% atropine drops on tear production in mixed breed dogs

Abstract

lt was conceived to study the effects of 1% atropine sulfate drops on tear production in dogs, due to references on its decreasein susceptible animais, treated chronically with the drug, in spite of not being consensus among the authors the possibility ofKeratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS) induction in these patients. In this context, it was investigated atropine in relation to theseintercurrent processes in mixed breed dogs that are little or not susceptible to KCS. For this purpose 20 adult, male, healthydogs were used. The tear production was evaluated using the Schirmer tear test no 1. The study was done in three stages,named pre-atropinic, atropinic and post-atropinic. In the pre and post atropinic stages only one daily measuring of the parameterwas taken during 14 and 30 days respectively, without any use of the medication. In the pre-atropinic stage it was possible toestablish the value of 20,26 mm/min as basal, referring to tear production. The atropinic stage was divided in four periods,having the first measuring before instilling the drug and the others, afterwards, at intervals of one hour, adding up to threemeasurements, during the 30 days of evaluation. The results allow affirming that topical 1% atropine sulfa te application in dogsbrought about a decrease of tear production, with an inclination to normalize after interrupting the treatment.