Subconjunctival Use of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of Canine Ulcerative Keratitis

Ophthalmic diseases are common problems in dogs of various breeds and ages.  In recent years, ophthalmologists have been paying more attention to stem cell (SC) therapies, since the renewal and regeneration of any tissue in the adult body depends on somatic SC, and eye tissues are no exception. The aim of the present work was to determine the influence of allogenic mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in healing ulcerative keratitis of dogs. Our research showed that subconjunctival injections of allogeneic MSCs from adipose tissue was clinically safe for use in dogs during the follow-up period. These injections contributed to the decrease of the clinical manifestations of ulcerative keratitis in dogs, as evidenced by a decrease the intensity and area of the affected areas of the cornea compared to classic therapy.