Vet World   Vol.18   May-2025  Article - 18 

Injectable homologous platelet-rich plasma, alone or in combination with oral omega-3 supplementation, for treating keratoconjunctivitis sicca in dogs

William dos Santos Villa¹ , João Victor Goulart Consoni Passareli¹ , Giovana José Garcia Estanho¹ , Marco Aurélio da Cruz Nobre Gomes¹ , Gisele Alborghetti Nai¹ , Cecília Laposy Santarém¹ , and Silvia Franco Andrade²

Background and Aim: Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the canine ocular surface primarily caused by immune-mediated destruction of lacrimal tissues. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is known for its regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties, while omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acids possess immunomodulatory effects. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of injectable homologous PRP (HPRP), alone or in combination with oral ω-3 supplementation, in improving clinical and histopathological parameters in dogs with KCS.

Materials and Methods: Twenty-two dogs (44 eyes) with bilateral KCS were randomized into two treatment groups: HPRP (n = 22 eyes) and HPRP plus oral ω-3 (HPRPO; n = 22 eyes). Treatments were administered monthly for up to three sessions alongside topical lubricants. Ophthalmological evaluations – including Schirmer’s tear test-1 (STT-1), tear film breakup time (TBUT), fluorescein staining, cytology of the third eyelid gland, and conjunctival histopathology – were performed at baseline and at monthly intervals up to 6 months.

Results: Both groups demonstrated significant improvement in ocular clinical signs and tear secretion. STT-1 values significantly increased from baseline in both groups (p < 0.05), without significant intergroup differences. However, TBUT values were significantly higher in the HPRPO group from month 3 onwards (p < 0.05). Cytological and histological analyses revealed a significant reduction in lymphocyte and neutrophil counts and an increase in goblet cell numbers in both groups, with greater improvement in the HPRPO group (p < 0.05). Earlier resolution of corneal ulcers and reduced ocular inflammation were observed in the HPRPO group.

Conclusion: Injectable HPRP, particularly when combined with oral ω-3 supplementation, is an effective therapeutic modality for managing KCS in dogs. The combination therapy enhanced tear film stability, reduced ocular inflammation, and promoted epithelial repair more effectively than HPRP alone. These findings support the synergistic effect of ω-3 fatty acids with PRP in ocular surface restoration.

Keywords: canine ophthalmology, dry eye disease, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, ocular inflammation, omega-3 fatty acids, platelet-rich plasma.

How to cite this article: Villa WS, Passareli JVGC, Estanho GJG, Gomes MACN, Nai GA, Santarém CL, and Andrade SF (2025) Injectable homologous platelet-rich plasma, alone or in combination with oral omega-3 supplementation, for treating keratoconjunctivitis sicca in dogs, Veterinary World, 18(5): 1262-1273.

Received: 24-10-2024   Accepted: 16-04-2025   Published online: 21-05-2025

Corresponding author: Silvia Franco Andrade    E-mail: silviafranco@unoeste.br

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.1262-1273

Copyright: Villa, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.