Objective: To evaluate the effect and safety of topical anti‐human vascular endothelial growth factor bevacizumab in dogs with persistent corneal vascularization.Animals studied: Prospective case series of 15 adult dogs (20 eyes).Procedures: Dogs received 0.25% bevacizumab eye drops BID for 28 days. Follow‐ups were scheduled 28 days and 6–7 months after treatment start. Macroscopic findings were scored for conjunctival hyperemia, chemosis, ocular discharge, corneal edema, vascularization, and pigmentation. Vascularized area was assessed by analyzing photographs using an imaging software.Results: The treatment response was variable. Some cases showed a marked reduction in vascularized area and edema, while other eyes had subtle signs of improvement. Vascularization score decreased from 1.5 to 1.1 and vascularized area was reduced by 48.8% after 28 days. A thinning of vessels, consolidation of areal bleedings into fine vascular networks, decrease in distal vessel branching, and a change from blurry vascularized beds into demarcated thin vessels were observed. One dog developed a SCCED 6 months after the last bevacizumab administration. Two dogs died 4 and 4.5 months after the last bevacizumab administration, aged 16 and 12 years, respectively. In all events, a causal relationship is unlikely but cannot be ruled out with certainty.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that topical 0.25% bevacizumab may be an effective treatment option for corneal vascularization in dogs. Further long‐term placebo‐controlled studies with larger patient cohorts are recommended to provide scientific evidence of efficacy and to investigate dosage, safety, possible use as a single treatment, and routes of administration.
Corneal neovascularization (CNV) in dogs causes chronic ocular surface inflammation, which may disrupt tear film stability and meibomian gland function. As bevacizumab inhibits abnormal vessel growth and affects tear composition, it may benefit dogs with ocular surface disorders. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the effects of bevacizumab eye drops on the ocular surface in dogs with chronic CNV. Fourteen eyes from nine client-owned dogs were included. Dogs received either preserved (BBAC-group) or unpreserved (B-group) 0.25% bevacizumab eye drops twice daily for 28 days. Re-examinations occurred one week after treatment initiation, at the end of treatment, and three months later. An ocular surface analyzer was used to assess tear composition and meibomian glands via interferometry, tear meniscus height, and meibography. Ocular and systemic toxicities were monitored, and clinical signs were scored. Serum VEGF levels were measured via ELISA before and after treatment. No statistically significant changes in intraocular pressure, tear production, or systemic VEGF levels were observed. Statistically significant improvements were noted in conjunctival hyperemia and chemosis in both groups, ocular discharge in the BBAC-group, and fluorescein uptake in the B-group. Both formulations were safe and well tolerated. These preliminary findings suggest that topical bevacizumab may have potential benefits for CNV and ocular surface disorders in dogs, although larger studies are needed.